Persecution in the Early Church Issue 27 | 1990 Purchase this issue

ARTICLE TOOLS

Find similar articles E-mail this page

Many dates are approximate

35 Stephen martyred; Paul converted

42 Apostle James beheaded by Herod Agrippa I

49 Jews expelled from Rome (for disturbances with Christians?)

64 Nero launches persecution

65 Peter and Paul executed

80s Domitian develops emperor worship

95 Domitian executes or exiles several family members on charges of "atheism"

107 Simeon, cousin of Jesus and bishop of Jerusalem, killed for political (anti-Semitic) reasons

110 Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, martyred in Rome

112 Pliny inquires of Trajan how to treat Christians

155 (166?) Polycarp martyred

155, 160 Justin writes First and Second Apology

165 Justin martyred

177 Pogrom in Lyons and Vienne: 48 killed

178 Celsus’s True Discourse against Christians

180 12 from Scilli (N. Africa) killed

197 Tertullian writes his Apology

202 Emperor Septimius Severus forbids conversions to Christianity Judaism)

203 Origen’s father and Perpetua and Felicitas martyred, among others

211–213 North African hostilities

235–36 Emperor Maximin Thrax persecutes church leaders, including Hippolylus

248 Origen writes Against Celsus; persecutions in Alexandna

250 Emperor Decius orders universal sacrifice; church leaders arrested; Origen jailed and tortured; Pope Fabian martyred, as are bishops of Antioch and Jerusalem; Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, and Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, flee

251 Decius dies; Cyprian returns to Carthage and deals with lapsed Christians; Novationist schism

252–53 Emperor Callus revives persecutions of Decius

254 Origen, weakened from torture, dies

257–60 Emperor Valerian hounds clergy; Cyprian, Pope Sixtus II, and others martyred

261 Emperor Gallienus issues rescript ordering toleration

270s Emperor Aurelian establishes state cult of the Unconquerable ...