E00321: The Greek Martyrdom of Alexandros, probably of the 5th/6th c., recounts the story of the young soldier *Alexandros (martyr of Dryzipera, S00070), arrested in Rome under Maximian, and beheaded at Dryzipera/Drusipara (eastern Balkans), after a long journey through Illyricum and Thrace, suffering tortures and effecting miracles all along the journey. His body is granted a special healing grace, and miracles occur at his tomb. Probably written at or near Dryzipera.
Creators: name: Pnowakowski
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2015
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom of Alexandros of Dryzipera (BHG 48-49) <br><br>For the text and translation of passages relating particularly to Alexandros' relics, see E00337.<br><br>Summary:<br><br>1. The emperor Maximian builds a new temple for Zeus one stade outside Rome, and orders that all Christians should be coerced to offer sacrifice and attend the consecration of the temple. A rich man called Tibereianos, who has soldiers at his command, orders them to prepare to go to the festival.<br><br>2. One of the soldiers, Alexandros, a pious Christian from childhood, replies that it is good to go and worship only if this is for the true God, not the false pagan gods. Tibereianos replies that it is for Zeus, and Alexandros starts condemning Zeus and the pagan gods as demons leading men to doom: the pagans themselves confess that their gods desired and molested a woman; the Christian God, by contrast, is the invisible creator of heaven and earth and only requires a pure sacrifice without blood. Tibereianos calls upon him to stop, lest the emperor hears what he says.<br><br>3. Tibereianos goes to the temple and reports to the emperor that all the soldiers obey the imperial order, except one who offended the gods and refused to go the temple. Maximian orders three soldiers to arrest Alexandros.<br><br>4. While resting at home, Alexandros has a dream vision of an angel who encourages him and promises to help him till the end of his martyrdom. Alexandros wakes up and prays reciting from Psalm 91.<br><br>5. Alexandros comes out to meet the soldiers coming to arrest him. His face is shining, and makes them fall down in fear, but Alexandros encourages them not to be afraid, but to do their duty. They wonder how he knows about their mission, and Alexandros replies that he has to proceed on the contest prepared for him, and that he will have to journey from Rome to Byzantium.<br><br>6. Alexandros prays to be allowed to suffer his martyrdom to the end. The soldiers chain him and take him to the emperor. His mother Poimenia does not know what is happening. The crowd gathered around the emperor’s tribunal is amazed at the handsome appearance of Alexandros, who is eighteen years old. Alexandros is filled with zeal and asks to be presented to the emperor Maximian.<br><br>7. Maximian asks Alexandros to worship Zeus, to which Alexandros replies that he worships only the true God and is not afraid of the emperor’s threats and tortures. Maximian talks ironically of Christ, and Alexandros reprimands him.<br><br>8. Maximian calls upon Alexandros to sacrifice, and the martyr replies aggressively that the emperor worships impure demons, and that he (Alexandros) is not afraid to be tortured. Maximian promises to make him an official. Alexandros prays for help, and has a vision of Christ in heaven. He then repeats that Zeus is a demon, which is proved by the myth about him appearing as a bull and molesting Europa. For Maximian this story is a proof of the power of the gods, and Alexandros reprimands him for defending the works of the demons.<br><br>9. The emperor threatens the martyr, and Alexandros replies with scorn and calls upon Maximian to abandon idolatry in order to save his own life. Finally, Maximian gives up Alexandros to Tibereianos, and orders him to take the martyr from Rome to Byzantium and to treat him without mercy. Alexandros thanks the tyrant and God for allowing him to suffer for Christ and become famous in every place.<br><br>10. The next day, Tibereianos asks Alexandros if he has changed his mind and orders him to sacrifice, to which Alexandros replies that he saw glory prepared for him and he is happy. Tibereianos threatens to disperse his bones in every city, and Alexandros replies that he does not fear the threats. Tibereianos orders him to be suspended and burnt, which Alexandros suffers without saying a word. The martyr is taken to Thrace bound in heavy chains. <br><br>11. An angel appears in a dream to Alexandros’s mother, Poimenia, asking her to follow her son on his journey to martyrdom. She happily wakes up and follows her son on the road. As they arrive at the ‘city of the Carthaginians’ (πόλις Καρταγενησέων, polis Kartagenēseōn), she finds him being interrogated by Tibereianos, and encourages him from the crowd.<br><br>12. Tibereianos asks of Alexandros to sacrifice, and the martyr replies that God accepts only a sacrifice of righteousness and holiness. While being tortured with candles lit under his armpits, Alexandros offers a prayer of thanksgiving and asks to be protected from the fire. Tibereianos orders his servants to take Alexandros away and to depart before him. Poimenia approaches and meets her son. Some of the soldiers confess the greatness of the Christian God.