Church History 2.7–2.16

Under the reign we are describing, the Iberians are said to have come to know Christ. This is a barbarian nation, large and very warlike, living further inland than the Armenians, toward the north. A Christian woman who had been taken captive led them to despise their ancestral religion. Being very faithful and exceedingly devout, she did not relax her customary way of life even among foreigners. Fasting was dear to her, and praying night and day and blessing God. The barbarians asked why she endured this; and when she said simply that this was how one must worship God's Son, both the name of the one worshipped and the manner of worship seemed strange to them. It happened that a child there fell gravely ill, and his mother carried him round to every house and showed him; for the Iberians have this custom, so that if anyone is found who knows a cure for the disease, release from the illness may be easily obtained for the sick. When the child had been cured nowhere and was brought to the captive woman, she said: “Of medicines, whether to drink or to apply, I have neither knowledge nor experience; but I believe that Christ, whom I worship, the true and great God, will be the saviour of your child, woman.” At once she prayed for him and freed from his disease the child who was expected to die at any moment. Not long afterward, in the same way, she saved the wife of the ruler of the nation, who was about to perish from an incurable disease, and taught her the knowledge of Christ, presenting him as the steward of health, of life and of kingship, and Lord of all. The queen, believing from the experience of what had happened to her that the captive's words were true, honoured the religion of the Christians and held the woman in great honour. The king, amazed at the speed and wonder of the faith and the cure, learned the cause from his wife and ordered that the captive be rewarded with gifts. “But she makes little account of these,” said the queen, “even if they are thought very precious. Only the service of her own God does she value highly. If, then, we wish to please her, and to act safely and do well, come, let us too worship this God, who is mighty and a saviour, who causes kings to remain in their place if he wills, and again is able easily to make the great small, the obscure famous, and to save those in danger.” Though the woman often seemed to speak well in this way, the ruler of Iberia was in two minds and not fully persuaded, considering the novelty of the matter and revering his ancestral religion. Not long after, he went into a forest with his companions to hunt. Suddenly a very thick mist and dense air poured round them on every side and hid the sky and the sun; deep night and great darkness held the forest. Each of them, fearing for himself, scattered from the others. The king, wandering alone, as people commonly do when helpless in danger, thought of Christ, and resolved in his mind to hold him as God and to worship him thereafter, if he escaped the present evil. While he was still thinking this, the mist at once dispersed, the air changed to clear sky, and as the sun's rays struck into the forest, he came safely out. He told his wife what had happened, sent for the captive, and ordered her to teach him how Christ ought to be worshipped. When she had explained what it was lawful for a woman to say and do, he gathered his subjects and announced publicly the divine benefits that had come to him and his wife; and though he was not yet initiated, he imparted the doctrine to his subjects. They persuaded the whole people to worship Christ, he the men and the queen, with the captive, the women. And quickly, by the common agreement of the whole nation, they made ready with great zeal to build a church. When they had raised the enclosure round the church, they set up machines, hoisted the columns, and fixed them on their bases. It is said that when the first and second had been set upright, the setting up of the third column proved laborious, and could be achieved neither by the skill of the experts nor by force, though many were hauling. When evening came, the captive alone spent the night there, entreating God that the raising of the columns might be made easy. All the others went away in distress, the king most of all. For the column, raised halfway, stayed slanting, stuck in the ground, and its lower end would not move. This was to make the Iberians firmer in their belief in the Divine than the wonders before it. For when they came to the church at dawn, a marvellous thing like a dream appeared: the column that had been immovable the day before stood upright, hanging a little above its own base. All were astonished and confessed that Christ alone is the true God; and as all watched, it slid down quietly of its own accord and fitted onto its base as if by skill. After this the others were set up easily, and the Iberians completed the rest more eagerly. When the church had been built with zeal, at the captive's suggestion they sent envoys to the emperor Constantine, offering alliance and treaties and asking in return that priests be sent to the nation. When the envoys had related what had happened among them, and how the whole nation worshipped Christ with great care, the emperor of the Romans was pleased with the embassy, and sent the envoys away having done all they wished. In this way the Iberians came to know Christ, and they still worship him carefully to this day.

