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E00326: The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of Victor (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00144), states that he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 28 July [AD 197].

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posted on 2015-03-04, 00:00 authored by Bryan

Liber Pontificalis 15

First edition (as reconstructed by Duchesne)

Victor, natione Afer, ex patre Felice, sedit ann. X mens. II dies X. Fuit temporibus Caesaris, a consulatu Commodi II et Glabrione usque ad Laterano et Rufino ... Martyrio coronatur ... Qui et sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri V kl. aug.

'Victor, born in Africa, son of Felix, held the see 10 years 2 months 10 days. He was bishop in the time of Caesar from the 2nd consulship of Commodus and that of Glabrio [AD 186] to that of Lateranus and Rufinus [AD 197] ... He was crowned with martyrdom ... He was buried close to the body of the apostle St Peter on the Vatican on the fifth day before the Kalends of August [28 July].'

Second edition

Victor, natione Afer, ex patre Felice, sedit ann. X m. II d. X. Fuit temporibus Cesaris, a consulatu Commodi II et Gravione usque ad Laterano et Rufino ... Martyrio coronatur ... Hic sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri apostoli, in Vaticano V kal. aug.

'Victor, born in Africa, son of Felix, held the see 10 years 2 months 10 days. He was bishop in the time of Caesar from the 2nd consulship of Commodus and that of Gravio [Glabrio] [AD 186] to that of Lateranus and Rufinus [AD 197] ... He was crowned with martyrdom ... He was buried close to the body of the apostle St Peter on the Vatican on the fifth day before the Kalends of August [28 July].'

Text: Duchesne 1886, 61 and 137. Translation: Davis 2010, 6, lightly modified.

History

Evidence ID

E00326

Saint Name

Victor, bishop and martyr of Rome, ob. c. 200 : S00144 Peter the Apostle : S00036

Saint Name in Source

Victor Petrus

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)

Language

Latin

Evidence not before

530

Evidence not after

546

Activity not before

190

Activity not after

210

Place of Evidence - Region

Rome and region

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Rome

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Rome Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη Rhōmē

Major author/Major anonymous work

Liber Pontificalis

Cult activities - Festivals

Saint’s feast

Cult activities - Places

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Cult Activities - Relics

Bodily relic - entire body

Source

The Liber Pontificalis consists of a series of short lives of popes. The preface attributes it to pope Damasus (366-384), but this attribution is obviously false. According to Louis Duchesne, the first modern editor of the Liber Pontificalis, the original series of lives was written in Rome by an anonymous author, probably a member of the lesser clergy, in the 530s, and contained the lives from *Peter the Apostle to Felix IV (ob. 530). Shortly after, before 546, the text was re-edited by another anonymous author and only this edition survives. The first edition, however, can be reconstituted on the basis of its two epitomes (and the second edition). The second edition started to be continued systematically from the time of pope Honorius (625–638). It should be noted that Theodor Mommsen dated both editions of the Liber Pontificalis to the 7th century, but his opinion is widely rejected and the commonly accepted dating is that of Duchesne. For the pre-Constantinian period (before 312), the credibility of the Liber Pontificalis is very low. The chronology is confused, and details concerning the personal lives, decisions, and ordinations of the bishops of Rome at best reflect what people in the 6th century trusted to be true, at worst are a pure invention of the author. The situation changes with the later lives. Already the information of 4th century papal foundations and offerings are generally trustworthy. The early 6th century evidence, based on the author's first hand knowledge is even better, though still imperfect.

Discussion

Victor is one of a number of early popes listed as martyrs by the Liber Pontificalis, for whom there is no other evidence of their martyrdom, nor evidence of their attracting cult. For the claim by the author of the Liber Pontificalis that almost all the early bishops of Rome were buried at the Vatican close to St Peter, see E00265.

Bibliography

Edition: Duchesne, L., Le Liber pontificalis. 2 vols (Paris: E. Thorin, 1886-1892). (With substantial introduction and commentary.) Translation: Davis, R., The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) (Translated Texts for Historians 6; 3rd ed.; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2010).

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Keywords

S00144 S00036 History

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CC0

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