Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Tarachus, also called Victor

Tarachus, also called Victor, martyr, an Isaurian from Claudiopolis, and a soldier, who left the army on the outbreak of Diocletian's persecution. The Acts of Tarachus and his companions Probus and Andronicus are one of the most genuine pieces of Christian antiquity. They were first pub. by Baronius in his Annals, under 290, but from an imperfect MS. Ruinart brought out the most complete ed. in Greek and Latin from a comparison of several MSS. in the Colbertine Library. The martyrs were arrested 304 in Pompeiopolis, an episcopal city of Cilicia.

They were publicly examined and tortured at three principal cities—Tarsus, Mopsuestia, and Anazarbus, where they were put to death and their relics carefully preserved. The Acts are often quoted by Le Blant (Les Actes des martyrs) to illustrate his argument. Thus, p. 9, he notes the sale of copies of the Proconsular Acts by one of the officials for two hundred denarii. He also illustrates by them the judicial formularies, proconsular circuits, etc. (cf. pp. 27–29, 32, 63, 68, 72, 74, etc.). They suffered under a president Numerianus Maximus (Ruinart, Acta Sinc. 454–492).

[G.T.S.]