How did what Jesus said about Peter's death relate to Peter's crucifixion upside down?

Answer 1

Just as Jesus did not really discuss the death of Peter in the Bible, Peter was not really crucified upside down. Nothing was known or said about the death of Peter until the second century, when by Pope Anicetus (156-166) tried to win a dispute with Polycarp of Smyrna on a matter of theology. Polycarp had tried to win the argument by insisting that he spoke with the authority of the apostle John. In response, Anicetus said that Peter was beheaded by Nero in Rome and said that he spoke with the authority of Peter. A later version of the story is that Peter was not beheaded, but crucified upside down.

Notice that the first version of this tradition was that Peter was beheaded, not crucified. Also that Polycarp would appear not to have been aware beforehand of the claim made by Anicetus and the tradition arose in circumstances that would, at best, cause doubt about its veracity. If the crucifixion of Peter had been true, then Anicetus would have used that story, but this final tradition is typical of the increasingly fantastic traditions that gradually arose about the martyrdom of all the disciples.