Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles : in two parts.

ROME.

THE foundation of this Church is with just probabilities of reason by many of the Fathers equally attributed to Peter and Paul, the one as Apostle of the Circumcision preaching to the Jews, while the other probably as the Apostle of the Un∣circumcision preached to the Gentiles. Its Bishops succeeded in this order.

• I. S. Peter and S. Paul, who both suffered Martyrdom under Nero.
• II. Linus, the son of Herculaneus, a Tus∣can; he is mentioned by S. Paul, he sat between 11. and 12. years.
• III. Cletus, or Anacletus, or Anencletus, supposed by many to be the same person, (though others who reckon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Greek, born at Athens, make them di∣stinct, whom yet we have left out, not being mentioned by 〈◊〉〈◊〉) a Roman, the son of AEmilianus, sat 9, though others say but 2. years.
• IV. Clemens, a Roman, born in Mount Caelius, the son of Faustinus, near a kin, say some, to the Emperor: He was condemned to dig in the Marble-Quar∣ries near the Euxin Sea, and by the com∣mand of Trajan with an Anchor about his neck thrown into the Sea. He was Bishop of Rome 9. years, and 4. months.
• V. Euarestus, by birth a Greek, but his Father a Jew of Bethlehem. He is said to have been crowned with Martyrdom the last year of Trajan, in the ninth of his Bishoprick, or as others, the thir∣teenth.
• VI. Alexander, a Roman, though young in years, was grave in his manners and conversation. He sat 10. years and 7. months, and died a Martyr.
• VII. Xystus, or Sixtus, a Roman, he was Martyred in the tenth year of his Bi∣shoprick, and buried in the Vatican.
• VIII. Telesphorus, a Greek, succeeded; Just in the Martyr flourished in his time. He died a Martyr, having sat 11. years, and 3. months; 10. years, 8. months say others: and lies buried near S. Peter in the Vatican.
• IX. Hyginus, the son of an Athenian Philo∣sopher was advanced to the Chair under Antoninus Pius: He sat 4. years; Euse∣bius says 8.
• X. Pius, an Italian, born at Aquilcia, he died having been Bishop 11. years, and 4. months; according to Eusebius, 15. years.
• XI. Anicetus, born in Syria: He is said af∣ter 9, or as others, 11. years to have suffered Martydom, and was buried in the Via Appia in the Cemetery of Callistus. In his time Polycarp came to Rome.
• XII. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or as Nicephorus calls him, Soterichus, was a Campanian, the son of Concordius. There was an intercourse of Letters between him and Dionysius Bishop of Corinth. He died after he had sat 9. years, or as Eusebius reckons, 7.
• XIII. Eleutherius, born at Nicopolis in Greece. To him Lucius King of Britain sent a Letter and an Embassy. He sat 15. years, died Ann. Chr. 186. and lies buried in the Vatican.
• XIV. Victor, an African, the son of Felix, a man of a furious and intemperate spi∣rit, as appeared in his passionate pro∣ceedings in the controversie about the observation of Easter. He was Bishop 10. years. Onuphrius assigns him 12. years, and one month.
• XV. Zephyrinus, a Roman, succeeded, and possessed the chair 8, but as others, 18. years; 20. says Onuphrius. A pious and learned man, but a little warping

