1561: "Saint Valentine"

HistoryPodcast
Written By JC

Interesting Things with JC #1561: "Saint Valentine" – A third-century execution along a Roman road becomes a feast day, a medieval poem, and billions in modern commerce. Before romance, there was martyrdom. How did a man named Valentinus become the patron of love?

Curriculum - Episode Anchor

Episode Title: Saint Valentine

Episode Number: 1561

Host: JC

Audience: Grades 9–12, Intro College, Homeschool, Lifelong Learners

Subject Area: World History, Cultural History, Religious Studies, Media Literacy

Lesson Overview

In this episode, students explore how a third-century Christian martyr became the namesake of a modern holiday centered on romance and billion-dollar commerce. The lesson traces the historical Saint Valentine, examines the difference between legend and documented evidence, and analyzes how literature and economics reshape cultural memory over time.

Students will be able to:

  • Define the historical context of Saint Valentine’s execution under Emperor Claudius II.

  • Compare historical evidence with later legends about marriage bans and romance.

  • Analyze how medieval literature influenced Valentine’s Day traditions.

  • Explain how a religious feast day evolved into a modern commercial holiday.

Key Vocabulary

  • Martyr (MAR-ter) — A person killed because of religious beliefs. Valentinus was remembered first as a Christian martyr.

  • Valentinus (vah-len-TEE-nus) — A Christian cleric executed around A.D. 270 near Rome.

  • Claudius II Gothicus (KLAW-dee-us GOTH-ih-kus) — Roman emperor who ruled from A.D. 268 to 270.

  • Edict of Milan (EE-dikt of MY-lan) — A.D. 313 decree granting legal toleration to Christianity.

  • Lupercalia (loo-per-KAH-lee-uh) — A Roman fertility festival held on February 15.

  • Geoffrey Chaucer (JEFF-ree CHAW-ser) — Medieval poet who first linked Valentine’s Day with romance in 1382.

  • Esther Howland — 19th-century American entrepreneur who mass-produced Valentine cards.

Narrative Core

Open

  • A Christian cleric is executed around A.D. 270 along the Via Flaminia near Rome.

  • He is remembered not for romance—but for martyrdom.

Info

  • Rome is ruled by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus.

  • Roman infantry marched 20 miles a day carrying 60–100 pounds of gear.

  • Christianity is not legally tolerated until A.D. 313.

Details

  • Later legend claims Claudius banned marriage for young men.

  • No confirmed decree supports this story.

  • By the late fourth century, February 14 is listed as a feast day.

  • In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I sets February 14 in the Roman calendar.

  • Lupercalia is condemned, but no strong proof shows one replaced the other.

  • In 1382, Chaucer connects Valentine’s Day to romance in “Parlement of Foules.”

  • In the 1840s, Esther Howland mass-produces Valentine cards.

  • Today, Americans exchange over 100 million cards yearly.

  • U.S. spending reaches 29.1 billion dollars.

Reflection

  • A martyr’s execution becomes a feast day.

  • A feast day becomes a romantic tradition.

  • A tradition becomes a global industry.

  • History evolves through storytelling, literature, and commerce.

Closing

  • These are interesting things, with JC.

A red heart made of roses wrapped in a crown of thorns, with gold lettering that reads “Saint Valentine,” set against a deep red patterned background. The top text reads “Interesting Things with JC #1561.”

Transcript

Interesting Things with JC #1561: "Saint Valentine"

Around A.D. 270, along the Via Flaminia (VEE-uh fluh-MIN-ee-uh) just north of Rome, a Christian cleric named Valentinus (vah-len-TEE-nus) was executed.

He was remembered first not for romance, but for martyrdom.

Rome at the time was ruled by Emperor Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus (KLAW-dee-us GOTH-ih-kus), who reigned from A.D. 268 to 270 during military campaigns along the Danube frontier. Roman infantry often marched 20 miles (32 kilometers) a day. Discipline, endurance, and loyalty were essential to imperial survival.

Later Christian tradition claimed Claudius restricted or banned marriages for young men, believing unmarried soldiers fought more effectively. No surviving third century decree confirms a sweeping marriage ban tied directly to Valentinus. Historians generally regard that detail as legend. Roman law did regulate marriage at various times, but the specific link between a military policy and this martyr rests on later storytelling.

What is documented is that by the late fourth century, church calendars listed February 14 as the feast day of a martyr named Valentine. More than one early Christian bore that name, including a priest in Rome and a bishop in Terni, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north. Over time, their accounts likely merged.

Christianity would not receive legal toleration until the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, issued by Constantine and Licinius, more than forty years after Valentinus’ reported execution.

