Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire

Background

The Roman Empire was relatively tolerant of the gods of its many peoples. It did, however, regard participation in the cults (ritual worship) of the state gods and of the emperor as a sign of a citizen's loyalty. Judaism, recognized as an ancient national religion, enjoyed a degree of exemption, but Christianity, which had begun to be distinguished from Judaism, held no such status. Christians rejected the worship of other gods and of the emperor as idolatry, and for this reason they were accused of being "atheists." Their private gatherings for the Eucharist and the agape feast were distorted by rumors of cannibalism and sexual immorality.

Course of Events

• Nero, AD 64: After the Great Fire of Rome, Nero blamed the Christians and had them executed. The episode is recorded in the Annals of the historian Tacitus. Church tradition holds that Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome around this time.
• Trajan, c. 112: In a reply to the governor Pliny the Younger, Trajan set out a principle: Christians were not to be sought out, but if they were accused and refused to renounce their faith, they were to be punished. Throughout the second century, regional persecutions continued under this principle.
• Decius, 250: Decius ordered all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods and obtain a certificate of having done so. This was the first empire-wide persecution.
• Valerian, 257–258: Valerian issued edicts targeting the clergy and church assemblies. In 258, Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, was martyred.
• The "Great Persecution" under Diocletian, 303–311: Church buildings were destroyed, Scriptures were confiscated, and clergy were arrested. In 311 Galerius issued an edict of toleration, and in 313 the so-called Edict of Milan, issued by Constantine and Licinius, granted freedom of religion.

Consequences and Influence

After the persecutions ended, the church debated whether to readmit those who had renounced their faith and later sought to return. After the Decian persecution, this issue led to the separation of the Novatianists. The question of the standing of clergy who had surrendered the Scriptures during the Great Persecution gave rise to the Donatist schism in North Africa. The tradition of commemorating the martyrs also became established during this period. In 380, Theodosius I made Nicene Christianity the state religion.

Assessment

The writings of Eusebius and Lactantius are the principal sources for the persecutions. In later centuries a tradition arose of counting them as the "Ten Persecutions." Modern historians generally hold that organized, empire-wide persecution was limited to the reigns of Decius, Valerian, and Diocletian, and that other persecutions were local and sporadic. Estimates of the number of martyrs vary widely among scholars.

The catacombs (underground cemeteries) of Rome are popularly known as places where Christians hid from persecution, but scholars regard them as having been primarily places of burial and commemoration.

In Korean churches, resistance to the Shinto shrine worship imposed during the Japanese colonial period is often explained by comparison with the early Christian refusal to take part in the Roman imperial cult. The catacombs are also frequently included in the itineraries of Korean Christian pilgrimages.