Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/15

 CONTENTS. VII CH AFTER XVI. THE CONDVOT OF THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE CHRISTIANS, FROM THE REIGN OF NERO TO THAT OF CONSTANTINE. Christianity persecuted by the Roman emperors. 144 Enquiry into tlieir motives. 145 Rebellious spirit of the jews. 146 Toleration of the Jewish religion 147 The jews were a people which followed, the christians a sect which deserted, the religion of their fathers. . 148 Christianity accused of atheism, and mistaken by the people and pliilosophers. 150 The union and assemblies of the christians considered as a dan- gerous conspiracy. . 152 Their manners calumniated. 154 Their imprudent defence. 155 Idea of the conduct of the empe- rors towards the christians. 156 They neglected the christians as a sect of jews. • 158 The fire of Rome under the reign of Nero. . . 160 Cruel punishment of the chris- tians, as the incendiaries of the city. . .161 Remarks on the passage of Ta- citus relative to tlie persecu- tion of the christians by Nero 163 Oppression of the jews and chris- tians by Domitian. . 166 Execution of Clemens the consul 168 Ignorance of Pliny concerning the christians. . 169 Trajan and his successors esta- blish a legal mode of proceed- ing against them. 171 Popular clamours. . 172 Trials of the christians. 173 Humanity of the Roman magi- strates. . . 175 Inconsiderable number of martyrs 176 Example of Cyprian, bishop of Carthage. . . 178 His danger and flight. ib. A. D. 257. His banishment. 179 His condemnation. 180 His martyrdom. .181 Various incitements to martyr- dom. . 182 Ardour of the first christians. 184 Gradual relaxation. 186 Three methods of escaping martyr- dom. . . ib. Alternatives of severity and to- leration. . . 188 The ten persecutions. ib. Supposed edicts of Tiberius and Marcus Antoninus • 189 A. D. 180. State of the christians in the reigns of Commodus and Severus. . 190 A. D. 211-249. Of the successors of Severus. . 192 A.D.244. Of Maximin, Philip, and Decius. . 194 A. D. 253-260. Of Valerian, Gal- lienus, and his successors. 195 A. D. 260. Paul of Samosata, his manners. . . 196 A. D. 270. He is degraded from the see of Antioch. . 197 A. D. 274. The sentence is exe- cuted by Aurelian. 198 A. D. 284-303. Peace and pros- perity of the church under Diocletian. . 199 Progress of zeal and superstition among the pagans. 200 Maximian and Galerius punish a few christian soldiers. 202 Galerius prevails on Diocletian to begin a general persecution 204 A. U. 303. Demolition of the church of Nicomedia. 205 The first edict against the chris- tians. . .206 Zeal and punishment of a chris- tian. . .207 Fire of the palace of Nicomedia imputed to the christians. 208 Execution of the first edict. 209 DemoUtion of the churches. 211 Subsequent edicts. 212 A. D. 303-311. General idea of the persecution. . 213 In the western provinces, under Constantius and Constan- tine. . ib. In Italy and Africa, under JMaxi- mian and Severus ; and un- der Maxehtius. . 215 In Illyricum and the east, under Galerius and Maximin. 217 A. D. 311. Galerius publishas an edict of toleration. 218 Peace of the church. . 219 Alaximin prepares to renew the persecution. . ib. End of the persecutions. 221 Probable account of the sufferings of the martyrs and confessors ib. Number of martyrs. 223 Conclusion. . . 225