POTAMIENA and BASILIDE, saints, martyrs. - They are commemorated in the Martyrologies, respectively on 28 and 30 June, but they belong to the group of Plutarco (v.).
Daughter of Marcella, who also died a martyr, P. was arrested at Alessandria under Settimio Severo; after being horribly tortured over her whole body, she was sentenced to death by the judge Aquila. While she was being led to execution, B., one of the soldiers accompanying her, out of a feeling of pity defended her from the insults of the mob. P. promised him that after her death she would pray for him. Some days after P. had been killed by the dripping of boiling pitch upon her body, B. refused to take an oath, saying that he was a Christian. Imprisoned, he told some Christians who had come to visit him that P. had appeared to him, placed a crown upon his head, and assured him that he would soon receive the grace requested for him. He was immediately baptized and beheaded the following day.