E00343: The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Fabianus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00147), recounts how he established in the Roman church subdeacons and notaries to collect the acts of martyrs; it then tells of Fabianus' own martyrdom, and his burial in the cemetery of Callixtus on the via Appia outside Rome, on 21 (or 20) January [AD 250].

Liber Pontificalis 21

First edition (as reconstructed by Duchesne)

Fabianus, natione Romanus, ex patre Fabio, sedit ann. XIIII m. I d. XI. Martyrio coronatur. Fuit autem temporibus Maximi et Africani usque ad Decio II et Quadrato et passus est XIIII kal. feb. Hic regiones dividit diaconibus et fecit VII subdiaconos qui septem notariis inminerent ut gestas martyrum fideliter colligerent, et multas fabricas per cimiteria fieri precepit. Post passionem eius Moyses et Maximinus presbiteri et Nicostratus diaconus comprehensi sunt [et in carcerem missi sunt]. Eodem tempore [supervenit Novatus ex Africa et separavit de ecclesia Novatianum et quosdam confessores postquam] Moyses in carcere defunctus est, gui fuit ibi menses XI; et sic multi christiani fugierunt. … Qui [etiam] sepultus est in cimiterio Calisti, via Appia, XIII kl. feb.

'Fabianus, born in Rome, son of Fabius, held the see 14 years 1 month 11 days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He was bishop in the time of [the consulship of] Maximus [Maximinus] and Africanus [AD 236] to the 2nd [consulship]of Decius and that of Quadratus [Gratus, AD 250]; he suffered on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of February [19 January]. He divided the regions among the deacons and created 7 subdeacons who were to watch over the 7 notaries so they would faithfully collect the acts of the martyrs (gestae martyrum). He ordered many works to be carried out in the cemeteries. After his passion the priests Moyses and Maximus and the deacon Nicostratus were arrested [and put in prison]. Then [Novatus came over from Africa and separated Novatian and some of the confessors from the church after] Moyses died in prison—he was there 11 months; so it was that many Christians fled... He was buried in the cemetery of Callixtus on the via Appia on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of February [20 January].'


Second edition

Fabianus, natione Romanus, ex patre Fabio, sedit ann. XIIII m. I d. XI. Martyrio coronatur. Fuit autem temporibus Maximi et Africani usque ad Decio II et Quadrato et passus est XIIII kal. febr. Hic regiones dividit diaconibus et fecit VII subdiaconos qui VII notariis inminerent ut gestas martyrum in integro fideliter colligerent, et multas fabricas per cymiteria fieri precepit. Et post passionem eius Moyses et Maximinus presbiteri et Nicostratus diaconus comprehensi sunt et in carcerem missi sunt. Eodem tempore supervenit Novatus ex Africa et separavit de ecclesia Novatianum et quosdam confessores postquam Moyses in carcere defunctus est, gui fuit ibi menses XI; et sic multi christiani fugierunt … Qui etiam sepultus est in cymiterio Calisti, via Appia, XIIII kal. febr.


'Fabianus, born in Rome, son of Fabius, held the see 14 years 1 month 11 days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He was bishop in the time of Maximus [Maximinus] and Africanus [236] to the 2nd [consulship] of Decius and that of Quadratus [Gratus, AD 250]; he suffered on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of February [19 January]. He divided the regions among the deacons and created 7 subdeacons who were to watch over the 7 notaries so they would faithfully collect the acts of the martyrs. He ordered many works to be carried out in the cemeteries. After his passion the priests Moyses and Maximus and the deacon Nicostratus were arrested and put in prison. Then Novatus came over from Africa and separated Novatian and some of the confessors from the church after Moyses had died in prison—he was there 11 months; so it was that many Christians fled . ... He was buried in the cemetery of Callixtus on the via Appia on 20 January.'


Text: Duchesne 1886, 65 and 148. Translation: Davis 2010, 8, lightly modified.