Fourth Century Christianity

Date

Prefecture of Gaul Spain, Gaul, Britian

Prefecture of Italy Africa (Carthage), Rome, Italy

Prefecture of Illyricum Macedonia (including Greece), Dacia

Prefecture of the East Egypt, Palestine, Pontus, Asia (Turkey), Thrace

Source Cited (click to read)

In Antioch, Diocletian calls upon fortune tellers, who are unable to predict the future, claiming that the presence of Christians is making it impossible to read the omens correctly. Under the influence of Galerius, he orders all members of the imperial court and all soldiers to either make pagan sacrifices or leave their place in the army/imperial court.

Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum 10.6

Eusebius, Historica Ecclesiasica 8 appendix

Galerius convinces Diocletian to start persecuting the Christians. Christian assembly is made illegal, all churches and houses with Christian contents are to be burned. Christians who refuse to recant lose legal status and can be tortured. Anyone coming to court has to first make a pagan sacrifice.

Early Spring 303

Constantius allows no executions, but did burn churches.

Maximian enforces the edict more strictly than Constantius.

Deacon Romanus, in Caesarea, offends Diocletian at Antioch. Apparently some churches had been destroyed, and Romanus made a scene, publicly denouncing former Christians who were on their way to make pagan sacrifices. His tongue is cut out and he is imprisoned (and later executed in Nov. 303).

Eusebius, De Martyribus Palestinae 2

2nd new edict orders Christian clergy to be arrested and imprisoned. They are to be compelled by torture to make pagan sacrifices.

Eusebius says that the number of martyrs was uncountable, and that martyrdom was occurring all over in cities and towns across the empire.

3rd edict declares release for all prisoners who sacrificed to the gods, and torture and death for all who refuse. Many are martyred all throughout the three tetrarchies, especially in north Africa and Egypt.

4th edict orders all inhabitants to gather and sacrifice and pour libations, making it increasingly difficult for Christians to hide.

Eusebius, De Martyribus Palestinae 3.1

Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum 19.1 Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 1.2

Constantius dies at York, Constantine is named his successor and immediately declares the end of Christian persecution in his realm (Britain, Gaul and Spain) and restores former privileges. Full restitution of property is given to those who had lost it during the persecution.

Eusebius, Vita Constantine 1.21

Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 1.2.1

The Praetorian Guard proclaims Maxentius princeps of Rome. Shortly afterwards, he proclaims toleration in his realms.

Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum 26.1

Constantine is promoted to Augustus and assumes the title of “Pontifex Maximus,” a title he will keep until death.

Severus marches on Rome to quell Maxentius’ uprising, but instead is captured and killed.

Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum 26.1

Licinius is named Caesar in place of the now dead Severus, and attempts to overthrow Maxentius.

Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum 29.1

Maxentius provides restitution of property to Christians under his rule.

Galerius rescinds persecution edicts with a deathbed edict. It allows the release of prisoners, freedom of assembly, etc., with no restrictions. Still claiming status as senior member of the Tetrarchy, he issued it for the whole empire, in the name of all the Tetrarchs, but to little effect in the east.

Eusebius, Vita Constantine 1.57

Maximinus takes over Galerius’s territory after his death and continues the persecution.

He orders the mutilation of Christians who refuse to sacrifice to the pagan gods, and orders the burning of churches. (The mutilations account for the amount of crippled and disfigured bishops at Nicaea in 325).

In Nicomedia, Maximinus executes the scholar Lucian after hearing a lengthy defense of Christianity from him.

Constantine writes a letter, asking Maximinus to stop the persecution in the East, and briefly Maximinus eased the intensity of the persecution.

Constantine defeats Maxentius at the Milvian bridge using the Christian labarum. He extends toleration to Italy and Africa.

Constantine and Licinius meet and agree on restitution to the church. Licinius moves eastwards against  Maximinus extending the restitutionto his new provinces (the wrongly labeled “Edict of Milan”).

Maximinus issues an edict restoring privileges and property to the Christians.

Licinius, now at Nicomedia, purges his court of Christians.

Licinius enacts all sorts of laws against Christians, forbidding bishops to communicate, banning assemblies of bishops, forbidding men and women to worship together, and decreeing Christian assemblies must meet outside the city walls and no councils.

Licinius’ governors use these laws as a pretext for martyring Christians. The Bishop of Pontus is put to death with severe torture.

Constantine, at Sirmium, issues a letter threatening Licinius and all those who force Christians to sacrifice.

Constantine receives the surrender of Licinius at Nicomedia.