# Reinstitution Of This Persecution, Under Alexander Severus, The Son Of Antoninus And Mammea, About The Year 223.

c. 223 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: REINSTITUTION OF THIS PERSECUTION, UNDER ALEXANDER SEVERUS, THE SON OF ANTONINUS AND MAMMEA, ABOUT THE YEAR 223.

Source heading; not independently verified

The followers of Jesus Christ having enjoyed
some respite during this time and a few years
previous, the envy and hatred of some against the
Christians increased to such an extent that even
Alexander Severus, who otherwise favored the
Christians, yea, had built them a church, and,
according to the manner of the heathen, had placed
Christ among the number of the so-called gods,
commenced a persecution against them, or at least
continued the one begun under Septimus Severus.
This was occasioned principally, as Lactantius
Firmianus states, by some of the Roman jurists,
who, through wrong interpretation of the laws, but
especially through a deadly hatred against the
Christians, incited and urged on the Emperor to
persecute them.

Among those who instigated the Emperor, there
is chiefly mentioned Ulpianus, who was not only
a senator, but also a master of requests, and the
Emperor’s tutor, so that the latter considered him
as his Father; hence the accusations of Ulpianus
against the Christians found the more easily a willing
ear with the Emperor. Lactantius Firmianus calls
this Ulpianus and his adherents murderers, because
they made wicked laws against the godly. He says:
“For we read of blasphemous laws and unjust disputes
of the jurists against the Christians.”

Domitius, surnamed Ulpianus (mentioned above),
in his seventh book of the office of the Governors
of the Roman provinces, hunted out and collected
the edicts and decrees of the princes, as of Nero,
Domitian, Trajan, etc., in order to send therefrom
instructions, how they should punish the Christians
who served and confessed the true God. Thus far,
Lactantius, according to the annotation of Mellinus,
in the 1st book, fol. 61, col. 1, 2, ex Lamprid.
Herodian, in Alex. Severo. Lactant. Firmian.
Institute lib. 5, cap. 11, 12, 19. Also, in Corras.,
lib. 1, Missel., cap. 10, although D. P. Pers calls
this Emperor a pious and excellent prince. Roomschen
Adelaer, printed 1642, page 154, on the name
Severus Alexander, A. D. 224. On the other hand
P. J. Twisck states, that in the beginning of his
reign he was not favorable to the Christians, so that,
through misinformation, he caused some of them
to be put to death for the name of Jesus Christ.
Third book, for the year 223, page 60, col. 1, from
Chron. Mich., fol. 141, Merula.





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