The Presbyters Project

H(a)ec sunt nomina mart<y=I>rum Petrus / Paulus Saturninus presb<y=I>ter / idem Saturninus Bindemius Saturnin/us Donatus Saturninus Gududa / Paula Clara Lucilla Fortun(ata) / Iader C(a)ecilius (A)emilius passi die / Nonas Augustas depositi VI Idu/s No<v=B>embres gloria in e<x=S>ce/lsis deo et in ter(r)a pa<x=CS> (h)ominibus

(Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss/Slaby no. EDCS-24300059).

These are the names of the martyrs: Peter, Paul, Presbyter Saturninus,

and Saturninus, Bindemius, Saturninus, Donatus, Saturninus, Gududa, Paula, Clara, Lucilla, Fortunata, Iader, Caecilius, Aemilius, who died on the Nones of August, and were deposed on the sixth day before the Ides of November.

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people.

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The large mosaic (2.4 m × 2.7 m) is placed on the floor of the basilica of Uppena (modern Henchir Chigarnia in Tunisia), excavated in 1904–1905.

It probably refers to the time of the Diocletianic persecutions. Although Frend tries to link it to the "Passion of the Abitinian Martyrs" (Frend 2000, 321), the only connection is the name of Presbyter Saturninus, which, however, was quite common in Africa. All the other names are different.

Place of event:

Region

Latin North Africa

City

Uppenna

About the source:

Origin: Uppenna (Latin North Africa)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Edition:

Trismegistos no. 3200889.

Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss/Slaby no. EDCS-24300059.

E. Diehl (ed.), Inscriptiones Latinae Christianae Veteres, vol. 1, ed. 2., Berlin 1961, no. 2096.

Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum 8, 23041 (illustration: http://cil.bbaw.de/dateien/cil_view.php?KO=KO0000364)

Bibliography:

A. Dearn, "The Abitinian Martyrs and the Outbreak of the Donatist Schism”, The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 55 (2004), 1–18.

Y. Duval, Loca sanctorum Africae: le culte des martyrs en Afrique du IVe au VIIe siècle, Roma 1982, nos 27-29.

W.H.C. Frend, "North African and Byzantine saints in Byzantine North Africa", in: Romanité et cité chrétienne. Permanences et mutations, intégration et exclusion du Ier au VIe siècle. Mélanges en l'honneur d'Yvette Duval, Paris 2000, 319-333.

D. Raynal, "Culte des martyrs et propagande donatiste a Uppenna", Les Cahiers de Tunisie 21 (1973), 33–72.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR589.

Administration of justice - Capital punishment

PR589.

Conflict - Violence

PR589.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1243, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1243