<br><br>13. On their way, they stop by a spring, and the soldiers sit down to eat. Alexandros kneels down and prays, reciting from Psalm 120, and a prayer to Christ. An angel appears and encourages him. The voice of the angel terrifies the soldiers, who fall on the ground, but the martyr encourages them. They venerate him.<br><br>14. Tibereianos arrives with his companions and officials from the local city, the name of which is Krima meaning ‘judgement’. He interrogates Alexandros, and the martyr once again refuses to sacrifice and warns Tibereianos that the name of the place signals the judgement of God coming upon him.<br><br>15. Tibereianos orders Alexandros to be thrown onto and dragged over thorns, which the martyr suffers without complaint. Seeing that, Tibereianos orders Alexandros to be beaten with sticks of apple-tree wood. Alexandros says that no torture can make him give up his soul to Satan, and Tibereianos threatens to burn him alive and to disperse his bones.<br><br>16. Alexandros replies that it is Tibereianos’ bones that will be scattered, and his memory that will be forgotten, because he does not worship the true God. Enraged, Tibereianos orders the soldiers to stay there and prepare him dinner. He falls asleep and the soldiers take the saint under a tree. While sleeping, Tibereianos has a dream vision of an angel holding a sword and threatening to slaughter him for mistreating the saint. The angel orders him to hasten on the journey without stopping at any of the cities of Illyricum, because the time of Alexandros’ martyrdom is approaching. Terrified, Tibereianos wakes up and describes the dream to his soldiers who confirm that they wanted to advise him not to torture Alexandros, but they were afraid.<br><br>17. They continue their travel through the night, without entering any of the cities and without interrogating Alexandros. As they pass by Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria], the officials and Christians of the town come out to meet the officer and the martyr. The Christians ask him to pray for them, and Alexandros similarly requests their prayers for him to finish his martyrdom. They pass through the straight pass [kleisourai, the Succi Pass at the borders between Illyricum and Thrace] and enter a fort called Bonomasion [the road station of Bona Mansio] where they spend the night.<br><br>18. Tibereianos interrogates Alexandros again and asks him to sacrifice to Zeus and Asklepios, which he refuses to. He orders his servants to take Alexandros to prison in Philippopolis [Plovdiv, Bulgaria], where he meets them later.<br><br>19. The people of Philippopolis come out of the gate to greet Tibereianos and his retinue, and prepare to celebrate a sacrifice for Zeus and Asklepios. The Christians of the city visit Alexandros in prison and encourage him to finish his martyrdom. They regard his visit as a blessing for their city which has a large Christian community under persecution.<br><br>20. Tibereianos talks to the governor and notables of Philippopolis about Alexandros, and all together interrogate Alexandros, asking him to sacrifice, as many Christians in that city do. The martyr refuses to.<br><br>21. Tibereianos orders them to continue their journey along the highway, while he will catch up with them later. They stop at the river Serme [today’s Stryama, a tributary of the Maritsa], where Alexandros washes himself and offers a prayer of thanksgiving for having confessed Christ at Philippopolis. Next they arrive at the emporium of Parembole, where Tibereianos meets them. Alexandros again refuses to sacrifice, and Tibereianos orders him to be bound, stretched on four poles, and to be given two hundred beatings by four men. Alexandros endures bravely and has a vision of Christ encouraging him to endure. Tibereianos hears the voice and is scared.<br><br>22. They continue the journey along the highway and enter the fort of Karasoura [the mutatio Carasura]. Tibereianos stays at the fort, while the soldiers take Alexandros to a place with trees nearby. The martyr is pleased by the place and says that he is thirsty. He kneels and prays, and water springs up, from which he and the soldiers drink. The latter confess the greatness of the Christian God.<br><br>23. Tibereianos asks Alexandros to obey the imperial orders, and the martyr replies that he only obeys the heavenly king. Then Tibereianos orders him to be taken to Beroia [Stara Zagora, Bulgaria]. The soldiers take him and stop at the river Arzos, where they rest. Alexandros washes himself and asks them to stop a little while under the trees. Then Tibereianos arrives and reprimands them for resting. They enter the city of Beroia, where the leaders of the city welcome Tibereianos for fear of the emperor, although most of them are Christians. The Christians of the city welcome Alexandros to their city. <br><br>24. Tibereianos asks Alexandros to sacrifice, and he refuses. They leave the city and arrive in a place with several inns on the river Arzos. Alexandros asks to be allowed to pray, which he does under a large walnut tree. Tibereianos calls him back and asks him to sacrifice, which Alexandros refuses to.<br><br>25. Tibereianos orders bur