The date of the Martyrdom of Simeon bar Sabba’e and the persecution of Christians in Persia under Shapur II

Abstract

ONcE AGAIN ON THE dATE Of THE mARTYRdOm Of SImEON bAR SAbbA’E ANd THE PERSEcUTION Of cHRISTIANS IN PERSIA UNdER SHAPUR II The article is a contribution to the more than one-hundred-year-long discussion on the date of death of Simeon bar Sabba’e, the metropolitan bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, and the beginning of the persecution of Christians in Persia during the reign of Shapur II. The author emphasises that the main source on Simeon’s martyrdom is a hagiographical work, which, as such, can be interpreted strictly on the basis of the principles relevant to the genre. Taking into consideration some of the hypotheses formulated so far, the author holds the view that it is not possible to determine the precise date of Simeon’s death. It could only be assumed that it must have occurred somewhere between February 344 and July 345, most likely late in 344.