In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I (juh-LAY-shus) placed February 14 into the Roman liturgical calendar. Around the same period, he criticized Lupercalia (loo-per-KAH-lee-uh), a Roman fertility festival observed on February 15 that involved animal sacrifice and ritual customs. The dates sit side by side, but historians find little clear evidence that Valentine’s feast directly replaced Lupercalia.

For centuries, February 14 marked a martyr’s remembrance.

The romantic connection emerged much later.

In the 1380s, dated to 1382, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in “Parlement of Foules” that birds gather on Saint Valentine’s Day to choose their mates. This is the earliest known literary link between February 14 and romantic pairing. The symbolism spread through medieval poetry and courtly tradition.

By the 1700s in England and France, handwritten notes were commonly exchanged on February 14. In the late 1840s, Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, began producing decorated Valentine cards by the thousands each year, helping establish the holiday in American culture .

Today, Americans exchange well over 100 million Valentine’s Day cards annually, with retail projections placing U.S. spending at 29.1 billion dollars.

  • A third century execution along a Roman road.

  • A feast day preserved in church calendars.

  • A medieval poem about birds choosing mates.

  • Printed cards in nineteenth century Massachusetts.

  • Billions in modern commerce.

That is how a martyr’s remembrance became Valentine’s Day, layered over nearly 1,750 years.

These are interesting things, with JC.


Student Worksheet

  • Who was Valentinus, and why was he executed?

  • What evidence exists—or does not exist—about Claudius banning marriages?

  • How did Chaucer influence Valentine’s Day?

  • How did Valentine’s Day evolve over time?

  • Creative Prompt: Compare how a historian in A.D. 270 and a modern advertiser would describe February 14.

Teacher Guide

Estimated Time:
45–60 minutes

Pre-Teaching Strategy:

  • Review vocabulary with pronunciation practice.

  • Create a timeline: A.D. 270 → 313 → 496 → 1382 → 1840s → Today.

Common Misconceptions:

  • The marriage ban is historically proven (it is not).

  • Lupercalia directly became Valentine’s Day (not confirmed).

  • Valentine’s Day was always romantic (it was not).

Discussion Prompts:

  • Why do legends grow around historical figures?

  • How can poetry influence culture?

  • How does commerce shape tradition?

Differentiation:

  • ESL: Vocabulary cards with phonetics and visuals.

  • IEP: Guided timeline handout.

  • Gifted: Research primary vs. secondary source reliability.

Extension Activities:

  • Research another holiday that changed over time.

  • Compare medieval courtly love with modern romance.

Cross-Curricular Connections:

  • Economics: Analyze 29.1 billion in consumer spending.

  • Literature: Study Chaucer’s poetic influence.

  • Religious Studies: Examine early Christian persecution.

Quiz

Q1. Around what year was Valentinus executed?
A. A.D. 1382
B. A.D. 270
C. A.D. 496
D. A.D. 313
Answer: B

Q2. Which emperor ruled during Valentinus’s execution?
A. Constantine I
B. Nero
C. Claudius II Gothicus
D. Augustus
Answer: C

Q3. The Edict of Milan was issued in:
A. A.D. 270
B. A.D. 313
C. A.D. 496
D. 1382
Answer: B

Q4. The first romantic link to February 14 appears in:
A. A Roman decree
B. The Edict of Milan
C. “Parlement of Foules”
D. Lupercalia records
Answer: C

Q5. Esther Howland is known for:
A. Writing medieval poetry
B. Issuing papal decrees
C. Leading Roman troops
D. Mass-producing Valentine cards
Answer: D

Assessment

Open-Ended Questions:

  • Explain the difference between legend and documented history in the story of Saint Valentine.

  • Describe how Valentine’s Day changed over time and why.

3–2–1 Rubric

  • 3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful

  • 2 = Partially accurate or missing detail

  • 1 = Inaccurate or vague

Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2
Students determine central ideas and trace development over time.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6
Students evaluate differing historical interpretations.

C3 D2.His.1.9-12
Students analyze historical context and significance.

C3 D2.His.3.9-12
Students evaluate sources and evidence.

UK National Curriculum (History – KS4)
Develop understanding of historical interpretation and change over time.

Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of historical developments and interpretations.

Show Notes

This episode follows the journey of Saint Valentine from a third-century Christian martyr executed under Emperor Claudius II Gothicus to the namesake of one of the most commercially significant holidays in the United States. It separates legend from documented history, clarifies that the marriage ban story lacks firm evidence, and explains that the romantic connection to February 14 began in 1382 with Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Parlement of Foules.” The episode highlights how literature, religious observance, and commerce gradually reshaped public memory. Today, Valentine’s Day generates billions in spending and millions of exchanged cards—an example of how history evolves across centuries through storytelling and cultural adaptation. This topic helps students understand historical interpretation, myth formation, and the economic forces that shape modern traditions.

References

JC https://jimconnors.org
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