The Christians of the early church were persecuted by the Roman government because they refused to take part in Emperor worship, and the church was considered a secret society, which was forbidden. The total number of Christians martyred during the time of the persecutors, some 249 years, is unknown, but the number must be incredibly high. The catacombs of Rome was used by Christians for refuge and burial during the Imperial persecutions, and the number of Christian graves are estimated between 2,000,000 to 7,000,000. August 1 was a holiday to celebrate the greatness of Rome and the emperor; the governor was expected to show his patriotism by sponsoring entertainment for the whole city. That entertainment came at the expense of the Christians. The Christians were confined in the darkest and most awful part of the Roman prisons; many of them suffocated there. Some were placed in stocks; others were placed in a hot-iron seat where their flesh was burned. This was literally a human barbecue where the victim was chained onto a grate over burning coals.

After enduring torture, some of the Christians were taken to the amphitheater where wild beasts would devour them to "entertain" the crowd. After the bodies of the witnesses were exposed for six days, they were burned to ashes and thrown into the Rhone river. The bodies of those who had suffocated in prison were thrown to the dogs, and guards were stationed to prevent the remaining Christians from burying them. The pagans hoped to prevent even the hope of resurrection for the Christians. The love of the Gospel of Christ is more than evident in the men, women, and children who refused to deny their faith for the sake of their very lives.

NERO (AD 64-68). He wanted to rebuild the city of Rome, against the wishes of the people, so he secretly set the city on fire and blamed the Christians. The people's hatred for Christians grew, and they were put to death in many ways. It was during his reign that Peter and Paul were killed. In and around Rome multitudes of Christians were arrested and put to death. They were crucified, tied into animal skins and thrown to dogs, and thrown to the wild beasts in the arena. Some were tied to stakes in Nero's gardens, pitch poured over their bodies, and their burning bodies used as torches to light Nero's gardens at night, while he drove around in his chariot, naked, indulging himself in his midnight revels, gloating over the dying agonies of his victims.

DOMITIAN (AD 90-96). He instituted a persecution against the Christians. It was short, but extremely violent. Many thousands were slain in Rome and Italy. John was banished to Patmos during his reign.

TRAJAN (AD 98-117). During his reign, Christians weren't sought out, but when they were accused, they were punished. Simon, the brother of Jesus and bishop of Jerusalem, was crucified in AD 107, and Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, was thrown to the wild beasts in AD 110.

HADRIAN (AD 117-138).Hadrian was one of the most capable of the Roman emperors, and he carried on the policy established by Trajan. Persecution was only occasional and in response to local pressure. Hadrian may even have served as a restraining influence on those zealous to have Christians attacked. A document known as the “Rescript of Hadrian” dating from around the year 125, ordered that an accuser must submit proof against the Christians before any punishment could be exercised. And accusers who brought empty and frivolous charges were to receive even greater punishment..

ANTONIUS PIUS (AD 138-161). Antoninus Pius may have provided a degree of protection for the Christians, at least in some instances. However, it was under his reign that a martyrdom occurred that left one of the most indelible memories in all of church history. That was the burning of the venerable 86-year-old Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, in Smyrna of Asia Minor. .

MARCUS AURELIUS (AD 161-180). He encouraged persecution of the Christians. His was the severest reign since Nero. Many thousands were beheaded or thrown to the wild beasts, among them Justin Martyr, who was flogged and beheaded. Under his leadership the empire experienced a series of natural disasters--floods, fires, earthquakes, and pestilence. There was a popular outcry for Christian blood to be sacrificed to propitiate the gods. So Marcus approved a horrible persecution that occurred in the year 177 in the cities of Lyon and Vienne in southern France.

SEPTIMUS SEVERUS (AD 193-211). Thousands of Christians in Egypt and North Africa suffered the most during his reign. In Alexandria, many martyrs were daily burned, crucified, or beheaded, among them Leonidas, the father of Origen. Conversion to Christianity was specifically forbidden, even though Septimius had some Christians in his own household. Another martyrdom that left a lasting impact on the church occurred during his reign. In North Africa, Perpetua, a young mother nursing her infant, and her servant Felicitas, pregnant and close to delivery, were arrested. They were then mangled by hungry beasts before a cheering crowd in the amphitheater and finally stabbed to death by soldiers.

