Fourth Year of the Persecution, Commenced A. D. 305.
Galerius Maximian, continuing in the persecution which had been begun, and carried into execution, with great bitterness, by Diocletian and Maximian, exercised much cruelty, through Peucetius, Quintinian, Theotecnus, and other Proconsuls, against the poor Christians; burning them alive; throwing them before the wild beasts, to be torn by them; nailing them to crosses; drowning multitudes of them in the sea; starving them to death in the prisons; beheading them; cutting off their hands and feet, and then giving them their life; but when they would make use of the favor granted them, spoiling them of all their goods, and driving them away into misery.
Touching those who were slain there, the following, among others, are mentioned by name.
SYLVANUS, JANUARIUS, SOSIUS, PROCULUS, PELAGIA, THEONAS, CYRENIA, AND JULIANA, ALL OF WHOM LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THE EVANGELICAL TRUTH, A. D. 305.
Sylvanus, Bishop of the church of Emissa, a city of Apamea, in Syria, was, with many others, thrown before the wild beasts, to be devoured by them.
Januarius, Bishop of the church of Beneventum; Sosius, a deacon of the church of Misenum; Proculus, deacon, at Pussolis, and others, were beheaded together.
Pelagia was suffocated in a redhot ox.
Theonas, with his companions, Cyrenia and Juliana, were deprived of life by other methods. Joh. Gys., about the death of Januarius and Sosius. Abr. Mell., fol. 141, ex Act. per Johannem Januarii Diaconum conscripta per surium edita.