I have learned that the Armenians were Christians even earlier. It is said that Tiridates, the ruler of this nation, because of a wonderful divine sign that befell his house, at once became a Christian and by a single proclamation ordered all his subjects to worship likewise. After that the doctrine passed through the neighbouring tribes and grew in numbers. I think that the first Persians to become Christians were those who, through their dealings with the Osrhoenians and Armenians, naturally associated with the godly men there and experienced their virtue.

When in time they had become very numerous and had begun to hold assemblies and to have priests and deacons, this greatly grieved the magi, who from the beginning have had charge of the Persians' religion by hereditary succession, like a priestly tribe. It grieved the Jews too, who in some way are by nature set at war against the doctrine of the Christians through envy. They slandered to Sapor, the king at that time, Symeon, then archbishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, the royal cities of Persia, as a friend of the Caesar of the Romans who reported the affairs of the Persians to him. Persuaded by the slanders, Sapor at first ground down the Christians with immoderate taxes, knowing that most of them practised voluntary poverty, and entrusted the collection to harsh men, so that, forced by lack of money and the cruelty of the collectors, they would abandon their religion; for this was his aim. After this he ordered the priests and ministers of God to be put to the sword, the churches to be razed, their treasures to become public property, and Symeon to be brought to him as a traitor to the kingdom and religion of the Persians. The magi, then, with the help of the Jews, eagerly pulled down the houses of prayer. Symeon was arrested and brought in iron chains to the king; and there he showed himself a good and brave man. When Sapor ordered him to be brought in for torture, he neither feared nor did obeisance. The king, greatly angered at this, asked: “Why do you not do obeisance now, when you did so before?” Symeon said: “Because before I was not being brought in chains to betray the true God; and since there was no dispute, I fulfilled what was customary toward the kingship. But now it is not lawful for me to do this; for I have come to contend for piety and our doctrine.” When he had said this, the king ordered him to worship the sun, promising, if he obeyed, to give him many gifts and to hold him in honour, and threatening, if he disobeyed, to destroy both him and the whole race of Christians. When neither his threats terrified Symeon nor his promises softened him, but he remained brave, insisting that he would never worship the sun nor appear a traitor to his religion, the king ordered him to be kept in chains for the time being, reckoning, naturally, that he would change his mind. As he was being led to prison, Usthazanes, an old eunuch, Sapor's foster-father and chief of the king's household, saw him, rose and did obeisance to him; for he happened to be sitting before the palace doors. Symeon rebuked him insultingly, cried out in anger, turned away and passed by; for Usthazanes was a Christian and not long before had been forced to worship the sun. At once the eunuch burst into tears and laments, put off the splendid clothing he wore, put on black as one in mourning, and sat before the king's house weeping and groaning, saying: “Woe is me! What must I expect from the God I have denied, when on this account Symeon, who has long been my friend, has not even given me a word, but has turned away from me and passed me by!” When Sapor learned this, he called him and asked the reason for his mourning, and whether some misfortune had befallen his household. Usthazanes answered: “O king, I have met with no misfortune in my house here. Would that instead of what has befallen me I had fallen into every other kind of misfortune; it would have been easier. I mourn now because I am alive, and though I ought to have died long ago, I see the sun, which to please you I worshipped in appearance, not from conviction. So on both counts it is just that I die, having become a traitor to Christ and a deceiver toward you.” Having said this, he swore by the Creator of heaven and earth that he would not change his mind again. Sapor, astounded at the wonderful change in the eunuch, was still more incensed against the Christians, as though they did such things by sorcery. Yet sparing the old man, now gentle, now harsh, he tried with all his might to win him back. When he achieved nothing, since Usthazanes insisted he would never be so foolish as to worship the things made by God instead of God, the Creator of all, the king was moved to anger and ordered his head to be cut off with the sword. As he was being led to this by the executioners, he asked them to wait a little, so that he might tell the king something. He called one of the most trusted eunuchs and told him to say this to Sapor: “What goodwill I have had from youth until now toward your house, O king, toward your father and you, serving with fitting zeal, I think needs no witnesses with you, who know it well. In return for all the services I have ever done you, grant me this reward: that I may not seem to those who do not know to be suffering punishment as one unfaithful to the kingdom, or as caught in some other crime. To make this plain, let a herald proclaim aloud to all that Usthazanes is beheaded, not because he has been found wicked in any way at the palace, but because he is a Christian and would not obey the king and deny his own God.” The eunuch delivered this message, and Sapor, in accordance with Usthazanes' request, ordered a herald to proclaim it; for he thought that the others would readily stop being Christians if they realized that he would spare no Christian, since he had put to death an old man who was his foster-father and a loyal member of his household. But Usthazanes was eager that the cause of his punishment be proclaimed, reckoning that when he had worshipped the sun out of fear he had made many Christians afraid, and now, if they learned that he had been killed for his religion, he would make many imitators of his own courage.