MAXIMUM (AD 235-238). Many Christians were killed during his short reign.

DECIUS (AD 249-251). He was determined to exterminate Christianity. His persecution was very violent. Christians were denied the right to meet together and were threatened with death if they did. They were even forbidden to visit their cemeteries and burial places. Their property was confiscated. The bishops were made a special target. The strategy was to cut off the leadership so the followers would fall away.

VALERIAN (AD 253-260). His persecutions were more severe than Decius. His aim was to totally destroy Christianity. Among the martyred was Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage.

DIOCLETIAN (AD 284-305). His was the last of the Imperial persecutions, and the most severe. For ten years Christians were hunted in caves and forest. They were burned, thrown to the wild beasts, and put to death by every torture imagined. One record states that on March 12, 303, he put to death 10,000 Christians by the sword in Nicomedia, and on June 22, 303, he crucified 10,000 Christians on Mt. Ararat. February 23, 303, the festival of the god Terminus, was the date chosen to commence the termination of Christianity. Edicts were published, decreeing that:

Christians holding public office were to be put out;
All accusations against Christians were to be received;
They were to be tortured;
Their scriptures confiscated and burned;
The church buildings to be destroyed;
Their civil rights of Christians denied;
Presidents, bishops and leaders of churches were to be arrested and compelled to sacrifice to the gods.

Wild beasts, burning, stabbing, crucifixions, the rack--all the reliable methods of torture were mercilessly employed. Many Christians gave in. Yet, many others refused. We don't know how many, but can safely say that multiple thousands were killed or permanently maimed. And in some areas the persecution lasted eight years.

The Papacy arose on the ruins of the Roman Empire, in the name of Christ occupying the throne of the Caesars. It brought itself to power through the prestige of Rome, the Name of Christ, shrewd political alliances, deception, and by armed force. Some of the Popes have been good men, and some unspeakably vile, and most of them have been absorbed in the pursuit of secular power. In spite of the character of mosts Popes, their methods and their secular and bloody history, they claim that they are the "Vicars of Christ", "infallible," and that they "hold on this earth the place of Almighty God," and that obedience to them is necessary to salvation. The number of martyrs under Papal persecutions far outnumber the early Christian martyrs under Rome. One estimate is near 50 million. The majority of which were killed during the Inquisition. In is stated that between 1540-1570, no fewer than 900,000 Protestants were put to death. Below are several of the Popes who persecuted the Christians in one fashion or another.

LEO I (AD 440-461). Called by some historians the first Pope. He proclaimed himself Lord of the Whole Church; advocated exclusive universal Papacy; said that resistance to his authority was a "sure way to hell", and advocated the death penalty for heresy against the Church. His policy was upheld for hundreds of years.

INNOCENT III (1198-1216). He was the most powerful of all the Popes, claiming to be the "Vicar of Christ and God," and "all things on earth and in heaven and in hell are subject to the Vicar of Christ." He ordered two crusades. He forbade the reading of the Bible in vernacular. Ordered the extermination of heretics. Instituted the Inquistion. More blood was shed under his direction than in any other period in Church history, except in the Papacy's effort to crush the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries.

GREGORY IX (1227-1241). Under his reign, everyone was required to inform against Heretics. Anyone suspected was liable to torture. When found guilty, the victim was to be imprisoned for life or to be burned. The Inquisition was used for 500 years to help the Popes maintain their power.

INNOCENT IV (1241-1254). He gave Papal sanction to the use of torture in extracting confessions from suspected heretics.

INNOCENT VIII (1484-1492). Decreed the extermination of the Waldenses, and sent and army against them. Ordered all rulers to deliver up heretics to him.

LEO X (1513-1521). Re-affirmed the Unam Sanctam, declaring that every human being must be subject to the Roman Pontiff for salvation. He declared that burning heretics was a divine appointment.

