The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Tavia of Smyrna
fl. c. 108 (death unrecorded) · Householder of the Smyrnaean church · Smyrna
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Tavia of Smyrna was
A matron of Smyrna whose whole household Ignatius greets as he did the households of Acts — “I salute Tavia, and her whole house, whom I pray may be confirmed in faith and love.” One of the named women whose homes anchored the Asian congregations that Ignatius passed through on his last journey.
Ignatius only (To the Smyrnaeans 13).
Common questions
When was Tavia active?
Tavia of Smyrna is dated fl. c. 108 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Tavia in the Apostolic Fathers (AD 70–130). 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 Tavia?
Tavia of Smyrna is named in 1 primary-source passage catalogued here, drawn from Ignatius of Antioch. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Tavia from?
The archive associates Tavia of Smyrna with Smyrna.
Who were Tavia’s contemporaries?
The archive links Tavia of Smyrna to 3 other figures, including Ignatius of Antioch, Alce of Smyrna and Daphnus of Smyrna. 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.
To the Smyrnaeans 13
c. AD 108I salute the household of Tavia, whom I pray may be confirmed in faith and love both of flesh and of spirit.Ignatius of Antioch · 13 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 44 · Persecution under Herod Agrippa I, AD 44
- AD 49 · The Council of Jerusalem, AD 49
- AD 57 · Paul writes Romans, AD 57
- AD 62 · James the Just stoned, AD 62
- AD 64 · The Great Fire and Nero’s persecution, AD 64
- AD 70 · The fall of Jerusalem, AD 70
- AD 95 · Domitian’s reprisals, AD 95
- AD 96 · Rome writes to Corinth: 1 Clement, AD 96
- AD 112 · Pliny writes Trajan, AD 112
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Tavia.