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Georgian · Hagiography ·

Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae

Anonymous · titus

BothSourceEnglish
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machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 259 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae is an anonymous Old Georgian hagiographic account of the martyrdom of Hadrianus and his wife Anatolia. Preserved in a single manuscript likely from the tenth or eleventh century, the text follows the conventional passio structure: arrest, trial, torture, and execution. The narrative is set in Nicomedia during the Diocletianic persecution and features stock persecutor figures. No earlier Greek or Syriac Vorlage has been identified, and the original composition date remains uncertain, though the edition tentatively assigns it to the early Byzantine period. The work is commemorated in Georgian liturgical calendars, but its use in later lectionaries is undocumented.

The Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae is significant as a witness to the development of hagiographic literature in the Georgian tradition, particularly in its adaptation of martyrdom tropes from the broader Christian East. Its survival in a single manuscript highlights the fragility of such texts and the need for further study of Georgian hagiography. The work also provides insight into the reception of Diocletianic persecution narratives in the Caucasus region.

Historical context

The text survives in a single Old Georgian manuscript, likely copied in the tenth or eleventh century, but the original composition date is unknown. The edition suggests an early Byzantine origin based on internal references, but external evidence is lacking. The setting in Nicomedia, a major imperial capital under Diocletian, anchors the narrative in the Great Persecution (303–311). The Georgian text shows no known dependence on Greek or Syriac sources, suggesting it may be a local composition or translation from a lost Vorlage. The manuscript lacks a critical apparatus, limiting its use for textual criticism. The martyrs are commemorated in Georgian liturgical calendars, indicating some liturgical reception, though the text's role in lectionaries is not documented.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

11 commentary units 2 structure2 background2 term2 reception1 scripture1 caution1 sense 1 derived notes 4 open questions 2 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: hagiography in Old Georgian; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 2 narrative.
  • caution1 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note.
  • sourceSource edition: titus — This text is part of the TITUS edition of Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae. Copyright TITUS Project, Frankfurt a/M, 26.9.2017. No parts of this document may be republished in any form without prior permission by the copyright holder.

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
andra:1 · narrativehigh
Source
წამებაჲ წმიდათა მოწამეთაჲ ანდრიანჱსი და ცოლისა მისისა ანატოლჱსი და მათ თანა მოწამეთაჲ, რომელნი ნიკომიდია ქალაქსა იწამნეს და იყო მოსლვასა მას მაქსიმოს მთავრისასა ნიკომიდია ქალაქად მოწყჳდნა ყოველნი, რომელნი ადგილდ-ადგილდ მორწმუნენი იყვნეს ქრისტეს მიმართ. და მიიმართა ბაგინსა მას კერპთასა და თაყუანის-სცა კერპთა მათ, და უბრძანა, რაჲთა პირველად თავით თჳსით ჰმსახუროს, და მერმე ქალაქსა მას უბრძანა მსახურებაჲ. ვითარცა ესმა ყოველთა, მივიდოდეს და მიაქუნდა ყოველთა სამსახურებელი: რომელნიმე კუროთა და ზუარაკთა, რომელნიმე კრავთა და ვერძთა და ვაცთა და მფრინველთა, რამეთუ კერპთა მსახური იყო ქალაქი იგი ყოველი. დასწყუდიდეს და უგებდეს ურაკპარაკთა და ფოლოცებსა ზედა. [ ] და აღავსო სულმან მან ცხელისამან ქალაქი იგი. და ქადაგნი იქცეოდეს ყოველსა მას ქალაქსა, რაჲთა ყოველთა უგონ ღმერთთა მათ, რამეთუ დადვა შიში თქუმისაჲ მეფემან ყოველთა ზედა, რომელთა არა უგონ და, თუ იპოვნენ ვინმე ქრისტეანებასა, ცეცხლითა აღესრულნენ.
English
The Martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs Hadrian and His Wife Anatolia and of the Martyrs with Them, Who Were Martyred in the City of Nicomedia And it came to pass at the time of the arrival of the governor Maximus in the city of Nicomedia that all who were believers in Christ in every place were troubled. And he went to the pagan temple and worshipped the idols, and commanded that first he himself should serve them, and then he commanded the city to perform service. When all heard this, they came and brought their offerings: some brought bulls and calves, others lambs and rams and goats and birds, for the whole city was devoted to the service of idols. They began and built altars and platforms. And the spirit of heathenism filled that city. And heralds went about throughout the whole city, commanding all to honour their gods, for the king had imposed the fear of death upon all who did not honour them, and if anyone were found to be a Christian, they would be put to death by fire.
andra:2 · narrativehigh
Source
განაწესნა და დაადგინნა ქადაგნი, რაჲთა გამოეძიებდენ ურკპარაკთა მათ და ყოველთა მათ ქალაქთა, თუ ვინმე იყუნენ მამანი ანუ დედანი, მორწმუნენი ქრისტეს მიმართ, მოჰგუარნენ იგინი წინაშე მეფისა, რაჲთა ტანჯნეს იგინი დიდითა ტანჯვითა და აღგზებულითა ცეცხლითა, რომელთაიგი ესევითარი ბრძანებაჲ მოეღო მეფისა მისგან, ფასსაცა მისცემედ, რომელთა გამოუცხადიან, არნ თუ სადამე მორწმუნე.
English
He appointed and established heralds, so that they might search out those secret ones and all those cities, if there were any fathers or mothers, believers in Christ, they should bring them before the king, so that they might torment them with great torment and with kindled fire, for which such a command had come from that king, and a reward was to be given to those who would denounce them, if there were a believer anywhere.
Citation. Tergwame, “Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae”, andra:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/andra#s1
Colophon. Source: titus · licence: This text is part of the TITUS edition of Martyrium Hadriani et Anatoliae. Copyright TITUS Project, Frankfurt a/M, 26.9.2017. No parts of this document may be republished in any form without prior permission by the copyright holder. · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0014 · generated 2026-11-15.