Persecutions by Christians

Title Victim Perpetrator Location
304 Destruction of 2 Indian Temples in the Canton of Jaron on the upper Euphrates Hindus St. Gregory the Illuminator Canton of Jaron
304 Pope Marcellus Persecutes Christian Backsliders Christian Backsliders Pope Marcellus I Rome
310 Pope Eusebius in a Dispute Against Backsliders Christian Backsliders Pope Eusebius Rome
314 Council of Ancyra Gentiles Christian Church
315 Constantine's Edict Criminalizes Proselytizing by Jews Jews Emperor Constantine
323 Constantine Defeated Licinius in a Battle over Religious Policy Licinius Emperor Constantine
324 Emperor Constantine declares Christianity the only official religion of the Roman Empire Pagans Emperor Constantine Dydima, Mt. Athos
326 Constantine Banned Servitude to Jewish Masters Jews Emperor Constantine
326 Constantine Denied Heretics and Schismatics the Right of Assembly Cataphrygians, Paulians, Marcionites, Valentinians, Novatians Emperor Constantine
326 Emperor Constantine Destroys the Temple of Aphrodite in Aigeai of Cilicia Temples of the Goddess Aphrodite Emperor Constantine Asia Minor
326 In Egypt, Constantine Prohibited Sacrifices, etc. Pagans, Gladiators Emperor Constantine
330-380 Orthodox Christians Killed Large Numbers of Heretical Christians Heretical Christians, Novatians, Donatists, Athanasians, Arians, Vestal Virgins Orthodox Christians
332 Constantine Directed the Suppression of Idolatrous Worship at Mamre Pagans Emperor Constantine Palestine
335 Constantine sacks many Pagan Temples Sopatros Emperor Constantine Asia Minor, Palestine
339 Conversion to Judaism Became Illegal Jews Roman Empire
341 Emperor Constans Persecutes "all the soothsayers and the Hellenists" Soothsayers, Hellenists, Pagans Emperor Constans
346 Large-scale persecutions of the Gentiles in Constantinople Libanius, Pagans Constantinople
330 Constantine steals the treasures and statues of the Pagan Temples Pagan Temples Emperor Constantine Constantinople
353 Constantius decrees the death penalty for all forms of worship involving sacrifice and "idols" Pagans Emperor Constantius
354 Constantius orders the closing of all Pagan Temples Pagans Emperor Constantius
356 Constantius orders the destruction of the Pagan Temples and the execution of all "idolaters" Pagans Emperor Constantius
357 Constantius outlaws all methods of Divination Pagans Emperor Constantius
359 Christians organise the first death camps for the torture and execution of arrested Gentiles Gentiles Christians Skythopolis
364 Confiscation of all properties of Pagan Temples (December 23) Pagans Roman Empire
364 Confiscation of all properties of Pagan Temples (February 4th) Pagans Roman Empire
364 Confiscation of all properties of Pagan Temples (September 9th) Pagans Roman Empire
364 Death penalty for all Gentiles that worship their ancestral Gods or practice Divination Gentiles Roman Empire
364 Emperor Flavius Jovianus orders the burning of the Library of Antioch Humanity Emperor Flavius Jovianus Antioch
365 Edict forbids Gentile officers of the army to command Christian soldiers Pagans Roman Empire
370 Persecution of Gentiles throughout the Eastern Empire Fidustius, Hilarius, Patricius, Julianus, Orebasius, Sallustius, Pegasius, Simonides, Maximus Emperor Valens Antioch
372 Confiscation of Manichean Meeting Places Manicheans Roman Empire
372 Order to exterminate the Hellenes and destroy all writings of their wisdom Hellenes Emperor Valens Asia Minor
373 New prohibition of all methods of Divination Pagans Christians
375 Temple of Asclepius is closed down Epidaurus
379 Ambrose Persuaded Roman Emperor Gratian to Outlaw Arianism in the West Arians Bishop Ambrose of Milan, Emperor Gratian Western Roman Empire
380 Christianity becomes the exclusive religion of the Roman Empire Hierophant Nestorius, Hierophant Priskus Bishop Ambrosius of Milan Eleusis
380 Theodosius I Confiscated Arian Churches Arians Emperor Theodosius I
381 Theodosius deprives Christians who return to the Pagan Religion of all their rights Pagans Emperor Theodosius I
383 Theodosius I Banned Eunomians Eunomians Emperor Theodosius I
384 Order to destroy the Temples of the Gentiles in Northern Greece and Asia Minor Pagan Temples Emperor Theodosius I, Maternus Cynegius Northern Greece and Asia Minor
384 Theodosius I Made Divination from Chicken Entrails a Capital Crime Pagans Emperor Theodosius I
385 Destruction of the temple of Jupiter at Apamea in Syria by Cynegius Pagans Emperor Theodosius I, Maternus Cynegius Apamea in Syria
385 First Execution of a Heretic by Christians Bishop Priscillian of Avila Roman Empire, Bishop Ambrose of Milan, Pope Damasus I, Emperor Maximus
385 Systematic destruction of pagan temples, shrines and altars Pagans, Gentiles Maternus Cynegius, Bishop Marcellus Skythopolis
386 Destruction of the Temple at Edessa in upper Mesopotamia Pagan Temples Emperor Theodosius I Edessa
386 Emperor Theodosius outlaws the care of sacked Pagan Temples Pagan Temples Emperor Theodosius I
388 Apollonarians Banned Apollonarians Roman Empire
388 Christian mob sacked the Jewish Synagogue in Callinicum Jews Christian Bishop, Christian Mob Callinicum near the Euphrates
388 Public talks on religious subjects are outlawed Libanius, Pagans Emperor Theodosius I
