Historical Context
The martyrdoms took place under the persecution launched by the emperor Diocletian (reigned 284–305), which mandated empire-wide worship of and sacrifice to the Roman gods. The civil authorities of Caesarea in Palestine enforced the edict coercively, compelling Christians to sacrifice under threat of torture and execution.
Eusebius of Caesarea, who lived through the persecution and witnessed events in the city, records that many of those brought forward gave way to fear and apostatized. Against this backdrop the steadfastness of the two martyrs stood out: Eusebius names them as the only two of that group to persevere to death.
Their Confession and Martyrdom
Zacchaeus, a deacon of the church at Gadara, was arrested and openly confessed his faith before the judge. Eusebius describes him being led 'like an innocent lamb from the flock.' He rejoiced in his confession, was severely scourged, suffered dreadful lacerations, and had his feet stretched upon the rack for an entire day and night before his execution. By tradition he was said to have borne the name Zacchaeus, like the biblical figure, on account of his short stature and kindly disposition.
Alphaeus, a reader and exorcist of the church at Caesarea, came of an illustrious family of Eleutheropolis (modern Bayt Jibrin) and, according to some accounts, was a kinsman of Zacchaeus. He had preached and taught before his arrest. Seeing the fear and apostasy spreading among the Christians, he threw himself into the midst of the crowd to call the people back to the faith by boldly denouncing those who had fallen away. Brought before the governor and ordered to sacrifice, he refused, and was subjected to scourging, torture with combs upon his sides, and stretching on the wooden rack.
According to Eusebius, both men declared, 'We acknowledge one God only, the supreme sovereign of all,' before their execution. They were beheaded on the same day and 'crowned as glorious and illustrious combatants.'
Sources and Dating
The principal source for both martyrs is Eusebius of Caesarea's The Martyrs of Palestine, which survives in a shorter and a longer recension. Eusebius also names them among the martyrs of the persecution in his Ecclesiastical History (books VIII–IX).
Eusebius gives the date of martyrdom as 'the seventh of Teshri the latter,' a Syriac autumn month corresponding to November, in the first year of the persecution. He records that their deaths coincided with that of the martyr Romanus at Antioch, during a festival marking the emperor's twentieth regnal year, when pardons were being proclaimed for other prisoners.
