Of the Fifth Persecutions of the Christians

Ancient authors differ about the cause that led Severus to persecute the Christians and put them to death. Some write that Severus was stirred up to kill and persecute the Christians, in the tenth year of his reign, by Philip, the Governor of Egypt. Others think that in the time of Severus there were many cruel and bloodthirsty governors in the provinces of the Romans, such as Lethus and Aquila, at Alexandria, in Egypt; Saturninus and Scapula, at Carthage, in Africa; Claudius Herminianus, in Cappadocia; Cecilius Capella, at Byzanthium. At Rome as well as elsewhere these men were the most destructive firebrands in these persecutions, since they stirred up the Emperor and the Roman Senate against the Christians, so that by this means they might seize the possessions of the Christians.

It is stated that certain jurists contributed not a little at that time to this persecution and slaying of the Christians. Through false interpretations of the Roman laws, or at least through their own self-devised decrees, they ruled nearly the whole Empire; these were Emelius, Papinianus, Ulpianus, Paulus, Messius, Martianus, Rufinus, Mauritianus, Tryphonius, Menander, Macer, Callistratus, Florentinus, Hermogenes, Saturminus, Modestinus, Furius, and Anthianus.

It was one of these jurists, namely Ulpianus, one of the chief senators, next to Papianus, who hunted up and collected the bloody edicts of the former tyrants, so that the Emperors, incited by them, might institute new persecutions against the Christians. On this see A. Mell. Hist., folio 52, column 4, from Eusebius, 6, chapters 1, 2, and Chron. Hieron. Catal. in Origen. Also, Oros., book 7, chapters 11, 18. Also, Baronius, in the year 204. Also, Dio. Hist. Rom., book 51. Also, Tert. ad. Scup., chapters 1 to 3. Tertul. de Fuga, chapter 5, ex Libris Jurist. Also, Spart. Caracal. and Sever. Also, Lactant., book 5. Just., chapters 11, 12, 19.

However, the cause of this persecution is accounted for very credibly in the Introduction to the Martyrs' Mirror, edition of 1631, folio 38, column 2, from Baronius. The words are as follows: "In the year 201 the fifth persecution of the Christians began, under the Emperor Severus, in the seventh year of his reign. It came about in this way. The emperor had come out victorious from a civil war, and the Christians had remained passive about it, showing no signs of joy by celebrating, hanging out garlands, or other tokens of triumph, after the manner of the heathen. The heathen, out of envy, therefore accused the Christians of despising and hating the Emperor, and all the more because they would not swear by the Emperor's fortune. Besides this, they reported of the Christians that in their evening assemblies they put out the lights and then allowed themselves improper relations with one another; and in this way it came about that everyone hated the Christians. See the citations given above. Others spread the report that the Christians were child murderers and eaters of human flesh, that is, people who killed their children and ate them; also that they honored the head of a donkey as their god, and worshiped the sun, and other such obvious and wicked falsehoods. Compare J. Gys. Hist., folio 18, column 2, for the year 201, ex Tertullian ad Scapulam and in Apal. Cypr. de Bono Pascient. Also, P. J. Twisck, Chron., 2nd book, for the year 124, page 51, column 2. [n172-1]

However, though these false accusations were brought against the Christians, their death was nevertheless owing entirely to the testimony and confession of Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the human family.

The most violent persecution of this time, according to Eusebius and Tertullian, was in Egypt and Africa. From Egypt the Christians were brought in great crowds to Alexandria, where they were put to death in many different ways, for the name of Christ. Among the chief martyrs of this time were the following: