Martyr 2nd century

Martyrs Romulus & the 11 000 in Armenia

died c. 107–115

A Roman officer and a great multitude of soldiers martyred in Armenia for confessing Christ (c. 107-115)

Feast Day

September 6

Draft

Draft — pending review. Not yet verified for publication.

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Commemorated as

The Holy Martyr Romulus and the Eleven Thousand Soldiers with Him

Life

Romulus and the eleven thousand soldiers are an early company of martyrs commemorated together on September 6. By tradition they suffered during the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan (98–117), at the time of his eastern campaigns, when a great number of Christians serving in the imperial army were exiled to Armenia and put to death for refusing to renounce Christ. The in-repo record dates the events to about 107 to 115.

Romulus held a position of trust at the imperial court; the sources describe him variously as a military commander close to the emperor and as a senior official of Trajan's household. The synaxarion relates that when the emperor reviewed his forces and found many thousands of Christians among the soldiers, he ordered them dismissed and sent into exile in disgrace. Romulus openly objected, reproaching the emperor both for the impiety of the act and for the folly of weakening his army during a time of war, and declared that he too was a Christian.

The number eleven thousand is the figure carried in the tradition for the soldiers exiled and martyred with him. As an early martyrdom of the undivided Church, the commemoration belongs to the shared heritage of the ancient Christian world, and it is set in Armenia, where the exiled soldiers met their death.

Timeline 4 moments Read Hide

98–117 Reign of Trajan Romulus serves as a trusted official at the court of the emperor Trajan during the eastern campaigns.
c. 107 and 115 Christian soldiers exiled On reviewing his army the emperor finds many thousands of Christians among the soldiers and exiles them to Armenia.
c. 107–115 Romulus's confession and martyrdom Romulus reproaches the emperor, confesses Christ, and is beaten and beheaded.
c. 107–115 Martyrdom of the soldiers The exiled soldiers are put to death in Armenia, many by crucifixion, near Melitene.

Contributions & Legacy

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Martyrdom

According to the synaxarion, Trajan, angered by Romulus's open confession, had him cruelly beaten and then beheaded. The Christian soldiers who had been exiled to Armenia were put to death by various forms of execution; the tradition relates that many were crucified, with the place of their suffering given as near Melitene.

The historical sources are the liturgical synaxaria rather than contemporary documentary records, and the round figure of eleven thousand reflects the manner in which such mass martyrdoms were transmitted in the tradition. The commemoration should not be confused with the separate medieval legend of the Ten Thousand Martyrs of Mount Ararat, which belongs to a different tradition.

Sources: Synaxarion