146). Such a practice is, however, impossible to imagine in terms of organization
before Constantine and cannot be proven. A stational liturgy in the city did not exist
before the sixth century (cf. below). There are, however, indications that the sub-
urban graves of the martyrs were already frequented on certain days during the third
century. Not only was it easier to assemble larger crowds outside the city, it was also
easier to organize these congregations, since the date (of death or burial) and place
(the respective cemetery) were fixed.
The Development of Martyr Cult
The sad fate of prisoners from the provinces who were brought to the capital to be
executed during Roman games was shared by Christians. A prominent example is
bishop Ignatius of Antioch (probably around 110), who had been convicted ad leones.
He wrote to the Christians in Rome during his journey as a prisoner:
Rather, charm the beasts that they become my grave and leave behind no part of my
body, lest I become a burden to anyone when I have been put to rest (in a tomb).
Then I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ when the world will not see even my
body (i.e. tomb). Implore Christ on my behalf that through these means I will become
a sacrifice for God. I do not command you like Peter or Paul. They are apostles, I am
a condemned man, they are free but I am now a slave. (Ad Rom.4.2–3; Eus. HE2.25.7
speaks also of showing/seeing the body/tomb of Peter – both are meant by tropaion)Ignatius attempts to dissuade the Roman Christians from preventing his martyr-
dom: when I am thrown to the lions they will devour me completely, and thus there
will not be a body which you must bury and a grave to look after so you can show
it to “the world.” The Roman community therefore cared for the martyrs’ mortal
remains and their burial. Such piety was normal and was afforded all Christians, but
even more so a bishop. But Ignatius insists that “the world” should not even see
his body in future. Why should the world wish to see his body? Evidently because
the tombs of the martyrs were visited! Ignatius is thinking in particular of the graves
of Peter and Paul, which were sought out by Christians from around the world. Ignatius
by no means wishes to question their worship or even have them understood as a
burden to the Roman congregation. He therefore immediately adds that he was not
issuing a command like Peter and Paul, since they were apostles and thus placed
above him. For himself, however, he declines being honored with a tomb.
One would thus like to assume that the tombs of the apostles in Rome were already
being shown around 110. Ignatius appears to presume this, and not surprisingly so.
As early as the late first century the gospel of St. Mark and the first (and second)
letter of St. Peter bear witness to the apostle’s authority beyond his death (Knoch
1991). The spiritual-religious conditions for a cult centered on the grave lay in the
Jewish martyrs’ cult (Horbury 1998; Frankfurter 1998b: 99–225). It is possible to
go further and to discern a commemoration of martyrs in the celebration of the
Eucharist (Ignatius, Ad Romanos6.1; cf. Martyrium Polycarpi18.3). For Ignatius
410 Stefan Heid