388 Theodosius I Sent a Prefect to Destroy the Temples in Egypt and Syria Pagans Emperor Theodosius I
389 Mob violence against non-Christians Pagans, Gentiles Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria, Christian Mob, Fanatical Hermits Alexandria
391 Edict prohibits looking at vandalised statues Pagans Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria Alexandria
392 Criminalization of Private Worship or Any Activity Associated with Pagan Rites Pagans Christians
392 Destruction of a Mithraeum in Alexandria Pagans Bishop Theophilus Alexandria
392 Outlaws all non-Christian rituals Pagans Emperor Theodosius I, Saint Epiphanius, Saint Tychon Samothrace , Cyprus, Baalbek, Gaza, Rafia, Aeropolis, Petra
392 The Law Restricting Monks to the Deserts was Repealed Pagans Militant Monks
393 Olympic Games are outlawed as idolatry Pagans Christians Olympia
395 Two new edicts lead to new persecutions against the Pagans Hierophant of Mithras - Hilarius, Pagans Rufinus, Alaric, Baptized Goths Olympia, Phigaleia, Messene, Sparta, Lycosoura, Nemea, Argos, Pheneos, Corinth, Megara, Delphi, Dion
396 Pagan Priests Lost Their Privileges Pagan Priests Militant Christians
396 Paganism is to be treated as high treason Pagans Emperor Flavius Arcadius
397 All remaining Pagan Temples are to be demolished Pagans Emperor Flavius Arcadius
398 Prohibits the study of Pagan books Pagans Bishop Porphyrius of Gaza Gaza
398 Manichaeans were Expelled from Rome Manichaeans Roman Catholic Church Rome
399 Orders all remaining Temples, mainly in the countryside, to be immediately demolished Pagans Emperor Flavius Arcadius
400 Forced baptism in Vesai Gentiles Bishop Nicetas Vesai
401 Christian mob of Carthage lynches Gentiles and destroys temples and idols Gentiles Christian Mob Carthage
401 Final Destruction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus Pagans John Chrysostom Ephesus
401 Saint Porphyrius sends his followers to lynch Gentiles in Gaza Gentiles Saint Porphyrius Gaza
401 The 15th Council of Chalcedon orders excommunication for Christians who still keep good relations with their gentile relatives Christians with Pagan Friends 15th Council of Chalcedon
402 Destruction of 8 Pagan Temples in Gaza under Saint Porphyrius Pagans Saint Porphyrius Gaza
405 Emperor Honorius Ordered the Dissolution of the Donatist Church Donatists Emperor Honorius North Africa
405 John Chrysostom sends his hordes of monks to destroy idols Pagans John Chrysostom Palestine
406 John Chrysostom collects funds from rich Christian women Pagan Temples John Chrysostom Ephessus
406 Persecutions on Cyprus Pagan Temples Saint Epiphanius, Saint Eutychius Salamis
407 A new edict outlaws once more all non-christian acts of worship Pagans Christians
407 Law Criminalized Donatist and Manichean Beliefs Manichaeans, Donatists Roman Empire
408 New persecutions, including book burnings Pagans Emperor Honorius, Empoeror Arcadius
409 Another edict orders Astrology and all methods of Divination to be punishable by death Pagans Chrsitians
410 Repression of Pagans Heretics, Pagans, Donatists Emperor Honorius, Augustine of Hippo North Africa
412 Closure of Novatian Churches and Looting of Jewish Sites Novatians, Jews, Hypatia, Orestes Saint Cyril Alexandria
415 Jews Burned in Synagogue in Minorca Jews Bishop of Mahon Minorca
415 Mobs in Alexandria murder Hypatia Hypatia, Pagan Priests Bishop Cyrillus
416 Hypatius exterminates the last Gentiles of Bithynia Gentiles Hypatius Bithynia
418 Emperor Honorius Banished Pelagians Pelagians Emperor Honorius Italian cities
420 Barsauma Conducted a Series of Pogroms Against Jewish Palestine Jewish Palestine, Pagan Temples Barsauma , Bishop Porphyry Gaza
423 Theodosius II declares the religion of the Gentiles is nothing more than demon worship Gentiles Emperor Theodosius II
428 Renewed Prohibitions Against 35 Named Heresies Heretics Roman Catholic Church
429 Parthenon sacked and Athenian Pagans are persecuted Pagans Christians Temple of Athena in Athens - Parthenon
435 Death penalty for all "heretics" and "pagans" of the Empire Pagans, Heretics Emperor Theodosius II
435 Heretics Threatened with Death Jews Roman Catholic Church
435 Theodosius II Ordered All Pagan Shrines Destroyed Pagans Emperor Theodosius II
438 Theodosius II blames pagan idolatry for a plague Gentiles Emperor Theodosius II
440 to 450 Christians demolish all the monuments, altars and temples of Athens, Olympia, and other Greek cities Gentiles Christians Athens, Olympia
448 Theodosius II orders all non-Christian books burned Non-Christians Emperor Theodosius II
450 All the Temples of Aphrodisias are demolished and its libraries burned down Pagans Christians City of Aphrodite, (Stauroupolis
451 Edict by Theodosius II emphasizes that "idolatry" is to be punished by death Non-Christians Emperor Theodosius II
457 Ban on Eutychians and Apollonarians Eutychians, Apollonarians
457 to 491 Sporadic persecutions against Gentiles of the Eastern Empire Jacobus, Gessius, Severianus, Herestios, Zosimus, Isidorus , Gentiles Conon, Christians Imbros, Aegean Sea, Cyprus
472 Punishment for Pagan Sympathizers Pagans Pious Christians
482 The majority of the Gentiles of Asia Minor are exterminated Gentiles Christians Asia Minor
Subscribe to Persecutions by Christians