Jewish Antagonism or Christian Polemic: The Case of the Martyrdom of Pionius

Recent treatments of Martyrdom of Pionius have vigorously argued for the "authenticity" of this account of Pionius' death and its apparent depiction of Jewish antagonism towards Christian martyrs in third-century Smyrna. Although significant material evidence corroborates aspects of the text, the speeches remain open for interpretation. A careful reading suggests that they are not original to the document but instead are the product of an intra Christian polemic against Christians who visited synagogues. This conclusion is then briefly considered in the context of other ancient references to Jewish Christian relations in Smyrna.