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The Church History of Eusebius
Chapter XV.--The Martyrdom of Marinus at Caesarea.
1. At this time, when the peace of the churches had been everywhere 1 restored, Marinus in Caesarea in Palestine, who was honored for his military deeds, and illustrious by virtue of family and wealth, was beheaded for his testimony to Christ, on the following account.
2. The vine-branch 2 is a certain mark of honor among the Romans, and those who obtain it become, they say, centurions. A place being vacated, the order of succession called Marinus to this position. But when he was about to receive the honor, another person came before the tribunal and claimed that it was not legal, according to the ancient laws, for him to receive the Roman dignity, as he was a Christian and did not sacrifice to the emperors; but that the office belonged rather to him.
3. Thereupon the judge, whose name was Achaeus, 3 being disturbed, first asked what opinion Marinus held. And when he perceived that he continually confessed himself a Christian, he gave him three hours for reflection.
4. When he came out from the tribunal, Theotecnus, 4 the bishop there, took him aside and conversed with him, and taking his hand led him into the church. And standing with him within, in the sanctuary, he raised his cloak a little, and pointed to the sword that hung by his side; and at the same time he placed before him the Scripture of the divine Gospels, and told him to choose which of the two he wished. And without hesitation he reached forth his right hand, and took the divine Scripture. "Hold fast then," says Theotecnus to him, "hold fast to God, and strengthened by him mayest thou obtain what thou hast chosen, and go in peace."
5. Immediately on his return the herald cried out calling him to the tribunal, for the appointed time was already completed. And standing before the tribunal, and manifesting greater zeal for the faith, immediately, as he was, he was led away and finished his course by death.
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The martyrdom of Marinus after the promulgation of Gallienus' edict of toleration and after peace had been, as Eusebius remarks, everywhere restored to the churches, has caused historians some difficulty. It is maintained, however, by Tillemont and others, and with especial force by Görres in the Jahrbücher für prot. Theol., 1877, p. 620 sq., that the martyrdom of Marinus took place while the usurper Macrianus, who was exceedingly hostile to the Christians, was still in power in the East, and at a time, therefore, when the edicts of Gallienus could have no force there. This of course explains the difficulty completely. The martyrdom then must have taken place toward the beginning of Gallienus' reign, for Macrianus was slain as early as 262. Of the martyr Marinus we know only what Eusebius tells us here. ↩
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to klema. The centurion received as a badge of office a vine-branch or vine-switch, which was called by the Romans Vitis. ↩
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Achaeus is an otherwise unknown person. That he was governor of Palestine, as Valesius asserts, is apparently a pure assumption, for the term used of him (dikastes) is quite indefinite. ↩
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On Theotecnus, see above, chap. 14, note 9. ↩
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Kirchengeschichte (BKV)
15. Kap. Das Martyrium des Marinus in Cäsarea.
Während damals die Kirchen überall Frieden hatten, wurde zu Cäsarea in Palästina Marinus, ein mit militärischen Würden bekleideter, durch seine Geburt und seinen Reichtum bekannter Mann, wegen seines christlichen Bekenntnisses enthauptet. Der Anlaß dazu war folgender: Es gibt bei den Römern eine gewisse Auszeichnung, die Weinrebe. Wer sie besitzt, sagt man, werde Hauptmann. Da eine Stelle frei war, sollte Marinus infolge des Ranges, den er einnahm, auf sie befördert werden. Als er schon daran war, die Würde zu erlangen, trat ein anderer Bewerber vor den Richterstuhl mit der Beschuldigung, Marinus dürfe nach den alten Gesetzen das römische Amt nicht übernehmen, da er Christ sei und den Kaisern nicht opfere. Vielmehr gebühre ihm die Stelle. Auf diese Vorstellung hin fragte der Richter Achäus den Marinus zunächst nach seiner Religion. Als er sah, daß derselbe auf seinem christlichen Bekenntnisse verharrte, gab er ihm drei Stunden Be- S. 338 denkzeit. Beim Verlassen des Gerichtshofes nahm ihn nun Theoteknus, der dortige Bischof, beiseite, besprach sich mit ihm und führte ihn an der Hand in die Kirche. Dort ließ er ihn unmittelbar vor den Altar treten, schlug seinen Mantel etwas zurück, wies auf das Schwert, mit dem er umgürtet war, und zugleich auf das Buch der heiligen Evangelien, das er gegenüberlegte, und befahl ihm, zwischen beiden frei zu wählen. Ohne Besinnen streckte Marinus seine Rechte aus und griff nach der Heiligen Schrift. Theoteknus aber sprach zu ihm: „Halte nun fest an Gott, halte fest! Und von ihm gestärkt, mögest du erlangen, was du erwählt! Gehe in Frieden!“ Kaum hatte Marinus die Kirche verlassen, rief ihn ein Herold laut vor Gericht; denn die Frist war abgelaufen. Vor dem Richter bekannte er mit noch größerem Mute seinen Glauben, worauf er sofort so, wie er war, auf den Richtplatz abgeführt und hingerichtet wurde.
