On 30 August 257, under the rule of Roman Emperor Valerian, St. Cyprian of Carthage was brought before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus to defend his faith.

As bishop of Carthage, Cyprian had strongly urged his fellow Christians to prepare for martyrdom in his De exhortatione martyrii. Before the proconsul, Cyprian will be ordered to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods and to inform the Roman authorities of the names of other Christian priests. In both cases, Cyprian will refuse. Instead, he will proclaim his faith in Christ and his loyalty to the Roman emperor.

I am a Christian and a bishop. I know no other gods beside the one, true God who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them. This is the God we Christians serve, to this God we pray day and night for you and for all mankind, and for the well-being of the emperors themselves.

Cyprian was banished to the city of Curubis and after spending a long period in exile and in prison was martyred on 14 September 258.