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Diocletianic Persecution of Christians
From 303 to 311 CE, Roman emperor Diocletian and his co-rulers issued edicts systematically banning Christian worship, demolishing churches, and conf…
Timeline
- 303Nicomedia · BithyniaDiocletian issued an edict at the eastern capital of Nicomedia ordering the demolition of churches, the confiscation of Christian texts, and the stripping of Christians' right to hold public office; the persecution thus began in earnest.
- 304–308Throughout the Roman Empire · Roman EmpireThe edict of 304 required all subjects to sacrifice to the Roman gods, with the death penalty for refusal; Galerius, Caesar in the East, enforced it vigorously in the various regions, many Christians were martyred, and the persecution reached its peak.
- 311Serdica · ThraceOn his deathbed, Galerius issued an edict at Serdica permitting Christians to resume public worship and asking them to pray for him, effectively ending the empire's official policy of persecution.
Sources
- The Early Church — Henry Chadwick (1993)
- Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History — Eusebius of Caesarea