apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

DATE OF THE MARTYRDOM.
THE question relating to the date of the Martyrdom involves two
points, the year and the day. It will be seen presently that the
two are not altogether unconnected, but for the purposes of investigation
they may conveniently be taken separately.
I. THE YEAR OF THE MARTYRDOM.
The main source of opinion respecting the year of Polycarp's
death, among ancient and modern writers alike, has been the Chronicon
of Eusebius. It is
necessary therefore to examine carefully what
Eusebius says ;
and this investigation is the more needful,
as his
meaning seems to have been almost universally misunderstood.
After the seventh year of M. Aurehus he appends the notice,
'
A
persecution overtaking the Church, Polycarp underwent martyrdom,
and his martyrdom is handed down in writing. Many also in Gaul
sufitered martyrdom bravely and their struggles are recorded in order in
a writing extant to the present day.' The passage
is
quoted above,
p. 557. Eusebius is here assumed to date Polycarp's martyrdom in
this 7th year of M. Aurelius, i.e. a.d. 167'. The following considerations
however will show this inference to be unwarrantable.
(i) The notice is not placed opposite to, but after this year. More-
'
According to others in the previous verfolg. p. 59),
Keim {Aus dein Urchrisyear
A.D. 166. So for instance Noris {de tentlmm p. lor). This displacement
^««o A/ar^^. i. 2, p. 30), Masson (Aristid. however is not favoured by the text of
Op. III. p. Ixxxix, ed. Dindorf), Clinton the Chronicon. Still less can be said in
[Fast. Rom. I. p. 157), Wieseler (C/i^w/^w- favour of Ussher's year, a.d. 169.