The Apologists · AD 130–180

Paeon

d. c. 165 · Martyr · Companion of Justin · Rome

The Apologists

Who Paeon was

One of Justin’s students, who told the court he had received Christianity from his own parents but held it now by conviction. When Rusticus pronounced sentence, Paeon went with the others to be scourged and beheaded outside the city. His name and his single answer are all the transcript preserves.

Verified single attestation

Acts of Justin only.

Also listed in martyrs and under marcus aurelius.

Common questions

When did Paeon die?

Paeon is dated d. c. 165 in the archive, which places Paeon in the Apologists (AD 130–180). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.

Which early sources mention Paeon?

Paeon is named in 1 primary-source passage catalogued here, drawn from Court transcript (Recension A). Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Paeon from?

The archive associates Paeon with Rome.

Who were Paeon’s contemporaries?

The archive links Paeon to 4 other figures, including Justin Martyr, Hierax, Liberian and Euelpistus. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.

Primary-source mentions (1)

Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Acts of Justin and Companions 4

c. AD 165
Paeon said, ‘I also am a Christian; I received the faith from my parents, yet it is by my own choice that I believe.’
Court transcript (Recension A) · 4 · source text

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Places served

The one place the sources put Paeon.

  1. 1Rome

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