• towards the Errors of Montanus.
• XVI. Callistus, or Calixtus, the son of Dò∣mitius, a Roman; a prudent and modest man. He suffered much in the persecu∣tion under Alexander Severus, under whom he became a Martyr, being thrown into a Well by the procurement of Ulpian the great Lawyer, but severe enemy of Christians. He sat 6. years, or 5. as others, and one month; and though he made a Cemetery, called after his own name, yet was he buried in that of Calepodius in the Appian way.
• XVII. Urbanus, the son of Pontianus, a Roman, after 4, or as some, 6. years, he suffered martyrdom for the Faith: Eu∣sebius has 5, S. Hierom in his translation 9. He was buried in Pretextatus his Ce∣metery in the Appian way.
• XVIII. Pontianus, the son of Calphurnius, a Roman; for his bold reproving the Roman Idolatry he was banished into the Island Sardinia, where he died; he was Bishop about 3. or 4, or as Eusebius, 5. years.
• XIX. Anteros, a Greek, the son of Romulus. He died by that he had kept his place one month, though others without rea∣son make him to have lived in it many years, and was buried in the Cemetery of Callistus.
• XX. Fabianus, a Roman, he was unexpect∣edly chosen Bishop, while several others being in competition, a Pigeon suddenly descended, and sat upon his head, the great emblem of the Holy Spirit. He died a martyr after 14. years; buried in the same place with his predecessor.
• XXI. Cornelius, a Roman, he opposed and condemned Novatian: frequent Letters passed between him and Cyprian. After somewhat more than two years he was first cruelly whipp'd, and then behead∣ed: buried in a Vault within the Grange of Lucina, near the Appian way.
• XXII. Lucius, a Roman, sat 2, or as others, 3. years. He suffered martyr∣dom by the command of Valerian, and was buried in Callistus his Cemetery.
• XXIII. Stephanus, a Roman, the son of Ju∣lius: Great contests were between him and Cyprian about rebaptizing those who had been baptized by Hereticks. He was beheaded after he had sat about 2. or 3. years, though others say 7; and buried with his predecessor.
• XXIV. Xystus, a Greek, formerly a Phi∣losopher of Athens. After 1, or as other compute, 2. years, and 10. months he suffered martyrdom, Eusebius reckons it 8. years.
• XXV. Dionysius, of a Monk 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bishop, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the judgment of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria, a tru∣ly learned and admirable person. The time of his Presidency is uncertainly assign'd, 6, 9, 10, 11. Eusebius extends it to 12. years.
• XXVI. Felix, a Roman: In his time arose the Manichaean Heresie. He suffered about the fourth or fifth year of his Epi∣scopacy, and lies buried in the Aurelian way, in a Cemetery of his own, two miles from Rome.
• XXVII. Eutychianus, a Tuscan, a man ex∣ceedingly careful of the burial of mar∣tyrs, after one years space was himself crowned with martyrdom: Eusebius allows him but 8. months, Onuphrius 8. years and 6. months.
• XXVIII. Caius, or as Eusebius calls him, Gaianus, a Dalmatian, kinsman to the Emperor Dioclesian, and in the persecu∣tion under him became a martyr. He sat 11. years, some say longer. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 15. years: He was beheaded and buried in Callistus his Cemetery.
• XXIX. Marcellinus, a Roman: Through fear of torment he did sacrifice to the gods; but recovering himself, died a martyr, after he had sat 8, or 9. years. He was beheaded, and buried in the Ce∣metery of Priscilla in the Salarian way. To him succeeded
• XXX. Marcellus, a Roman; he was con∣demned by Maxentius the Tyrant to keep Beasts in a stable, which yet he per∣formed with his prayers and exercises of devotion. He died after 5. years, and 6. months, and was buried in the Ceme∣tery of Priscilla.
• XXXI. Eusebius, a Greek, the son of a Physician. He suffered much under the Tyranny of Maxentius. He sat 6. years say some, 4. say others, though Eusebius allows him but 7. months, Onuphrius 1. year, and 7. months; he was buried in the Appian way near Callistus his Ce∣metery.
• XXXII. Miltiades, an African. He might be a Confessor under Maxentius, but could not be a martyr under Maximi∣nus, as some report him. He sat 3. or 4, though others assign him but 2. years: and was buried in the Cemetery of Calli∣stus.
• XXXIII. Silvester, a Roman. He was elected into the place Ann. Chr. CCCXIV. fetch'd from the mountain Soracte, whither he had fled for fear of persecution. He was highly in favour with Constantine the Great. He sat 23, Nicephorus says 28. years.