303–311

The Great Persecution of Diocletian and Galerius

At the urging of Caesar Galerius, four edicts were issued in 303–304. They excluded Christians from the army and public office, ordered churches destroyed and sacred books burned, called for the arrest of clergy, and required universal sacrifice.

This was the harshest persecution the early church endured. Thousands died, and others were tortured or sent to the mines.

In the West Constantius Chlorus enforced only the first edict. In the East, Galerius and Maximinus Daia ruled after Diocletian's and Maximian's abdication in 305. There persecution continued for several more years.

The persecution may have been fueled by an anti-Christian book the Neoplatonist Porphyry had recently published.

The question of "traditor" bishops who had handed over the sacred books later gave rise to the Donatist schism in North Africa.