The City of Philomelium and the Occasion of the Martyrdom of Polycarp

Christians in Philomelium played a crucial role in the formation of the Martyrdom of Polycarp. A survey of hitherto unexplored material and literary data indicates that Philomelium was a prominent Hellenistic-era settlement and Roman conventus city located on the main transanatolian route of communication. This historical picture problematizes previous depictions of Philomelium as an insignificant city and has ramifications for the compositional background of MPol. Based on Philomelium’s stature and connectivity, I propose that Christians in the city received an initial version of Polycarp’s martyrdom because of and through their pre-existing connections with Christians in Smyrna. Interactions between the cities have implications for our understanding of network connectivity among early Christian groups.