Persecution of Dioclétien

The Grande persecution indicates a wave of repression of Christianity by the Roman Empire, under the reign of Dioclétien at the beginning of the 4th century.

Measurements

According to Lactance and Eusèbe de Césarée, its initiative is to be put at the credit Galère, the member of Tétrarchie most resolutely antichrétien. It is, however, Dioclétien which remains, all the same, the uncontested chief of the tétrarchie, which makes the decision of it. From February 303 at February 304, four edicts give the legal framework of it.

First edict of February 24th, 303 :

  • Destruction of the buildings of Christian worships and the Christian written .
  • Deprivation of the loads, dignities and rights for the Christian aristocrats

Second edict of spring 303 :

  • Arrest of the Clergy: one especially realizes immense density of the Christians in Orient.

Third edict of the autumn 303 :

  • Obligation for the clerks to sacrifice. They are tortured and undertaken very hard measurements

Fourth edict of the beginning of 304 :

  • Obligation for all Christian to sacrifice. One attends scenes of torture.

Context

See also: Tétrarchie

Under the pressure of the cruel invasions, the Roman Empire undergoes an serious attack throughout the 3rd century. Revolts and civil wars weaken also the capacity i.e. the position of the Empereur. These disorders support the handing-over with the last style of the Roman traditions which prevailed in a context of Roman patriotism. The divine principle of the capacity is then regarded as vital for the Empire and very called in question of this principle is perceived like an act of treason. Thus, the Christians and the Jews refusing to sacrifice to the Emperor, are seen like threatening the bases of the state.

Consequences

Their consequences were to be shown particularly heavy for the Christians of Africa and one can read there the origins of the schism donatist.

It is during this persecution that Saint-Victor, soldier Roman, officer in the legion thebaine, undergoes the martyrdom with Marseilles, the July 21st 303 (or 304 according to the sources) to have refused to abjure its Christian faith.

The end of the first tétrarchie (305) involves a blur in the government. Many men follow one another, especially in the Western part, involving a reduction in persecutions. Whereas in the oriental party, relatively little touched by these power struggles, the massacres intensify.

However, more they are massacred, more the many pagan ones support them. Also Galère sign an edict of tolerance on April 30th 311. Not only the edict of tolerance admits that the various edicts of persecution did not have any effect on the faith of the Christians who continued to believe in their god instead of the gods of their ancestors, but, in addition, Galère, orders to request for the Romans and their empire. Christianity is then authorized in the Roman empire.

Historiography

Eusèbe de Césarée, in its ecclesiastical history , and Lactance bring back the facts of them to us, as well as many lives of Saints, such Sainte Eulalie de Mérida.

See too

Internal bonds

  • late Antiquity
  • Massacre of the legion thebaine, a probably legendary event of the period.

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