A collection of the archive

The Roman Emperors and the Early Church

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From Claudius, under whom the church first crossed imperial paperwork, to Theodosius, who made its faith the religion of the state — every emperor and empress the archive records, persecutor and patron alike.

64 figures, AD 14 to 395

The familiar list of ten persecuting emperors is a later invention. Most emperors never issued an edict against Christians at all; the church was harried under Nero and Domitian locally, and only from Decius in 250 was there anything empire-wide. Several here were tolerant, one was probably a sympathiser, and two were Christians who persecuted other Christians.

Usurpers and rival claimants who never controlled a province the church was in are not here.

Which Roman emperors persecuted the Christians?

  1. 1 Caesar Augustus 63 BC – AD 14 First Roman Emperor (27 BC – AD 14)
  2. 2 Emperor Tiberius 42 BC – AD 37 Roman Emperor · Reigning at the Crucifixion
  3. 3 Emperor Claudius d. AD 54 Roman Emperor (41–54)
  4. 4 Emperor Nero d. AD 68 (suicide) Roman Emperor (54–68) · First imperial persecutor
  5. 5 Emperor Vespasian AD 9 – 79 Roman Emperor · Subduer of the Jews, no persecutor
  6. 6 Emperor Domitian d. AD 96 (assassinated) Roman Emperor (81–96) · Persecutor
  7. 7 Emperor Nerva d. AD 98 Roman Emperor (96–98)
  8. 8 The Four Daughters of Philip fl. c. 57 – c. 100 (deaths unrecorded) Virgin prophetesses of Caesarea
  9. 9 Emperor Trajan d. AD 117 Roman Emperor (98–117)
  10. 10 Emperor Hadrian d. AD 138 Roman Emperor (117–138)
  11. 11 Emperor Antoninus Pius d. AD 161 Roman Emperor (138–161)
  12. 12 Emperor Lucius Verus AD 130 – 169 Roman co-Emperor (161–169)
  13. 13 Emperor Marcus Aurelius d. AD 180 Roman Emperor (161–180) · Philosopher
  14. 14 Emperor Commodus AD 161 – 192 (assassinated) Roman Emperor (180–192)
  15. 15 Theophilus of Caesarea fl. c. AD 195 (death unrecorded) Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine · Paschal synod president
  16. 16 Emperor Septimius Severus d. AD 211 Roman Emperor (193–211)
  17. 17 Juliana fl. c. AD 215 (death unrecorded) Laywoman of Caesarea · Keeper of Symmachus’ books
  18. 18 Emperor Maximinus Thrax d. AD 238 Roman Emperor (235–238)
  19. 19 Protoctetus fl. c. AD 235 (death unrecorded) Presbyter of Caesarea
  20. 20 Emperor Philip the Arab d. AD 249 Roman Emperor (244–249) · Reputed Christian sympathizer
  21. 21 Severa fl. AD 244–249 (death unrecorded) Empress · Wife of Philip the Arab
  22. 22 Emperor Decius d. AD 251 Roman Emperor (249–251) · First universal persecutor
  23. 23 Theoctistus of Caesarea d. c. 257 Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine
  24. 24 Emperor Valerian d. after AD 260 (captive in Persia) Roman Emperor (253–260) · Persecutor
  25. 25 Marinus of Caesarea d. c. 262 Roman soldier · Martyr of Caesarea
  26. 26 Emperor Gallienus d. AD 268 Roman Emperor (253–268) · Author of the first toleration
  27. 27 Firmilian of Caesarea d. c. 268 Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia · Theologian
  28. 28 Gregory Thaumaturgus c. 213 – c. 270 Bishop of Neocaesarea · “The Wonder-worker”
  29. 29 Emperor Aurelian d. AD 275 Roman Emperor (270–275)
  30. 30 Alphaeus of Caesarea d. AD 303 (martyr) Reader and exorcist · Martyr of Caesarea
  31. 31 Theotecnus of Caesarea d. c. 303 Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine
