After these details we conclude the account of this century.] A. D. 301.-"At this time," writes P. J. Twisck,"the persecution was very severe; for when the Emperor, namely, Diocletian would divert himself in the theater, the whole multitude of the people called to him ten times, that the Christians should not be tolerated, and twelve times, that they should be exterminated." Chron., 4th book, ¢. 85, col. 1, from Merul., fol. 237. Leonh. lib. 1.
In the preceding century, in the year 284, we mentioned, in connection with the beginning of the reign of Diocletian, the first bloody edict, issued by this Emperor against the pious and steadfast Christians, upon which followed the death of some of them, as may be seen in the cases of Claudius, Asterius, Neon, Zenobius, and the pious Christian women, Nuina, Theonilla, Zenobia, sister of the afore-mentioned Zenobius, etc., most of whom died at Tarsus, in Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul, for the testimony of Jesus, their Saviour. This continued from the aforesaid year until the close of that century, as we have related in the proper place.
But in the same place we have also made mention of a second edict by the same Emperor, which, about nineteen years afterwards, was followed by the most violent persecution of the Christians. Of this we promised to speak more fully, and now purpose to do so, having come to the very time in which commenced this, the severest and most grievous persecution, which is called the tenth.
