Nereus and Achilleus, Roman martyrs of the (?)2nd century. Their cult, centred on their relics in the cemetery of Domitilla, is very ancient and well testified. From an inscription of Pope Damasus (late 4th century) it can be learnt that they were soldiers, used to executing through fear the orders of a cruel tyrant; that they were suddenly converted to Christianity, left the military life and threw away their arms, confessed the faith of Christ, and were martyred. Over the cemetery of Domitilla a church was built in the 4th century in which their now empty tomb was discovered by archaeologists in 1874. Another church was built in their honour by Leo III c.800.

Their legendary Acts make these martyrs eunuchs of the lady Flavia Domitilla, a relative of the emperor Domitian; they shared her exile to Ponza and then to Terracina where, during Trajan's reign, Nereus and Achilleus were beheaded and Domitilla burnt to death for refusing to sacrifice to idols. Feast: 12 May with Pancras and formerly Domitilla.

Bibliography
Click here for a list of abbreviations used in this bibliography.

• AA.SS. Maii III (1680), 4–16 and C.M.H., pp. 249–50; A Guerrieri, La chiesa dei SS. Nereo ed Achilleo (1951); P. F. de Cavalieri, Note agiographice, ii (S.T., xxii, 1909), 43–55

The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Copyright © David Hugh Farmer 1978, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2004. All rights reserved.