So Usthazanes left this life most gloriously. Symeon, learning of it in prison, offered thanks to God for him. On the next day, which happened to be the sixth day of the week, on which, before the festival of the resurrection, the yearly commemoration of the saving passion is held, the king condemned Symeon also to be put to the sword. For he was brought again from the prison to the palace, argued very nobly with Sapor about the doctrine, and would not do obeisance either to him or to the sun. On the same day a hundred others who were in the prison were likewise ordered to be put to death, and Symeon to be slain last after them, when he had watched the death of all. Of these some were bishops, others presbyters, and others of other clerical orders. As they were all being led to death, the chief of the magi came and asked them whether they wished to live, by worshipping as the king did and honouring the sun. When no one chose life on these terms, and they had been brought to the place where they were to be killed, the executioners set to work and laboured at the slaughter of the martyrs; Symeon, standing by them as they were killed, urged them to be of good courage, and spoke about death, resurrection and piety. Confirming it from the sacred Scriptures, he showed that to die in this way is truly life, while to betray God through cowardice is confessedly death. For in a little while, even if no one kills them, they will die of themselves; for this end is inescapable for everyone who is born. But what comes after is everlasting, and will not befall all people alike: rather, as by a measuring line, they will give an exact account of their life here; and each will receive immortal rewards for the good he has done, and pay the penalty for the contrary. And greatest of all, the most blessed among good things, is to choose to die for God. As Symeon went through these things, like a trainer urging athletes in the games how they must enter the contest, each one who heard him went eagerly to the slaughter. When the executioner had gone through the hundred, last of all he killed Symeon himself, and Abdechalaas and Ananias, both elderly presbyters of his church, who had been arrested with him and were in chains.

At that time Pusices, who was over all the king's craftsmen, was standing there, and seeing Ananias trembling as he was being made ready for the slaughter, he said: “Old man, close your eyes for a little while and take courage; for at once you will see the light of Christ.” As soon as he had said this he was arrested and brought to the king. He confessed that he was a Christian; and because he spoke freely to the king on behalf of the doctrine and the martyrs, as one who had used improper boldness, he was ordered to be put to death in a strange and most cruel way: the executioners pierced his neck at the sinew and drew out his tongue through it. At the slander of some people his daughter too, a holy virgin, was arrested and put to death at that time. In the following year, on the day when the commemoration of the passion of Christ was being kept and the festival of the resurrection of the dead was expected, a most cruel order of Sapor went out through the whole land of the Persians, condemning to death those who confessed themselves to be Christians. It is said that at that time a multitude of Christians beyond counting was put to the sword. For the magi carefully hunted out in cities and villages those who were in hiding, and others gave themselves up of their own accord with no one bringing them, so as not to seem by their silence to deny Christ. As all Christians were killed without mercy, very many were put to death in the palace itself, among them Azades the eunuch, who was particularly dear to the king. When Sapor learned of his death he was exceedingly grieved, stopped this general slaughter, and ordered that only the teachers of the religion should be put to death.

