The Diocletian Persucution

Kelley and Grace taught class today and here are the notes we got from their blogs. The Diocletian persecution was the last major persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In the 250's laws were passed against christian citizens. In 260 Gallineus issued an edict that regarded tolerance towards Christians resulting in peace for many years. Later, Diocletian began to persecute Christians after being urged by Galerius . the great persecution lasted form 303 to 311. Diocletian's goal was to wipe out the church. He thought they were causing a fire and wanted to end it. They were told by him to offer sacrifices to Jupiter. h was trying to convert them back to paganism. Some of the edicts he issued were:  1.) 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. 2.) if they would sacrifice, but that those who refused should be tormented with countless tortures; 3.) all the people throughout the city should sacrifice and pour out libations to the idols. 4.)all the people should offer sacrifice and that the that the rulers of the city should see to this diligently and zealously. These were the main edicts that affected the Christians. Later, Constantine restored the Christians faith and rebuilt their churches.In the third century AD: epidemic disease spreads throughout the Empire, it’s too hard to defend frontier against the barbarians, emperors began to lose their hold in power (stayed in power for an average of two and a half years, due to wars or assignations), maintaining armies is expensive, too many poverty-stricken citizens.

Constantine had a vision of a cross above the sun saying, "Conquer by this" and this was the reason him became a Christian. He mother was a Christian. 

284 AD- Diocletian’s reforms: increases the size of army to 400,000 (1/3 bigger than during Augustus’s time, recruited from the ranks of the barbarians), divided Roman territories into smaller provinces (this new government had 20,000 officials (10x bigger), they were more dedicated at collecting higher taxes-this greater yield provided for a larger army).

300 AD: 60 million people in the Roman empire, several million are Christians, Christianity has quite an appeal to the poor and disenfranchised, more Christians means more face to face contactsmeaning more conversions leading to more offspring, some Christians are even gaining positions of power becoming the ruling elite.

Diocletian left Christians alone at first (ruled from 284-305), he undertook the most systematic persecution of all, Constantine ruled at emperor 306-337

edict- an official law