Propaganda and martyrdom in vandal Africa: the case of Arcadio and his companions

Abstract

Este artículo repasa como la "Epistola consolatoria" de Honorato Antonino, obispo de Constantina, dirigida a Arcadio exhortándole al martirio, es una de las primeras fuentes en las que queda patente la utilización de la propaganda por parte del clero católico para denostar la invasión vándala. Sin embargo, el martirio de Arcadio y sus compañeros Probo, Pascual, Eutiquiano y Pablito -asesinados en el siglo V durante el reinado de Genserico por negarse a convertirse al arrianismo- fue pronto olvidado, hasta el punto que no se les recuerda en el santoral norteafricano. Su memoria, convertida ya en leyenda, volvería a reaparecer en la España del siglo XVI, donde dos ciudades españolas, Salamanca y Medinaceli, se disputarían la posesión de sus supuestas reliquias.This article re-examines the way in which the “Epistola consolatoria” by Honorato Antonino, bishop of Constantina, addressed to Arcadio urging him to become a martyr, is one of the first cases where it can be clearly seen the use the Catholic clergy makes of propaganda to denigrate the vandal invasion. However, the martyrdom of Arcadio and of his companions Probo, Pascual, Eutiquiano and Pablito, who were murdered in the 5th Century during the reign of Gaiseric, for refusing to convert to Arianism, was soon forgotten, to the extent that their names do not appear in the list of North African Saints. The memory of what they did, now a legend, would re-appear in the Spain of the 16th Century, when two Spanish cities, Salamanca and Medinaceli, would contend with each other over their supposed relics