Basil. ep. 220. & de Sp. Sanct. c. 29. Euseb. l. 7. c. 7. Athan. de Syn. ep. 918.
Vide Du Pin de antiq. ecc. discip. dissert. 2. p. 156.
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CLAUDIUS II. FELIX, AURELIAN. _Twenty-fifth_ BISHOP _of_ Rome.
[Sidenote: Year of Christ 269. Felix _dies a Martyr in the Persecution of_ Aurelian.]
_Dionysius_ was succeeded by _Felix_, in whose Time a furious Persecution being raised by _Aurelian_, he may be supposed to have suffered among the rest, since he is distinguished by the Council of _Ephesus_[481], by St. _Cyril_[482], and by _Vincentius Lirinensis_[483], with the Title of Martyr. He presided, according to _Eusebius_[484], _Syncellus_[485], and _Eutychius_[486], Five Years, to which _Baronius_ adds Eleven Months, and Twenty-five Days[487]. He writ a Letter addressed to _Maximus_ Bishop of _Alexandria_, which is quoted by _Cyril_, and the Council of _Ephesus_[488]. The Acts of the Martyrs, who are supposed to have suffered under _Aurelian_, are without all doubt supposititious; for in them frequent Mention is made of the Emperor’s Son, whereas the Writers of those Times tell us in express Terms, that he had a Daughter, but no Male Issue[489].
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AURELIAN, EUTYCHIANUS, PROBUS, TACITUS, _Twenty-sixth_ BISHOP _of_ Rome. CARUS.
[Sidenote: Year of Christ 275. Eutychianus _not martyred_.]
_Felix_ being dead, _Eutychianus_ was chosen in his room in the very Beginning of the Year 275[490]. Several Things are said of him, by _Anastasius_, and other Writers of no Authority; but all I can learn of the Antients concerning him is, that he governed Eight Years, and Eleven Months[491]; and consequently died in the Close of the Year 283. He is honoured by the Church of _Rome_ as a Martyr, and said in the _Roman_ Martyrology to have suffered under _Numerian_; but it is certain that in 283. when _Eutychianus_ died, _Numerian_ was not Emperor, but only _Cæsar_, and at that very time engaged with his Father _Carus_ in a War with the _Persians_ in the East, where he was assassinated by _Aper_ his Father-in-Law. As for his Brother _Carinus_, who remained in the West, neither he, nor the two preceding Emperors, _Tacitus_ and _Probus_, ever gave the least Disturbance to the Christians; so that the Church of _Rome_ must be at the Trouble of finding out a distinct Place in Heaven from that of the Martyrs for _Eutychianus_, _Trophimus_, _Sabbacius_, and the illustrious Senator _Dorymedon_, who are supposed to have suffered under those Princes.