# Martyrdom of Polycarp 21.1

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:340; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 2, LCL 25 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1913), 312–345 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:1044c–1045a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/21/1/

Summary: An appended note gives the date of Polycarp's death (23 February) and the officials of the time.

## Greek text

Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ ὁ μακάριος Πολύκαρπος μηνὸς Ξανθικοῦ δευτέρᾳ ἱσταμένου, πρὸ ἑπτὰ καλανδῶν Μαρτίων, σαββάτῳ μεγάλῳ, ὥρᾳ ὀγδόῃ. συνελήφθη δὲ ὑπὸ Ἡρώδου ἐπὶ ἀρχιερέως Φιλίππου Τραλλιανοῦ, ἀνθυπατεύοντος Στατίου Κοδράτου, βασιλεύοντος δὲ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ᾧ ἡ δόξα, τιμή, μεγαλωσύνη, θρόνος αἰώνιος ἀπὸ γενεᾶς εἰς γενεάν. ἀμήν.

## English translation (Claude)

The blessed Polycarp was martyred on the second day of the first part of the month Xanthicus, the seventh day before the Kalends of March, on a great Sabbath, at the eighth hour. He was arrested by Herod, when Philip of Tralles was high priest and Statius Quadratus was proconsul, while Jesus Christ was reigning forever; to whom be glory, honor, majesty, and an eternal throne from generation to generation. Amen.

## Translation notes

- “The seventh day before the Kalends of March”: 23 February. The eighth hour is about 2 p.m.
- Chapter 21 is widely thought to be a later addition. The proconsulship of Statius Quadratus is the main evidence for dating the martyrdom to 155/156, though some date it later.
- Some older editions and translations (e.g. the Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1885) read “the Kalends of May” (that is, 25 April); Lake's text reads “March.”

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 21.1 (PG 5:1044c–1045a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/21/1/).