# The First Persecution of the Christians, under Nero, Anno 66.

66 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: The First Persecution of the Christians, under Nero, Anno 66.

Source heading; not independently verified

When the Jews were deprived of their power, by
the heathen, and their time was past, in which they
had persecuted and slain the saints of God, the Lord
God nevertheless suffered his church to be visited
by the refining fire of persecution, namely, through
the power of the heathen; of whom the Emperor
Nero was the first tyrant. Introduction to the Mirror
of the Anabaptist Martyrs, printed Anno 1631.
p. 35. col. 2.

This Nero, according to the testimony of Emperor
Trajan, governed the monarchy of Rome in so laudable
a manner during the first five years of his reign,
that never an emperor had greater praise than he;
for then he was so tender-hearted, that when he
was asked to sign the death warrant, of a highwayman,
he replied, “O, that I could not write!” signifying
thereby his aversion to the killing of human
beings. Trajan. in Tract. Also, Roomschen Adelær,
door D. P. Pers, printed Anno 1642, p. 100.
in the life of Nero. Also, Suet. in Neron. cap. 10.

But after the first five years he became so full
of hatred, murder, and blood-shedding, that he
seemed to delight in nothing more, than in killing,
murdering, and fearfully torturing, not only malefactors,
but even the saints of God who were praised
even among their enemies for their godfearing walk
and conversation.

I will not mention the cruelties and tyrannies he
exercised against his own friends; how he had his
beloved son Britannicus poisoned, and his own
mother Agrippina cut open, to see the place where
he had lain; how he had his faithful wife, Octavia,
put to death with the sword, because she was barren;
and Seneca, his faithful teacher, bled to death, and
poisoned. We will only speak of the persecutions
and unheard-of cruelties he practiced on the beloved
friends of God, namely, the true Christians.
To this end we will begin thus:

Once, desiring to see the burning of Troy represented
by its equal, he caused the city of Rome to
be set on fire, and ascended a certain tower without,
where he, beholding it, began to sing, “Troy is on
fire,” etc. Suet. Idem. in Ner. cap. 38. Rom. Adel.
p. 102. in the life of Nero.

After this was done, he cast the blame on the
Christians, saying that they had done it; for, when
the Romans, very much agitated on account of the
immeasurable damage and the dire calamities which
had sprung from this conflagration, began to murmur
greatly, he, in order to shield himself, and to
wreak his prejudiced hatred upon the Christians,
put the whole blame on them. Introduction to the
Martyrs Mirror, p. 35, from Baron. Anno 66.
num. 1.

For this reason there were proclaimed immediately,
in the name of the Emperor, throughout the
whole known world (then under the monarchy of
the Romans), bloody decrees against the Christians,
that they should everywhere be put to death. The
contents of these decrees were as follows: “If any
one confesses that he is a Christian, he shall be put
to death, without further trial, as a convicted enemy
of mankind.” Joh. Gysii Hist. Mart. edit. 1657. fol.
6. col. 2.

Tertullian afterwards upbraided the Roman Senate,
saying: “Read your own histories, and you
will find, that Nero was the first who raged against
this sect (so he calls the Christians), which then
flourished the most in Rome.” Apol. Contra Gentes.
cap. 5.

In another place he says: “Nero was the first
who stained with blood the rising Christian faith at
Rome.”

Shortly after this decree of Nero, a violent and
unmerciful persecution of the Christians manifested
itself in all the countries which were under the Roman
dominion; which persecution lasted until the
Emperor’s death. The innocent Christians were
accused not only of the burning of Rome, but also
of every wickedness imaginable; that they might be
tortured and put to death in the most awful manner.
To this the Roman Tactitus, (according to the translation
of J. Gysius, and not that of Fenacolius)84
refers, saying: “Then, Nero, in order to avert this
report from himself, caused those called Christians
by the common people, to be accused and exceedingly
tormented. The author of this name is Christ,
who was publicly put to death under the reign of
Tiberius, by Pontius Pilate, the governor. Those
who confessed that they were Christians, were first
apprehended, and afterwards by making it known
themselves a great multitude were all condemned,
not so much on account of the conflagration, as of
the hatred in which they were held by mankind.
The taking of their lives was accompanied with
much mockery; they were covered with the skins
of wild beasts, and then torn to pieces by dogs; or
nailed on crosses; or placed at stakes and burned;
serving also as torches for the spectators, when the
day was over.”

Thus Tacitus, a Roman himself, has sufficiently
confessed, in spite of himself, as J. Gysius writes,
that the Christians were innocent of the burning of
Rome, but that they notwithstanding had to suffer
on account of their name.

Who the great multitudes were, that perished in
those awful persecutions, confessing the name of
Christ even unto death, is not stated in the histories
of the fathers; however, we shall content ourselves
therewith, that God remembers them, and that their
names are written in the Book of Life. Nevertheless,
we meet with some, though but few, names of
such who suffered in that persecution in the reign of
Nero, and sealed the truth of Christ with their
blood and death; of these we shall speak in the
proper place.

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