The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Eusebius of Rome
d. AD 310 (exiled to Sicily) · Bishop of Rome · Confessor of the lapsi crisis · Rome → Sicily
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Eusebius of Rome was
Bishop of Rome for a few months of 310, in the bitter quarrel over readmitting those who had lapsed in the persecution: against the rigorist agitator Heraclius he held the church's door open on terms of penance, until Maxentius deported both men and Eusebius died on the Sicilian shore. Damasus, restoring his crypt at Callistus two generations later, gave the story its marble summary. Fills the papal succession between Marcellus I and Miltiades.
Also listed in the bishops of Rome.
Common questions
When did Eusebius die?
Eusebius of Rome is dated d. AD 310 (exiled to Sicily) in the archive, which places Eusebius in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313).
Which early sources mention Eusebius?
Eusebius of Rome is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from The chronographer of 354 and Damasus I of Rome. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Eusebius from?
The archive associates Eusebius of Rome with Rome, Sicily. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were Eusebius’ contemporaries?
The archive links Eusebius of Rome to 2 other figures, including Emperor Maxentius and Pope Mark. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Liberian Catalogue & Depositio episcoporum ('Eusebii in Callisti')
c. AD 354Eusebii in Callisti — Eusebius, in the cemetery of Callistus.The chronographer of 354 · Liberian Catalogue · source text
The Epigrams of Damasus (on Eusebius)
c. AD 375Heraclius forbade the lapsed to grieve for their sins; Eusebius taught the unhappy to weep for their crimes… by the tyrant's sentence both were banished; the bishop, rejoicing, yielded up his life on the Trinacrian shore. — Damasus, bishop, to Eusebius, bishop and martyr.Damasus I of Rome · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
- AD 306 · The Council of Elvira, AD 306
Place
Places served
The 2 places the sources put Eusebius, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.