# Martyrs of Lyon (177)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/177-martyrs-of-lyon
Location: Lugdunum, Gaul
Themes: Persecution

Christians of Lyon and Vienne, including the slave Blandina, are tortured and killed in the arena. At this point in the timeline (177), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Eleutherius (174/5 – 189). Dates for the earliest bishops of Rome are traditional and uncertain.

## Why it matters
Martyrs of Lyon mattered because it shows how Christians and others suffered for faith and how violence shaped the church's memory and identity.

Pope at the time: [Pope Eleutherius](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-eleutherius)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Persecution in Lyon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_in_Lyon)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Martyrs of Lyon](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Martyrs+of+Lyon)
- [Wikipedia — Early Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_period)