We shall speak but briefly of the last year of this persecution, since ancient writers have left us little information in regard to it. Nevertheless, there were some at that time, who laid down their lives for the truth; among whom the following are mentioned.
EUGENIUS, AUXENTIUS, MAODATIUS, AND MANY OTHERS, AFTER MANY TORMENTS PUT TO DEATH IN VARIOUS WAYS, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, A. D. 311.
Eugenius, because he confessed Christ, and had reproved the wickedness of the heathen, had his tongue cut out, and his arms and legs broken, and thus departed this life, steadfastly continuing in the Lord.
Auxentius, a deacon of the Christian church at Auracea, in Asia, was beheaded for the same reason—for the faith in Christ.
Maodatius was hung up by his toes, and, having been pierced with red-hot awls, and burned with torches, was deprived of life, for the testimony of Jesus.
Besides these, many others were put to death for the faith, whose names cannot be given; hence we shall content ourselves with those already mentioned. See J. Gys., fol. 27, col. 4, at the foot, and fol. 28, col. 1.
In the Introduction to the Martyrs Mirror, fol. 44 and 45, there are mentioned, besides the ten general persecutions, which we have described, two others, there called the eleventh and the twelfth persecutions; of which the former is said to have begun, A. D. 316, under Lucinius, who, together with Constantine the Great, reigned in the east; and the second, A. D. 362, under Julian the Apostate. But since other eminent writers do not pronounce these persecutions as general ones, we shall give no special account of them; however, if any true martyrs were put to death at that time, we hope to mention each in his proper place. Under Lucinius, there laid down their lives for the faith in the Son of God, according to the testimony of the ancients, the following persons.
BASILEUS, BISHOP AT PONTUS; AMMON, A DEACON; ABOUT FORTY WOMEN; AND OTHERS, PUT TO DEATH BY FIRE, WATER, AND ICE, A. D. 316.
When it was thought that the previous persecutions, especially that under Diocletian and Maximian, should have quenched the blood-thirstiness of the great, Lucinius, who occupied the imperial throne in the east, was still not content therewith. For when the winds of blood, fanned on by Satan, blew through his head, he caused to be put to death without mercy, various pious Christians, namely: Basileus, bishop of the church of Christ at Amasen, in Pontus; Ammon, a deacon; and about forty women, whom he had killed, some by fire, and some by water; as well as various other pious martyrs, whom he had put in the cold ice, thus causing their death. This happened about the tenth year of the reign of Lucianius, which agrees with A. D. 316. Introd., fol. 44, col. 1, 2.