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religions of conquered peoples into
their own.
But the various sects of Chris–
tianity pose a special problem.
Adherents to the various pagan reli–
gions readily accommodate them–
selves to the deification of the
emperor and the insistence that all
loyal citizens sacrifice at his altar.
But this kind of "patriotism" goes
far beyond what is possible for any
Christians. So they are punished–
not because they are Christians
per
se.
but because they are "dis–
loyal."
Nero, the first of the persecuting
emperors, had seta cruel precedent.
During the next 250 years,
JO
majar persecutions are unleashed
upon Christianity.
About A.D. 95, Emperor Domi–
tian-the younger son of Yespasian
and brother of Titus, destroyer of
J erusalem- launches a short but
severe persecution on Christians.
Thousands are slain in his reign of
terror.
In A.D. 98, Marcus Ulpius Tra–
janus- commonly known as Tra–
jan-is elected emperor by the
Roman senate. l n his eyes, Chris–
tianity is opposed to the state reli–
gion and therefore sacrilegious and
punishable. Among the many who
die during his
~eign
is the influen–
tial theologian Ignatius, bishop of
Antioch in Syria, who is thrown to
the lions in the Roman arena in
A.D. 110.
Trajan's successors Hadrian
( 117- 138) and Antoninus Pius
( 138-161) continue the carnage.
Among those to suffer martyrdom
during the latter's reign is tbe illus–
trious Polycarp, elder at Smyrna
and the leading Christian figure in
Asia Minar.
With the accession of Emperor
Marcus Aurelius ( 161- 180), the
Empire suddenly finds itse1f dis–
rupted by wars, rebellion, floods,
pestilence and famine. As often
happens in times of great disaster,
the ignorant populace seeks to
throw the blame for these calami–
ties on an unpopular class-in this
case, the various sects of Chris–
tians.
The strong outcry raised against
what the world sees as Christianity
Ieaves Marcus Aurelius no choice.
In troubled times as these, there
can be only one loyalty- to the
20
emperor. He orders the laws to be
enforced. The resulting persecu–
tion-the severest since Nero's
day- brings a horrible death to
thousands of Christians. Among
them is the scholar Justin Martyr,
who is put to death at Rome.
The Roman emperors Septimius
Severus ( 193-211) and Maximin
(235-238) continue the persecu–
tions. Hunted as outlaws, thousands
of Christians are burned at the
stake, crucified or beheaded.
Emperor Decius (249-251) de–
termines to completely eradicate
Christianity. Blood flows in fright–
ful massacres throughout the
Empire. A subsequent persecution
under Valerian (253-260) goes even
further in its severity.
But the persecution inaugurated
by Diocletian (284-305) surpasses
them all in violence. This 1Otb per–
secution is a systematic attempt to
wipe the name of Christ from the
earth! Diocletian's violence towards
the Christian sects is unparalleled
in history.
An edict requiring uniformity of
worship is issued in A.D. 303. By
refusing to pay homage to the
image of the emperor, all Christians
in the realm become outlaws. Their
public and prívate possessions are
taken from them, their assemblies
are prohibited, their churches are
torn down, their sacred writings ar,e
destroyed.
The victims of death and torture
number into the tens-even
hundreds-of thousands. Every
means is devised to exterminate the
obstínate rellgion. Coins are struck
commemorating the "annihilation
of the Christians."
Only in the extreme western por–
tian of the Empire do Christians
escape. Constantius Ch1orus–
Roman military ruler of Gau1,
Spain, Britain and the Rhine fron–
tier-prevents the execution of the
edict in the regions under his rule.
He protects the Christians, whose
general virtues he esteems.
Civil Wa r
Diocletian's reign also brings a
development of great historie
importance within the political
realm.
Diocletian realizes the Empire is
too Iarge to be administered by a
single man. For purposes of better
government of so vast an empire,
Diocletian voluntarily divides the
power and responsibility of bis
office, associating ... with himself
bis friend Maximian as coemperor.
The two divide the Empire. Dio–
cletian takes the East, with his cap–
ital at Nicomedia in Asia Minar.
Ma;ximian takes the West and
establishes his headquarters at
Milan in northern Italy.
Each of these two
Augusti
or
emperors then selects an assistant
with the title of
Caesar.
These dep–
uty emperors are to succeed them,
and designate new Caesars in turn.
The Caesars chosen by Diocletian
and Maximian are Galerius and
Constantius Chlorus. They are to
command the armies of the fron–
tiers.
After a severe illness, Diocletian
abdicates his power on May 1, 305.
He comp.els his colleague Maxim–
ian to follow bis example the same
day. They are succeeded by their
respective deputy emperors, Galer–
ius and Constantius. These two
former Caesars are now Augusti.
Galerius rules the East; Constantius
rules the West.
When Constantius dies suddenly
the next year while on expedition
against the Picts of Scotland, his
troops immediately proclaim his
son Constantine as emperor. The
smooth succession envisioned by
Diocletian never takes place.
For the next eight years, there
follows a succession of civil wars
among rival pretenders for imperial
power. Constantine engages these
competitors in battle. Tbe stage is
now set for history-making events,
within both the Empire and Chris–
tianity.
Surpr i se in Rome
It is now 312. The persecution inau–
gurated by Diocletian nine years
earlier still rages. In Rome, Mil–
tiades is bishop over the Christian
groups there.
By this time, the bishop of Rome
has come to be generally acknowl–
edged as the leader of Christianity
in the West. He is called "pope"
(Latín,
papa,
"father"), an eccle–
siastical title long since given to
many bishops. (lt will not be until
the 9th century that the title is
reserved exclusively for the bishop
of Rome.)
The PLAIN TRUTH