---
title: "Early Christianity and the Persecutions — Church history"
description: "From Nero's persecution to the Edict of Milan in 313. The Orthodox Church calendar, icons, prayers, lives of saints and Church history on spas.life."
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-persecutions"
language: "en"
---

Church history · 64–313

# Early Christianity and the Persecutions

From Nero's persecution to the Edict of Milan in 313.

## Contents

1. [The persecutions](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-persecutions#s1)
2. [Apologists and theologians](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-persecutions#s2)
3. [The Edict of Milan](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-persecutions#s3)

## The persecutions

Christians were persecuted under Nero (64), Domitian, Trajan, Decius (250), Valerian and above all Diocletian (303–311). Refusal to sacrifice to the emperor was treated as a crime against the state. The memory of the martyrs became the foundation of the church calendar and the veneration of saints.

## Apologists and theologians

Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen defended the faith before the pagans and articulated Christian teaching.

## The Edict of Milan

In 313 the emperors Constantine and Licinius granted Christians freedom of worship. The Church emerged from the catacombs; the era of the Ecumenical Councils began.

## Related

- [Holy Great-martyr George the Trophy-bearer](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saints/george)
- [Holy Martyr Tatiana of Rome](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saints/tatiana)
- [Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saints/constantine)