Cover -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- General Index -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part One Presentation of the Sources -- Introduction -- Chapter I: Analysis of the direct sources -- 1. Epistula ad ecclesiam Smyrnaeam (Rv 2, 8-11) -- 2. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistula ad Smyrnaeos -- 3. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistula ad Polycarpum -- 4. Polycarpus Smyrnensis, Epistula ad Philippenses -- 5. Ecclesia Smyrnensis, Epistula de martyrio s. Polycarpi -- 6. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Ad Florinum de monarchia -- 7. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Epistula ad Victorem papam Romanum de festo paschali -- 8. Polycrates Ephesinus, Epistula ad Victorem papam Romanum -- 9. Hippolytus, Adversus Noetum -- 10. Fragments on Polycarp -- 11. Martyrium Pionii -- 12. Vita Polycarpi -- 13. Index Patrum Nicaenorum -- Chapter II: Brief study of the indirect sources -- 1. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistulae genuinae ad Ephesinos, ad Magnesios, ad Trallianos, ad Romanos -- 2. Acta Ioannis -- 3. Acta Pauli -- 4. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses 3, 3, 4 -- 5. Tertullianus, De praescriptione haereticorum 32, 2 -- 6. Eusebius Caesariensis, Historia Ecclesiastica -- 7. Hieronymus presbyter, De Viris Illustribus 17 -- 8. Aelius Aristides, Sacrorum Sermonum: Ἱεϱῶν λόγων -- 9. Aelius Aristides, Oratio de concordia ad civitates Asiaticas: IIεϱὶ ὁμονοίας ταῖς πόλεσιν -- 10. Aelius Aristides, In smyrnam oratio: Σμυρναϊκὸς πολιτικὸς -- 11. Aelius Aristides, Monodia de Smyrna: Ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ μονῳδία -- 12. Aelius Aristides, Oratio de Smyrna ad Reges Romanorum: Ἐπιστολὴ περὶ Σμύρνης πρὸς τοὺς βασιλέας -- 13. Aelius Aristides, Palinodia de Smyrna instaurata: Παλινῳδία ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ καὶ τῷ ταύτης ἀνοικισμῷ -- 14. Aelius Aristides, Gratulatio Smyrnaea (ad Commodum): Σμυρναϊκὸς προσϕωνητικός -- 15. Constitutiones apostolorum 7, 46, 8 -- 16. Pseudo-Dionysius, Epistula ad Polycarpum.

17. Gregorius episcopus Turonensis, Historiarum libri decem -- 18. Chronicon Paschale -- 19. Metrophanes, Panegyricum Polycarpi Smyrnensis -- Chapter III: Historical and literary appraisal of certain sources and particular problems -- 1. The teaching of the presbyter -- 2. The ancestors of the Valentinians -- 3. Epistula ad Diognetum -- 4. Epistulae ad Timotheum I et II, Epistula ad Titum -- 5. Corpus Polycarpianum -- a. The beginning of a hypothesis -- b. Criticism during the twentieth century -- c. The thesis of A. Stewart-Sykes -- d. Conclusion -- Conclusion -- Part Two Historical and Social Situation of the Community of Smyrna -- Introduction -- Chapter IV: Pagan Smyrna, city of Asia Minor -- 1. Geographical location -- 2. Legendary origin of the city -- 3. Smyrna in the pre-Hellenic age -- 4. Hellenic Smyrna -- 5. Hellenistic Smyrna -- 6. Roman Smyrna -- 7. Life and institutions in the city of Smyrna -- 8. Divinities in Asia and in particular in Smyrna -- 9. Conclusion -- Chapter V: Jews and Christians in Smyrna -- 1. Characteristics of Judaism of the diaspora -- 2. Judaism in Asia Minor -- 3. The Christian faith face to face with Judaism in the New Testament -- 4. The Christians of Asia faced with Judaism -- 5. Judaism in the letters of Ignatius of Antioch -- 6. The role of the Jews in the Martyrdom of Polycarp -- 7. Jewish proselytism and the Christian response in the Martyrdom of Pionius -- 8. Jews and Christians before the civil authority in the Life of Polycarp -- 9. Conclusion -- Chapter VI: The community of Christians in Smyrna -- 1. The foundation of the community -- 2. Development of the community and configuration of its first leaders -- 3. The author of the Revelation and the "angel" of the Church of Smyrna -- 4. The bishop Polycarp -- 5. The successsors of Polycarp -- 6. Missionary Smyrna in the middle of the second century.

7. Crisis in the Church of Smyrna at the end of the second century -- 8. Leaders of the community in the third century -- 9. Smyrna towards the Council of Nicaea of 325 -- 10. Conclusion -- Chapter VII: The Christians of Smyrna in the face of the imperial cult -- 1. The Revelation and the persecution of Domitian -- 2. The persecutions under Trajan and Hadrian -- 3. The persecutions under Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus -- 4. The persecutions under Septimius Severus and Maximinus -- 5. The persecution of Decius -- 6. The persecutions under Valerian, Diocletian and Maximinus Daia -- 7. Conclusion -- Conclusion -- Part Three Theological and Ecclesial Aspects of the Community of Smyrna -- Introduction -- Chapter VIII: The Old Testament in the Church of Smyrna -- 1. The Old Testament in the early Christian community -- 2. The Old Testament in the letters of Ignatius -- 3. The Old Testament in Polycarp's letter To the Philippians -- 4. The Old Testament in the Martyrdom of Polycarp -- 5. Conclusion -- Chapter IX: The Pauline tradition in the Church of Smyrna -- 1. Formation of the Pauline tradition in Asia -- 2. The Pauline tradition in the letters of Ignatius -- 3. The Pauline tradition in Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians -- 4. The Pauline tradition in the Martyrdom of Polycarp -- 5. The silences of the Pauline tradition in Asia -- 6. Conclusion -- Chapter X: The Synoptic Gospels in the Church of Smyrna -- 1. The Synoptic Gospels in Asia -- 2. The Synoptic Gospels in the letters of Ignatius -- 3. The Synoptic Gospels in Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians -- 4. The Synoptic Gospels in the Martyrdom of Polycarp -- 5. Conclusion -- Chapter XI: The Johannine tradition in the Church of Smyrna -- 1. Formation of the Johannine tradition in Asia -- 2. Letter to the Church of Smyrna, Rv 2, 8-11.

3. The Johannine tradition in the letters of Ignatius -- 4. The Johannine tradition in Polycarp's letter to the Philippians -- 5. The Johannine tradition in the Martyrdom of Polycarp -- 6. Conclusion -- Chapter XII: The deposit of faith in the Church of Smyrna -- 1. Confessions of faith in the New Testament -- 2. The lex orandi in the Church of Smyrna of the second century -- 3. The profession of faith of the presbyters of Smyrna -- 4. The lex credendi in the Church of Smyrna -- 5. Conclusion -- Chapter XIII: Sacramental and spiritual life of the Church of Smryna -- 1. The conception of Church and the ministries in the community -- 2. Baptism and penance in the community -- 3. Easter, Eucharist and cult of the martyrs in the community -- 4. Conclusion -- Conclusion -- General Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Editions and translations from the ancient sources. -- Studies -- Index of References -- Old Testament -- New Testament -- Christian Writers -- Other ancient literature -- Other Terms and Names.