Scillium
titular see in Tunisia
Scillium is an ancient city in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis, Scillium must not be confounded with Silli, or Sililli, in Numidia, the situation of which is unknown nor, as Albert Battandier does, identified with Kasrin, which is Cillium, a see of Byzantium. Its episcopal see was a suffragan of the see of Carthage, capital of the province.
History
On 17 July, 180, six martyrs (Scillitan Martyrs) suffered for the Faith at Scillium; later, a basilica in which St. Augustine preached was dedicated to them (near Douar esh-Shott, west of the town). The Greek version of their Acts, in an addition which is later, says they were natives of "Ischle, Ischle, in Numidia". This name is a Greek transcription of Scillium. The tradition is already recorded in the primitive calendar of Carthage. The Greek compiler intended possibly to speak not of the province of Numidia, but of the Numidian country and so would have placed Scillium in Proconsular Numidia. An epitaph of Simitthu, now Chemtou, mentions Iscilitana; Simitthu was certainly in Proconsular Numidia, it is unclear if Scillium was near it.
Two of its bishops are mentioned: Squillacius, present at the Conference of Carthage in 411; and Pariator, who signed the letter addressed in 646 by the council of the proconsulate to the Patriarch Paul of Constantinople against the monothelites.
The public source identifies “Scillium” as titular see in Tunisia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Scillium, titular and Tunisia.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Scillium”, the useful work is to connect “titular see in Tunisia” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2065025. Authority coordinates are 35.167, 8.833. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Scillium”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Scillium primary sources, Scillium archive and Scillium research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Scillium”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Scillium” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.