Decius
Christians persecuted in 250 AD under the Roman emperor Decius resulted in the deaths of some prominent Christians, including a bishop in Rome Fabianus who had promoted the Tens ( deacons headed the diaconates), Babylas of Antioch, and Alexander of Jerusalem.
Decius issued an edict ordering everyone in the empire to perform a sacrifice including burning incense as a sign of participation and to do so before a Roman magistrate with confirmation by signed witnessed certificates (libellus)[1] that survive to this day.
Decius' wanted recorded loyalty oaths since he came to power in 249 AD. Normally Jews were exempt[2] from these requirements since the days of Augustus Caesar.
The influx of Greeks and Romans into Christianity was divesting early Christians of their common Jewish heritage but even more socially disrupting was the humiliation of the Roman sacrificium[3] as a covetous practice compared to the mor moral Corban of Christ explained by Justin the Martyr.
Pliny the Younger and Tacitus in his Annals refer to Christianity as superstitio.
The office of censor were present to record the performing of the annual sacrifice to Jupiter and the burning of incense to the Son of God.
In contrast, the Christians were a new to the Romans of that day because of the public religion of the Roman authorities caused an uproar for those who sat in darkness. Any refusal to sacrifice for the emperor's genius could appeared seditious to the masses who desired with a growing appetite the benefits and dainties of the Emperor as their benefactor.
Effects of the edict on Christians because of those who had a Christian derangement syndrome wrought persecution. Christians were prohibited by their faith in Christ to seek the rewards of unrighteousness from the Patronus of Rome and those who exercise authority one over the other. That would be considered idolatry and worshipping the Roman gods or burning incense before an image of the Emperor would be calling him Father.
Many would denounce their faith in the way performing the ritual and recorded sacrifices as required by the edict which would pave the way to a schism that would allow for the coming of Constantine's new watered down faith.
Decius who died in June 251 would be followed by persecution in 257 AD by emperor Valerian untiol a period of a relative tolerance under Gallienus before being renued again in 303 AD during the Diocletianic Persecution.
- ↑ a libelli states, "I have made sacrifice, and poured a libation(drink offering), and partaken of the sacred victims. I request you to certify(under oath) this below."
- ↑ Jews were labeled as a "religio licita" or permitted religion since the days of Augustus Caesar.
- ↑ Sacrificium was a form of "qurban" (or "qurbani") refers to a sacrifice of an animal, often in the context of Islamic traditions like Eid al-Adha, or a holy bread but originates with the Corban of the Jews which supposed to be a freewill offering for the support of the needy. The Latin term sacrificium is a combination of sacer and facere ("to make a sacrifice") which made a thing "sacred". In the Republic those offerings were also Freewill offerings, but under the emperators they had become forced like the Corban of the Pharisees. Both Polybius and Plutarch made it clear these would cause a different effect on society and its social bonds, to say nothing of John the Baptist, Jesus and the warnings of the early Church leaders.