Fresco of Roman Lady with servant

The adherence of these two women to the church illustrates the appeal of Christianity across ancient distinctions of class. Along with three other catechumens, these two women were imprisoned during one of the persecutions of the early third century. Perpetua's father attempted to persuade her to renounce the Christian faith, but she refused. Perpetua, Felicity, and their three companions were killed by wild beasts in the arena at Carthage. The story of their martyrdom, one of the best known of such accounts in antiquity, may have been written by Tertullian. It is possible that Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions were Montanists.