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Triumph through Tragedy: How the ten Christian persecutions strengthened the Church.
During the early history of the Christian Church, there are ten great persecutions that are recognized. These span over a 300-year period and all test the faith of the young religion’s followers. Though all of the persecutions were horrific, there are two that stand above the rest. The first great persecution (Nero’s persecution) and the last great persecution (Diocletian’s persecution) are two of the worst genocides in antiquity. These two persecutions not only held Christians in fear during the time, but also tested the very integrity of the religion as a whole. It is often said that the persecutions stunted the growth of Christianity and pushed it underground. While it is easy to agree with the latter part of the argument, it is difficult for one to say that the growth of Christianity was stunted. This theory will be explored throughout the paper.
Nero’s persecution started in the summer of 64 A.D. During this time there was a fire in Rome. “The Great Fire”, as it would come to be known as, destroyed two thirds of the city and left it in a state of chaos (although this number is often thought by scholars to be exaggerated). During the time of the fire the emperor, Nero, was at a Greek festival (this is thought to be the reason it is said Nero played the lyre during the fire). As the chaos grew in the city, the people were pressuring Nero for answers. Since Nero needed a scapegoat, he chose the new religious group, the Christians.
When persecution started it was a terrifying time to be a Christian in Rome. There were several punishments that Nero dictated for the Christians these included: being sewn up in animal skins and tortured by dogs, being coated in a thick coat of wax, being lit on fire to illuminate the gardens, or lined up among other Christians and being burned at the stake. Tacitus describes the persecution below:
“Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”
Imagine being sewn in the skin of a wild beast and chewed up like a dog toy, or whipped repeatedly and nailed to a cross to be burnt alive. This is what the early church was facing. While being tested to denounce their faith (as many did) they also were having the very backbone of the church tested. It is believed that it is during this persecution that Peter and Paul were killed, the two leaders of the Christian world during this time.
It is only logical that the Christian Church go underground after this persecution because of the near 100,000 that were burned in the persecution. It was no longer safe to be a Christian. It is also often implied that the Christian Church also suffered in numbers due to this persecution (along with all the others). However, in 60 years it would seem almost impossible that there would be a significant number of Christians in the world in ratio to the world population. And, certainly more irrational to think that the Christian population took up anywhere from 1/20 to 1/10 of the population of Rome which is exactly what this number suggests. It is probably a better assumption that the estimated number of 100,000 is due to a few things. For one, Christians were not exactly known as Christians; instead, they were considered a sect of Judaism. This could play into a guilty by association theory for some of the traditional Jewish people. For another, it would be easy for someone to place blame on another individual one did not like. With this brought into account it would seem that the estimated 100,000 killed in the persecution were not all Christian.
Also, it is not irrational to assume that through these persecutions is where the idea of martyrdom being a good thing came from. In Romans 1:16, Paul clearly states that he is not ashamed of the Gospel. This ashamed is a public shaming in the Greek use of the word. It means to make ones status lower, and even to act as a public shaming a sort of punishment. And, Paul surely lived up to these words when he was martyred in Nero’s persecution. Since the leaders of the Church had died standing up for the Gospel it seems it would be a popular belief that it is indeed a glorious death.
Although it is not the focus of this study, let us look a little bit into the Trajan persecution. During this persecution Pliny is persecuting Christians. This is a piece of one of the correspondences between Pliny and Trajan: “For the contagion of this superstition has spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms.” This shows that Christianity was spreading, and at a much more rapid pace than anticipated. Christianity continued to spread between Domitian’s and Trajan’s Persecution which would hardly be enough time for a religious group of people to feel safe enough to go above ground (even in America it has been up until recently that people are more accepting of Islamic American’s and that is an event that took place over a decade ago). And, even during Trajan’s persecution Christianity continues to spread according to Pliny. This gives further support to the theory that the persecutions did push the religion underground, but did not inhibit the religion.
The second major component of this paper is the argument that the last of the ten great persecutions actually helped to boost the religion. It is Diocletian’s persecution, The Great Persecution, that pushes Christianity onto the main stage. Through major destruction, execution, and one of the most spread out persecutions to ever occur. Much like the other persecutors Diocletian set out to destroy Christianity, but unlike the others he almost succeeded.