At that time, when the queen fell ill, Tarbula, the sister of Symeon the bishop, a holy virgin, was arrested, together with a servant who followed the same way of life and a sister who after her husband's death had renounced marriage and was arrested likewise. Their arrest came about through the slander of the Jews, who accused them of plotting against the queen with poisons in revenge for Symeon's death. The queen (for sickness somehow tends to lend an ear to the worst things) believed the slander to be true, especially since it came from Jews; for she was of their way of thinking, lived in a Jewish manner, and regarded them as truthful and well disposed to her. The magi took Tarbula and the others and condemned them to death; they sawed them in two, impaled them on stakes, and, as a charm to avert the disease, made the queen pass between the stakes. It is said that this Tarbula was very comely and beautiful in appearance, and that one of the magi fell in love with her and secretly sent her an offer for intercourse, promising safety for her and her companions if she consented. But she would not endure hearing of such licentiousness; she insulted them and reproached their lewdness, and most eagerly chose to die rather than betray her virginity. When Sapor's order prevailed, as has been said above, that the rest should be left alone and only the priests and teachers of the doctrine arrested, the magi and chief magi went round the land of the Persians and carefully ill-treated the bishops and presbyters, especially in the country of the Adiabenians; this is a district of Persia that is almost entirely Christian.

About this time they also arrested Acepsimas the bishop and many of the clergy under him; but on reflection they contented themselves with the capture of the leader, and let the others go, taking away their property. But a presbyter named James followed Acepsimas of his own accord, and by begging the magi came under the same bonds; he served the old man eagerly, lightened his misfortunes as far as he could, and tended his wounds. For not long after his arrest the magi tortured him severely with raw thongs, trying to force him to worship the sun; and when he did not yield, they kept him again in chains. At that time also the presbyters Aithalas and James and the deacons Azadanes and Abdiesus were living in prison for the doctrine, after being most cruelly scourged by the magi. When much time had passed, the chief magus spoke to the king about them; and being allowed to punish them as he wished if they would not worship the sun, he made Sapor's order known to those in prison. When they answered openly that they would never become traitors to Christ nor worship the sun, he tortured them without mercy. Acepsimas, remaining brave in his confession of the doctrine, died; and some of the Armenian hostages among the Persians secretly took up his remains and buried them. The others, though scourged no less, survived beyond expectation, and since they did not change their mind, were put in chains again. Among them was Aithalas, whose arms, as he was stretched out while being beaten, were torn from his shoulders by the excessive pulling, so that he carried his hands dead and hanging, and others had to bring food to his mouth. Under this reign an innumerable multitude of presbyters, deacons, monks, holy virgins, and others who served the churches or were devoted to the doctrine ended their lives in martyrdom. Of the bishops, those I have learned of are Barbasymes, Paul, Gaddiabes, Sabinus, Mareas, Mocius, John, Hormisdas, Papas, James, Romas, Maares, Agas, Bochres, Abdas, Abdiesus, John, Abramius, Agdelas, Sapor, Isaac, and Dausas, who had been taken captive by the Persians from a place called Zabdaeus. At that time he died for the doctrine together with Mareabdes, a country bishop, and about two hundred and fifty of the clergy under him, who had been taken captive by the Persians.

