medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
According to Maria Giulia Barberini, "I Santi Quattro Coronati A Roma", there were 3 groups of martyrs: 4 anonymous soldiers, in Diocletian's imperial guard, called "cornicularii", killed in 311 nr. Baths of Trajan for refusing to worship Aesculapius.
By the 7th century they seem to have been confused with another group, from same time, (Severus/Secundus, Victorinus, Carpoforos, Severianus, buried nearby in the Cemetery "of Albino" (?). A Third group is the 5 sculptors, martyred in Pannonia for the famous refusal...
Barberini reports that the confusion probably began when the Pannonians' relics arrived in Rome and were buried "inter duas lauras" on via Labicana, where the 4 "cornicularii" were also buried. Under Leo 4 (c.850) the two groups were transferred together to the crypt of the basilica. The 4 unknown soldiers were referred to in that church (already in the time of pope Miliziades) as the "4 crowned ones" due to their status as martyrs. By ca 600, the basilica was referred to as the "titulus sanctorum quattuor coronatorum" as well as "titulus Aemilianus"; it is the latter name that stuck. Krautheimer also has info on this church, a fascinating and wonderful mess.
TGD
>>> [log in to unmask] 11/07/02 18:11 PM >>>
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (8. November) is the feast day of:
Four Crowned Martyrs (early 4th cent.) Two groups of early martyrs
venerated in Rome on this day are called the "crowned martyrs": a group of
five Persian stonemasons and a group of four Roman soldiers. The prefered
version of the legend makes them Persian sculptors (4 zealous Christians
and a fifth who joined them because he thought their faith must be
miraculously helping them carve so well), who were hired to make a series
of statutes for the emperor but refused to carve Aesculapius. Arrested for
refusing to sacrifice to the gods, they were executed by drowning after the
officer leading the inquiry died suddenly and the five Christians were
blamed. I can't find any reason why they are called "crowned."
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