Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of John, was burned alive (then stabbed) for refusing to offer incense to Caesar. A letter from the Smyrnaean church to the Philomelians, dated about 156 AD, describes his arrest, trial, and death in vivid detail — including his prayer at the stake. It is the earliest surviving martyr-account outside the New Testament.
Why this matters
Direct evidence that Christians of the mid-2nd century would die rather than affirm Caesar as Lord. Polycarp's words at trial — "Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong; how then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" — remain a foundational Christian text.
Scripture references
Revelation 2:8-11Acts 20:241 Peter 4:16
Location
Smyrna, Turkey