Martin of Tours

Saint Martin of Tours (Latin: Martinus), (b. 316 or 317 – Candes, November 11, 397) was a bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Roman Catholic saints. Some of the accounts of his travels may have been interpolated into his vita to give credence to early sites of his cult. His life was recorded by a contemprary, the hagiographer Sulpitius Severus.

Early Life

Martin was named after Mars, the god of war, which Sulpitius Severus interpreted as "the brave, the courageous". He was a native of Sabaria, Pannonia (modern Szombathely, Hungary). His father was a senior officer (tribune) in the Imperial Horse Guard, a unit of the Roman army, and was stationed at Ticinum, Cisalpine Gaul (modern Pavia, Italy).

Related Topics:
Mars - Sabaria - Pannonia - Szombathely - Hungary - Imperial Horse Guard - Roman - Ticinum - Cisalpine Gaul - Pavia - Italy

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At the age of ten, he went to the church against the wishes of his parents and became a catechumen or candidate for baptism.

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When Martin was fifteen, as the son of a veteran officer, he was required to join a cavalry ala himself and thus, around 334 was stationed at Ambianensium civitas or Samarobriva in Gaul (modern Amiens, France). It is therefore likely that he joined the equites catafractarii Ambianenses, a unit listed in the Notitia Dignitatum.

Related Topics:
Ala - Samarobriva - Gaul - Amiens - France - Equites catafractarii Ambianenses - Notitia Dignitatum

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