Martyria

Early Christian martyr shrines, known as martyria, emerged as significant cultic centers, but their archaeological study is hampered by limited pre-fourth-century evidence. This research bridges the gap between textual and archaeological records, revealing that while early descriptions from Smyrna and Rome provide insight into primitive practices, later fourth-century sites in Rome and Philippi show the expansion of martyria as focal points for Christian worship. The study highlights a caveat: smaller or private shrines may remain invisible to archaeology, suggesting a broader but underdocumented phenomenon.

Eastman, D. L. (2019). Martyria. The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Archaeology, 89–104. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199369041.013.6