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Nero had thrown open his grounds for the display, and was putting on a show in the circus, where he
mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or drove about in his chariot. All this gave rise to a
feeling of pity, even towards men whose guilt merited the most exemplary punishment; for it was felt that
they were being destroyed not for the public good but to gratify the cruelty of an individual.

Ultimately, Nero’s persecution actually fostered the reputation of Christians in the sight of Rome’s citizens,
instead of degrading it. Though he would seek to totally eradicate their presence from the city, they would not
only outlive him, but the Kingdom to which they belonged kept growing and growing, while the kingdom Nero
led began to crumble.

Only God can do that!

The Early Christian Persecution – The Time of Emperor Nero

We do not have time to cover any detail about the persecutions of all the emperors, however, here is a list of
those emperors who persecuted Christians and put thousands to death:

Nero AD 64-68 – Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome during this persecution.

Domitian AD 89-96 – Book of Revelation written during this persecution.

Trajan AD 109 – 111

Marcus Aurelius - AD 177 Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was martyred. The persecution of Lyons in which 48
Christians were killed in the Amphitheatre.

Septimus Severus AD 193-211. Clement of Alexandria said, “Many martyrs are daily burned, confined, or
beheaded before our eyes. Leonides, father of Origen, was beheaded. Many were boiled in oil or pitch. Many
were thrown to wild animals at public festivals.

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