How did Decius persecute Christians?

Answer 1

A:Decius, emperor of Rome 249-251, considered Christianity to be a recent and criminal superstition. It was also noted that the Church hierarchy seemed to enrich itself at the expense of poor Christians. Decius largely ignored the Christians themselves, but bishops of the most considerable cities were removed from office by exile or death. The clergy of Rome were prevented for sixteen months from electing a new bishop of Rome.

Dionysius reckoned only ten men and seven women in the immense city of Alexandria suffered for the profession of Christianity during the persecution of Decius.

B:When an emperor first took office, it was usual for sacrifices to be made by the officials in the cities throughout the Empire in recognition of new emperor's authority and to confirm that they supported his regime. It was a particularly important event, and a dangerous one when there were rival claimants for the throne. Previously the rites of sacrifice were required to be undertaken only by the civic leadership of the cities. The difference in Decius' case was that he required all citizens of the Empire to obtain a certificate in which each person asserted that he or she had always sacrificed, and that, in demonstration of this fact, had offered the required sacrifice before the appointed commissioners.

This was a one-time obligation: after the requirement had been met it was not necessary to do it again. The certificates recovered from Egypt show that this process involved a double humiliation for Christians who decided to submit to the requirement. Not only were they required to offer sacrifice and pour a libation, but also to declare that they had "always and without interruption" sacrificed to the gods.

Eusebius included in his Ecclesiastical History an excerpt from a letter of Dionysius of Alexandria to Fabius of Antioch, written soon after the troubles had ended. Dionysius' letter shows that those who held state posts were immediately exposed to danger by their very position. Other persons were named and had to decide on the spot whether to sacrifice or face death; most appear to have chosen sacrifice. Despite the ferocity of the attack, it appears that it was possible for many to avoid the demand to sacrifice. Flight would have given immediate relief, and this must have been the choice made by most of those Christians who did not want to be forced to choose between death and making the required sacrifice. Others were saved by friends and neighbours who did not give them up to the authorities.

However, many Christians succumbed to the pressure and sacrificed; others allowed their friends or relatives to sacrifice on their behalf; many fled and avoided the requirement; only a few stood firm, and became martyrs. The overwhelming majority of citizens complied with the order. Naturally, Decius appreciated the respectful response of the provinces, and acknowledged this in an inscription found in Aphrodisias, dated October or November 250.

Christians throughout the empire were subjected to these ferocious attacks, but by early 251 we have no more notices about the persecution. This suggests that most governors did not actively pursue the recalcitrants. Meanwhile the Goths were again active in the Danube region, even invading Thrace. Decius had some successes against the Goths and some losses, but eventually he was killed in the fighting. If punishment for refusal to obtain a certificate on Decius' accession still had force of law, this requirement was rendered null and void by his death. Gallus became emperor in 251, and he did not repeat Decius' extraordinary demand that everyone participate in the ritual of sacrifice on his accession.