The History of Christianity: From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation

•    Three highly visible Christian leaders bore witness in a way that

glorified martyrdom.

o Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch, was arrested circa 107 and was

carried to Rome as a captive for execution; in seven letters to

churches in Asia Minor, he exalts in the death he faces under

the emperor Trajan. He begs the Roman Christians not to

intervene when he arrives, seeing martyrdom as the completion

of his discipleship.

o Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, collected the letters of

Ignatius, and himself wrote a letter of exhortation to the

Philippians. His execution in 155–156 was celebrated by The

Martyrdom of Polycarp, which explicitly connects his witness

to that of Jesus.

o The Christian philosopher Justin was condemned as a Christian

and suffered martyrdom under the emperor Marcus Aurelius

During the reign of the emperor Trajan, Ignatius told the Romans: “I will not only
be called a Christian but found to be one,” meaning, in his death.

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