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You Think You Got Trouble? (Lesson 9)
The early religion of Rome was a collection of local deities – the number of gods grew as the
empire expanded. In general, their policy was to absorb the deities and cults of other peoples
rather than try to eradicate them, since they believed that preserving tradition promoted social
stability. Also, numerous international deities were cultivated at Rome and had been carried to
even the most remote provinces, among them Cybele, Isis, Epona, and sun gods such as Mithras
and Sol Invictus. These were the basis for the “mystery cults.” The Imperial cult (emperor
worship) began with Augustus (emperor 27BC-14AD) and became the focus of clashes with the
Jews and Christians.
Back to Roman history of the emperors - the low point came with Domitian, last of the "twelve
Caesars," and in power for the Second Persecution found in Foxe. According to Machiavelli,
Domitian was followed by the period of the five "good" emperors. These emperors are generally
regarded as having done all they could for the good of the empire – I find it interesting that three
of the five are connected to persecution of Christians. These emperors were Nerva, Trajan,
Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. There is also extensive first-hand accounts of the
history of this period found in the writings of these emperors, their officers, and the early Church
Fathers.
Nerva (96-98AD) adopted a young Spanish General Trajan who became emperor on Nerva’s
death. At the time, Trajan was on military campaign along the Rhine and a full year passed
before he came back to Rome. Emperor Trajan (98-117AD) was considered the right emperor for
the times. He expanded the empire further, he conquered the lands south-east of the Black sea
and also succeeded in quelling the rebellious Dacians to whom Domitian had been paying a
shameful ransom. Trajan was called "Optimus" [the best] by his people. He was a man of
intellect as well as one of action and men of literature such as Pliny the younger and Plutarch
were amongst his personal friends. He ensured that poor children were reared and assisted poor
landowners to improve their properties through loans made at preferential rates. Now, to round
up and imprison or kill citizens, as they did from time to time with the Christians, was not a
popular act - many Romans were rightly disturbed when these pogroms were initiated - and some
emperors refused to authorize such persecution {Vespasian and Nerva apparently released
prisoners and recalled exiles). Nonetheless, Roman persecution against Christians did happen.
We know about the Roman persecution during the reign of Trajan (98-117 A.D.) because we can
read Trajan's own writing contained in letters exchanged between the emperor and his Governor
of Bithynia-Pontus, Pliny the Younger (61-113). Pliny had written Trajan asking how to deal
with the Christians. This is a portion of that request,
Meanwhile, in the case of those who were denounced to me as Christians, I have
observed the following procedure: I interrogated these as to whether they were
Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening
them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that,
whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve
to be punished. There were others possessed of the same folly; but because they were
Roman citizens, I signed an order for them to be transferred to Rome. (Pliny the Younger,
Letters 10.96)
This is part of Trajan's reply:
You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those who had been
denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to
serve as a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced
and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that
he is a Christian and really proves it - that is, by worshiping our gods...shall obtain
pardon through repentance. (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.97)
In his letter to Trajan, Pliny indicates that he is not exactly sure what to do with these Christians,
but that if they were citizens he would transfer them to Rome, presumably for trial. This is
significant because, according to Eusebius (c. 260-340), it was during Trajan's reign that Ignatius
of Antioch the bishop is taken prisoner and transferred by armed guard to Rome where he is
executed.
The Third Persecution, Under Trajan, A.D. 108 (from Foxe)
In the third persecution Pliny the Second, a man learned and famous, seeing the lamentable
slaughter of Christians, and moved therewith to pity, wrote to Trajan, certifying him that there
were many thousands of them daily put to death, of which none did anything contrary to the
Roman laws worthy of persecution. "The whole account they gave of their crime or error
(whichever it is to be called) amounted only to this--viz. that they were accustomed on a stated
day to meet before daylight, and to repeat together a set form of prayer to Christ as a God, and to
bind themselves by an obligation--not indeed to commit wickedness; but, on the contrary--never
to commit theft, robbery, or adultery, never to falsify their word, never to defraud any man: after
which it was their custom to separate, and reassemble to partake in common of a harmless meal."
In this persecution suffered the blessed martyr, Ignatius [c. 35-108], who is held in famous
reverence among very many. This Ignatius was appointed to the bishopric of Antioch next after
Peter in succession. Some do say, that he, being sent from Syria to Rome, because he professed
Christ, was given to the wild beasts to be devoured. It is also said of him, that when he passed
through Asia, being under the most strict custody of his keepers, he strengthened and confirmed
the churches through all the cities as he went, both with his exhortations and preaching of the
Word of God. Accordingly, having come to Smyrna, he wrote to the Church at Rome, exhorting
them not to use means for his deliverance from martyrdom, lest they should deprive him of that
which he most longed and hoped for. "Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing, of visible
or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild
beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the
malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus!" And even when he
was sentenced to be thrown to the beasts, such as the burning desire that he had to suffer, that he
spake, what time he heard the lions roaring, saying: "I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be
ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread."
Trajan being succeeded by Adrian [Hadrian, emperor 117-138], the latter continued this third
persecution with as much severity as his predecessor. About this time Alexander, bishop of
Rome, with his two deacons, were martyred; as were Quirinus and Hernes, with their families;
Zenon, a Roman nobleman, and about ten thousand other Christians.
In Mount Ararat many were crucified, crowned with thorns, and spears run into their sides, in
imitation of Christ's passion. Eustachius, a brave and successful Roman commander, was by the
emperor ordered to join in an idolatrous sacrifice to celebrate some of his own victories; but his
faith (being a Christian in his heart) was so much greater than his vanity, that he nobly refused it.
Enraged at the denial, the ungrateful emperor forgot the service of this skillful commander, and
ordered him and his whole family to be martyred.
At the martyrdom of Faustines and Jovita, brothers and citizens of Brescia, their torments were
so many, and their patience so great, that Calocerius, a pagan, beholding them, was struck with
admiration, and exclaimed in a kind of ecstasy, "Great is the God of the Christians!" for which he
was apprehended, and suffered a similar fate.
Many other similar cruelties and rigors were exercised against the Christians, until Quadratus,
bishop of Athens, made a learned apology [presents a reasoned bases for the Christian faith,
defending the faith against objections] in their favor before the emperor, who happened to be
there and Aristides, a philosopher of the same city, wrote an elegant epistle, which caused Adrian
to relax in his severities, and relent in their favor.
Adrian dying A.D. 138, was succeeded by Antoninus Pius [emperor 138-161], one of the most
amiable monarchs that ever reigned, and who stayed the persecutions against the Christians.