Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 22 minutes ago
In the year 250 the Roman emperor Decius ordered that every person in the empire must possess a certificate confirming they had sacrificed to the gods of Rome. Failure to do so meant arrest, prison or being killed. Until this time persecution had been mostly localized, but Decius declared war on Christianity.
In 258 the Emperor Valerian ordered the death of all Christian bishops, priests and deacons and any Christian of high rank in the empire. In 303 the Emperor Diocletian ordered that all Church buildings be destroyed, all books burned, leaders imprisoned, tortured or killed and Christian servants enslaved.
In 313 these persecutions came to an end with the Edict of Milan. Many who had denied Christ came back to the Church, some who had been leaders. This caused a great controversy which became known as Donatism.
00:01 Introduction: Jesus’ warning.
01:46 Growing intolerance towards Christians.
03:30 Decius orders a compulsory certificate in 250 AD.
06:39 Cyprian’s role in the Donatist Controversy.
08:41 Persecution under Valerian (253-260).
09:56 Diocletian (284-305): The Great Persecution.
11:02 The Donatist Controversy.
16:17 Concluding remarks.
In the year 250 the Roman emperor Decius ordered that every person in the empire must possess a certificate confirming they had sacrificed to the gods of Rome. Failure to do so meant arrest, prison or being killed. Until this time persecution had been mostly localized, but Decius declared war on Christianity.
In 258 the Emperor Valerian ordered the death of all Christian bishops, priests and deacons and any Christian of high rank in the empire. In 303 the Emperor Diocletian ordered that all Church buildings be destroyed, all books burned, leaders imprisoned, tortured or killed and Christian servants enslaved.
In 313 these persecutions came to an end with the Edict of Milan. Many who had denied Christ came back to the Church, some who had been leaders. This caused a great controversy which became known as Donatism.
00:01 Introduction: Jesus’ warning.
01:46 Growing intolerance towards Christians.
03:30 Decius orders a compulsory certificate in 250 AD.
06:39 Cyprian’s role in the Donatist Controversy.
08:41 Persecution under Valerian (253-260).
09:56 Diocletian (284-305): The Great Persecution.
11:02 The Donatist Controversy.
16:17 Concluding remarks.