  32. 32 Zacchaeus of Caesarea d. AD 303 (martyr) Deacon of Gadara · Martyr of Caesarea
  33. 33 Agapius of Caesarea d. AD 306 (thrown to the beasts) Martyr of the Caesarean amphitheatre
  34. 34 Apphianus of Lycia d. AD 306 (drowned at Caesarea) Young confessor · Martyr of Caesarea
  35. 35 Constantius I Chlorus c. AD 250 – 306 (died at York) Caesar, then Augustus of the West · Father of Constantine
  36. 36 Severus II d. AD 307 (forced suicide) Tetrarchic Caesar, then Augustus of the West
  37. 37 Theodosia of Tyre d. AD 307–308 (martyr at Caesarea) Virgin martyr of Caesarea
  38. 38 Maximian Herculius c. AD 250 – 310 (forced suicide) Co-Augustus of Diocletian · Enforcer of the persecution in the West
  39. 39 Pamphilus of Caesarea d. 16 February 310 Presbyter of Caesarea · Scholar · Martyr
  40. 40 Emperor Diocletian d. AD 311 (abdicated 305) Roman Emperor (284–305) · Author of the Great Persecution
  41. 41 Emperor Galerius d. AD 311 Roman Emperor (305–311) · Persecutor, then author of toleration
  42. 42 Emperor Maxentius d. 28 October AD 312 Rival Emperor at Rome (306–312)
  43. 43 Emperor Maximinus Daza d. AD 313 Roman Emperor (Caesar 305, Augustus 310–313) · Persecutor
  44. 44 Valerius of Saragossa d. c. AD 315 (in peace, after exile) Bishop of Caesaraugusta · Confessor
  45. 45 Emperor Licinius d. AD 325 Roman Emperor of the East (308–324)
  46. 46 Helena Augusta c. 246 – c. 330 Empress-mother · Pilgrim · Finder of the True Cross (trad.)
  47. 47 Constantine the Great c. 272 – 337 Roman Emperor · Convener of Nicaea
  48. 48 Eusebius of Caesarea c. 260 – 339 Bishop of Caesarea · Father of church history
  49. 49 Constantine II AD 316 – 340 (killed at Aquileia) Emperor of the West · Eldest surviving son of Constantine
  50. 50 Basil the Elder d. c. AD 350 Christian rhetor of Neocaesarea · Father of the Cappadocians
  51. 51 Emperor Constans AD 323 – 350 (killed in Magnentius's coup) Emperor of the West · Nicene patron
  52. 52 Gallus Caesar AD 325/326 – 354 (executed) Caesar of the East · Half-brother of Julian
  53. 53 Emperor Constantius II d. 3 November 361 Roman Emperor (337–361) · Arianizing sovereign
  54. 54 Emperor Julian the Apostate d. 26 June AD 363 Roman Emperor (361–363) · Restorer of paganism
  55. 55 Emperor Jovian AD 331 – 364 (reigned eight months) Emperor · Restorer of the Nicene peace
  56. 56 Acacius of Caesarea d. c. AD 366 Bishop of Caesarea · 'The One-Eyed' · Chief of the Homoians
  57. 57 Emperor Valentinian I AD 321 – 375 (died of apoplexy at Brigetio) Emperor of the West · Soldier of the tolerant hand
  58. 58 Emperor Valens d. 9 August AD 378 Roman Emperor of the East (364–378) · Arian persecutor
  59. 59 Basil the Great 330 – 379 Bishop of Caesarea · Legislator of monks · Builder of hospitals
  60. 60 Emperor Gratian AD 359 – 383 (murdered at Lyon) Emperor of the West · Pupil of Ambrose
  61. 61 Aelia Flaccilla d. AD 386 Roman empress · Nicene patron of the poor
  62. 62 Emperor Valentinian II AD 371 – 392 (found hanged at Vienne) Boy emperor of the West · Loser of the basilica crisis
  63. 63 Emperor Theodosius I d. 17 January 395 Roman Emperor (379–395) · Establisher of Nicene Christianity
  64. 64 Gelasius of Caesarea d. AD 395 Bishop of Caesarea · Church historian

Every name links to its profile: the dates, the office, and every primary source that carries the name. 39 of these 64 have no Wikipedia article — for them this archive may be the fullest sourced record online.

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