PAUL III (1534-1549). He was a determined enemy against the Protestants, and offered Charles V an army to exterminate them.

GREGORY XIII (1572-1585). Celebrated in solemn mass, with thanksgiving and joy, the news of St. Bartholomew's Massacre, the death of over 100,000 Protestants. He later struck a coin to commemorate the event.

URBAN VIII (1623-1644). With the aid of the Jesuits, he blotted out the Protestants in Bohemia.

CLEMENT XI (1700-1721). Issued a Bull against Bible reading.

PIUS VII (1800-1820). Issued a Bull against Bible societies. Pius VII said, "It is evidence from experience, that the holy Scriptures, when circulated in the vulgar tongue, have, through the temerity of men, produced more harm than benefit."

LEO XII (1821-1829). Condemned all religious freedom, tolerance, Bible societies, Bible translations, and declared that "Everyone separated from the Roman Catholic Church, however unblameable in other respects, has no part in eternal life." Pope Leo XII called the Protestant Bible the "Gospel of the Devil" in an encyclical letter of 1824.

PIUS VIII (1829-1830). Denounced liberty of conscience and Bible societies.

GREGORY XVI (1831-1846). Condemned Bible societies.

PIUS IX (1846-1878). Proclaimed the right to supress heresy by force. Condemned separation of Church and state. Commanded Catholics to obey the head of the Church rather than civil rulers. Denounced liberty of conscience, liberty of worship, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Condemned Bible societies, and declared that Protestantism is "No form of the Christian religion."

LEO XIII (1878-1903). Claimed to be the head of all rulers, and that he holds on this earth the place of Almighty God. Pronounced Protestants "enemies of the Christian name."

PIUS X (1903-1914). Denounced leaders of the Reformation as "enemies of the cross of Christ."

The Bartholomew Massacre at Paris, etc.. On the twenty second day of August, 1572, commenced this diabolical act of sanguinary brutality. It was intended to destroy at one stroke the root of the Protestant tree. They continued the slaughter for many days; in the three first they slew of all ranks and conditions to the number of ten thousand. The bodies were thrown into the rivers, and blood ran through the streets with a strong current, and the river appeared presently like a stream of blood. So furious was their hellish rage, that they slew all papists whom they suspected to be not very staunch to their diabolical religion. From Paris the destruction spread to all quarters of the realm.

At Orleans, a thousand were slain of men, women, and children, and six thousand at Rouen.

At Meldith, two hundred were put into prison, and later brought out by units, and cruelly murdered.

At Lyons, eight hundred were massacred.

At Augustobona, on the people hearing of the massacre at Paris, they shut their gates that no Protestants might escape, and searching diligently for every individual of the reformed Church, imprisoned and then barbarously murdered them.

The cruelties used by troops, in the name of the Church, are thus enumerated:

Half strangling, and recovering the persons again repeatedly. Rolling sharp wheels over the fingers and toes. Pinching the thumbs in a vice. Forcing the most filthy things down the throat, by which many were choked. Tying cords round the head so tightly that the blood gushed out of the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Fastening burning matches to the fingers, toes, ears, arms, legs, and even the tongue. Putting powder in the mouth and setting fire to it, by which the head was shattered to pieces. Tying bags of powder to all parts of the body, by which the person was blown up. Drawing cords backwards and forwards through the fleshy parts. Making incisions with bodkins and knives in the skin. Running wires through the nose, ears, lips, etc. Hanging Protestants up by the legs, with their heads over a fire, by which they were smoke dried. Hanging up by one arm until it was dislocated. Hanging upon hooks by the ribs. Forcing people to drink until they burst. Baking many in hot ovens. Fixing weights to the feet, and drawing up several with pulleys. Hanging, stifling, roasting, stabbing, frying, racking, ravishing, ripping open, breaking the bones, rasping off the flesh, tearing with wild horses, drowning, strangling, burning, broiling, crucifying, immuring, poisoning, cutting off tongues, noses, ears, etc., sawing off the limbs, hacking to pieces, and drawing by the heels through the streets.