About this time Milles was martyred. At first he served as a soldier among the Persians; afterward he left military service and emulated the apostolic way of life. It is said that, having been ordained bishop of a Persian city, he often suffered much and endured blows and draggings; and when he persuaded no one to become a Christian, he was angry, cursed the city, and departed. Not long afterward, when its leading men had offended against the king, an army came with three hundred elephants and destroyed the city, and having ploughed it like a field, sowed it. Carrying only a wallet, in which he had the sacred book of the Gospels, he went to Jerusalem to pray, and from there to Egypt to see the monks there. What wonderful and godly works we have received that this man performed is witnessed by the sons of the Syrians, who have written down his deeds and his life. For myself, I think it is enough for the present to relate these things about him and about those martyred in Persia under the reign of Sapor. For it would be a long task to enumerate everything that happened to them, who they were and where they came from, or how they accomplished their martyrdom and what punishments they endured; for among the Persians all kinds of such methods are pursued in rivalry of cruelty. To speak in summary as far as possible, it is said that of the martyrs of that time those recorded by name, men and women, amount to sixteen thousand, and that the multitude beyond these is past counting, so that it has seemed laborious to the Persians, the Syrians and those who live about Edessa, who have taken great care in this, to enumerate their names.

When Constantine, the emperor of the Romans, learned that the Christians in Persia were being warred against in this way, he was vexed and greatly distressed. Eager to help them, he was at a loss what to do so that they too might live securely. It happened that at that time envoys of the king of the Persians came to him; he granted their requests and sent them away having done as they wished. Thinking it then a fitting moment to commend the Christians in Persia to Sapor, he wrote to him, declaring that he would always have very great and lasting gratitude if Sapor were humane toward those under him who admired the doctrine of the Christians. For, he said, there is nothing to blame even in the manner of their religion, since they are content with bloodless prayers alone in supplicating God; for he takes no pleasure in the shedding of blood, but rejoices only in a pure soul that looks to virtue and piety, so that those who believe thus deserve praise. Then he promised that Sapor would have the Divine itself gracious to him for his care of the doctrine, using as proofs what had happened to Valerian and to himself. He himself, through faith in Christ, having divine help as his ally, had begun from the western Ocean and brought the whole Roman world under him, and had won many wars, fighting against foreign peoples and the tyrants of the time; he had needed no sacrifices or divinations, but the symbol of the cross going before his armies, and prayer pure from blood and defilement, had sufficed him for victory. Valerian, so long as he did not harm the churches, continued to prosper in his rule; but when he resolved to raise a persecution against the Christians, divine wrath drove him and put him in the power of the Persians, by whom he was taken captive and ended his life pitiably. Writing such things to Sapor, Constantine tried to persuade him to be well disposed toward the religion. For he took very great care of Christians everywhere, Romans and foreigners alike.

Not long after the synod at Nicaea, Arius, who was being taken into exile, was recalled; but he was still forbidden to set foot in Alexandria. His return to Egypt was in fact pressed for later, as will be told in its place. Soon afterward Eusebius of Nicomedia and Theognis of Nicaea recovered their churches, the former expelling Amphion, who had been ordained in his place, and the latter Chrestus. They were recalled after giving the bishops a document of repentance, which reads as follows: “Having already been condemned by your Piety without a trial, we ought to have kept silent about what your Piety had judged. But since it is absurd by our silence to give proof against ourselves to our slanderers, we therefore declare that we have both agreed in the faith and, having examined the meaning of ‘of the same essence’ (homoousios), have been wholly for peace, never having followed the heresy. Having put forward, for the security of the churches, whatever came into our minds, and having been fully satisfied, and having fully satisfied those who were to be persuaded through us, we signed the faith. We did not sign the anathema, not as finding fault with the faith, but as not believing that the man accused was such as he was charged with being, since we had been fully assured from what he had said to us privately, both by letters and in conversations face to face, that he was not such. But since your holy synod was persuaded, we do not oppose it, but agree with what you have determined, and by this letter we confirm our assent; not because we take our exile hard, but to strip off the suspicion of heresy. For if you will now at least deign to receive us into your presence, you will have us of one mind in everything, following what you have decided; especially since your Piety has seen fit to deal kindly with and to recall the very man who was charged with these things. We think it absurd, when the one held responsible has been recalled and has defended himself on the charges, that we should keep silent and give the proof against ourselves. Deign, then, as befits your Christ-loving Piety, to remind the most God-beloved emperor, to put our petitions into his hands, and to decide quickly what befits you concerning us.” In this way Eusebius and Theognis repented and recovered their churches.