“second death” (2:11).12 Many Smyrnean Christians were presumably familiar with Jewish martyrdom traditions that stressed faithfulness in facing death (4 Macc. 7:15–16), the promise of eternal life for martyrs (16:25; 17:12), and the crown of victory for those who overcome in martyrdom (17:15). Crowns (wreaths of olive, laurel, pine, or celery) were appropriate to victory in battle and more often in athletic competition; hence, they became a familiar symbolic image to all adults and most children