To give the set up for Diocletian’s persecution, it has been nearly 40 years since the last of the persecutions. Unlike Trajan’s persecution, this has given the Christians plenty of time to become comfortable in society. So much so that Christians are being outspoken about their religious beliefs even though Christianity is technically illegal. There are known places of worship and Christians even have a say in the communities they live in. Christians feel as if they are now tolerated and for the most part they are.
When Diocletian comes to power he moves the capital to the more economical part of the empire at Nicomedia. He then sets up a Tetrarchy. His co-ruler is Galerius. Being the main ruler of his part of the empire, he sets up some goals for his dynasty. His first goals would be to secure the borders of the empire. His second goal, and the goal he would become obsessed with, would be to get back to the old religion.
When hearing of his plans to get back to the old religion, the Christians take action. They openly speak out against the emperor. Diocletian has to try to come up with a way to stop the Christian people from uprising so he turns to Galerius whom pushes for the removal of all Christians. This causes the first Edict against the Christians. Eusebius explains it like this:
“…and royal edicts were published everywhere, commanding that the churches Should be razed to the ground, the Scriptures destroyed by fire, those who held positions of honor degraded, and the household servants, if they persisted in the Christian profession, be deprived of their liberty.”
Eighteen years into the reign of Diocletian the Christians were once again being persecuted. Diocletian set himself apart from the other persecutors with a wide spread and very systematic persecution. If word was given to the emperor of a town with a large population of Christians the towns would be ordered to be burned to the ground in order to save time. Diocletian was so extreme he punished his wife and daughter who were both Christians. For their punishment, they were forced to take part in martyring others, he would later have his wife beheaded. Diocletian’s interesting persecution can be shown by the account of Timothy whom was commanded to turn over Holy Scripture. This is an account of Timothy’s punishment after going in front of a governor:
“… commanded him to deliver them up to be burnt; to which he answered, “Had I children, I would sooner deliver them up to be sacrificed, than part with the Word of God.” The governor being much incensed at this reply, ordered his eyes to be put out, with red-hot irons, saying, “The books shall at least be useless to you, for you shall not see to read them.” He then ordered him to be hung up by the feet, with a weight tied about his neck, and a gag in his mouth.”
Another account tells us of a leader of a Christian congregation. He was found out and tried in front of one of the governors. When he was found guilty and refused to repent he received his punishment. He was racked and had all his limbs dislocated. He then had his flesh ripped up with hooks being dragged down his back. He was then placed on a gridiron that was over a fire and drove the spikes into his already torn flesh. He survived however and was thrown into a prison that had a floor made up of broken glass where he was left to die.
Of course, through the edicts that are formed there are ways to escape such harsh punishments. Christians who are caught are given the opportunity to repent of their religion and admit their foolishness. As well as make pagan sacrifice to serve as proof of the sincerity of their guilt. Many of the ones who do repent later decide to rejoin the Christian church after the persecutions are over.
The horror that would become the last of the Great Persecutions ended when Constantine came to power around 313. Constantine had been a prince of Rome and had watched to martyrdom and terrible punishments of thousands of Christians since he has a boy. In the year 313 he issued the Edict of Milan which officially announced the toleration of Christianity in its entirety. Furthermore, he even gave back land that had been confiscated from Christians during his predecessor’s persecution.
Not only did this propel Christianity out from being an underground religion, but it helped Christianity to become the main religion of the Roman Empire. While the sudden popularity in the religion gave Church leaders many questions and problems to face (such as the traditores who had denounced their faith in the persecution), it would seem that Constantine had allowed so much influence to come from the persecution that he actually showed favoritism to Christianity. Constantine would even become known as the “first Christian emperor.” Christianity was promoted so much by the emperor that it had great influence on the entire empire. In 380, less than 80 years since the great persecution, Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Through research it has become evident that the persecutions did little to stop the growth of Christianity. While it may be true that it pushed Christianity to be an underground religion, it becomes almost impossible to say that it stopped the spread of the faith, or otherwise there would be little need for any further persecutions after Nero. The only logical conclusion that can be drawn from all the evidence is that persecutions in fact helped to spread Christianity. Through wide spread persecutions that reach the entire Empire Christianity is successfully brought to the forefront all across the Empire and the great suffering of these people are seen by all. And, it is even harder to claim that the last persecution was even remotely successful. While people did repent they often returned to the Church after persecution was over. It is easier to claim that it helped the Church become the main religion of the Roman Empire because Constantine was influenced so much by it. Therefore, it seems that it becomes evident the great persecutions did little to hurt a religion and seems to have only made it stronger.
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