The Emperor vs. Christianity

Long ago, when the mighty Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Diocletian, a big problem was rising—and it wasn’t an invading army. It was a new religion spreading through towns, cities, and even into the army ranks: Christianity. 

This faith was different. Christians didn’t believe that the emperor had divine power, and they refused to worship the Roman gods. Diocletian saw this as a serious threat to the dominatus, his strict system of rule. Determined to protect his empire and his authority, Diocletian made a bold move. 

In 303, he issued strict edicts (official orders), declaring that “those who profess this faith… are deprived of their freedom, even their right to vote.” But there was a catch—he promised protection for anyone who converted (changed their faith) and returned to the old Roman ways. Fear, Fire, and Faith At first, Diocletian’s plan seemed to be working. More people began offering sacrifices to the pagan gods, trying to stay safe and out of trouble. 

Some even reported their Christian neighbors to the authorities. Across the empire, Christian temples were destroyed, believers were sentenced to forced labor, and many died as martyrs—people who were killed for their faith but refused to give up their beliefs. But the plan didn’t go as Diocletian hoped. Failed Plans and Mysterious Moves Even with all his efforts, Diocletian couldn’t stop Christianity. Not even the powerful Sol Invictus cult (the worship of the "Unconquered Sun" introduced by Emperor Aurelian), the grand rituals of adoratio (worshiping the emperor as a god), or the attempt to divide the Christians could stop the faith from growing stronger. Eventually, it became clear: Diocletian’s religious policy was a failure. 

 But surprisingly, the emperor didn’t wait around to fix things or face the consequences. In the 20th year of his reign, Diocletian did something no one expected—he abdicated (stepped down from power) along with his co-emperor, and disappeared from politics. They handed power over to their two caesars, Constantius Chlorus and Galerius. Why did Diocletian suddenly retire? No one knows for sure. Some say his health was getting worse, while others think he had carefully planned his exit all along. Whatever the reason, one thing was clear: the story of Christianity in the Roman Empire was far from over.