Top 10 Worst Roman Emperors
10. Aurelian (270-275)
Aurelian was by far the "worst" Christian emperor with his rule of one god, one emperor. Aurelian was one of the first roman emperors during his short time to outlaw all other gods and then begun organising a small amount of persecutions which involved beheading. His persecutions did not have much or a reputation as he wasn’t liked by his society. So overall not that bad...
9. Valerian (257-260)
Valerian was a roman emperor who began to punish Christianity over time by forcing exile and fines until he 258 when he introduced persecution. His reign was not so much about the persecution but the separation of class as he began to introduce rank decreases for soldiers and not allow the Christians to visit cemeteries or other important places. The forms of persecution were not nearly as brutal as the ones to come
8. Trajan (98-117)
Trajan was an emperor who forwarded the Christianisation of Rome as he didn’t perform much execution but on punished those who openly practicing the faith. Trajan was even baptised by Pope Gregory I from his grave.
7. Domitian (c.90-96)
Domitian was not that bad of a roman emperor for persecutions as he more or less just shamed them as atheists and made their lives harder. He had only persecuted a small minority of Christians
6. Decius (249-251)
Decius like most others roman emperors ordered all Christians to sacrifice themselves for the safety of the empire. During the time of Decius there was also many plagues that affected the Roman Empire and Christians lives. Decius’ most famous persecution was to put Christians into a leather bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and throw them into the sea
5. Septimus Severus (202-211)
Septimes was an emperor who ordered all Christians to curse Jesus or to submit to the Roman gods. He also had generated many laws such as prohibiting the spread of Christianity and Judaism.
4. Marcus Aurelius (161-181)
Marcus Aurelian was an emperor who had no sympathy for Christians because he saw them as being disgustingly superstitious. He also blamed Christians for a number of natural disasters because they wouldn't sacrifice to the gods
3. Diocletian / Galerius (303-311)
Diocletian was a horrible ruler for Christian persecution as he introduced laws to persecute Christians across the empire. Although before he introduced these laws he was a leader who used an army that contained Christians. This made him quite popular and ended up defeating many other leaders and begun to take control of the whole of Rome. Some years after Diocletian was convinced by Galerius that the Christians had lit a fire in the imperial palace then then condemned all form of Christian worship. This led to many persecutions mostly consisting of being burnt alive
2. Maximus the Thracian (235-251)
Maximus Thrax was an emperor who reversed all laws protecting Christians and shamed them as unsporting enemies of the state. He persecuted Christians ruthlessly along with their leaders through hanging and martyring
1. Nero (58-68)
Nero was the most brutal emperors of Rome as he not only killed many Christians but many of his own through the great fire which he blamed on the Christians. He was the worst emperor for persecution as he was the one responsible for the savage deaths of Apostles Peter and Paul. Nero had a strong Anti-Christ belief and he ruled this out throughout his kingdom as he executed many Christians. Nero’s most brutal execution was by being tied to the horns of a wild bull and the bull being set free.
Aurelian was by far the "worst" Christian emperor with his rule of one god, one emperor. Aurelian was one of the first roman emperors during his short time to outlaw all other gods and then begun organising a small amount of persecutions which involved beheading. His persecutions did not have much or a reputation as he wasn’t liked by his society. So overall not that bad...
9. Valerian (257-260)
Valerian was a roman emperor who began to punish Christianity over time by forcing exile and fines until he 258 when he introduced persecution. His reign was not so much about the persecution but the separation of class as he began to introduce rank decreases for soldiers and not allow the Christians to visit cemeteries or other important places. The forms of persecution were not nearly as brutal as the ones to come
8. Trajan (98-117)
Trajan was an emperor who forwarded the Christianisation of Rome as he didn’t perform much execution but on punished those who openly practicing the faith. Trajan was even baptised by Pope Gregory I from his grave.
7. Domitian (c.90-96)
Domitian was not that bad of a roman emperor for persecutions as he more or less just shamed them as atheists and made their lives harder. He had only persecuted a small minority of Christians
6. Decius (249-251)
Decius like most others roman emperors ordered all Christians to sacrifice themselves for the safety of the empire. During the time of Decius there was also many plagues that affected the Roman Empire and Christians lives. Decius’ most famous persecution was to put Christians into a leather bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and throw them into the sea
5. Septimus Severus (202-211)
Septimes was an emperor who ordered all Christians to curse Jesus or to submit to the Roman gods. He also had generated many laws such as prohibiting the spread of Christianity and Judaism.
4. Marcus Aurelius (161-181)
Marcus Aurelian was an emperor who had no sympathy for Christians because he saw them as being disgustingly superstitious. He also blamed Christians for a number of natural disasters because they wouldn't sacrifice to the gods
3. Diocletian / Galerius (303-311)
Diocletian was a horrible ruler for Christian persecution as he introduced laws to persecute Christians across the empire. Although before he introduced these laws he was a leader who used an army that contained Christians. This made him quite popular and ended up defeating many other leaders and begun to take control of the whole of Rome. Some years after Diocletian was convinced by Galerius that the Christians had lit a fire in the imperial palace then then condemned all form of Christian worship. This led to many persecutions mostly consisting of being burnt alive
2. Maximus the Thracian (235-251)
Maximus Thrax was an emperor who reversed all laws protecting Christians and shamed them as unsporting enemies of the state. He persecuted Christians ruthlessly along with their leaders through hanging and martyring
1. Nero (58-68)
Nero was the most brutal emperors of Rome as he not only killed many Christians but many of his own through the great fire which he blamed on the Christians. He was the worst emperor for persecution as he was the one responsible for the savage deaths of Apostles Peter and Paul. Nero had a strong Anti-Christ belief and he ruled this out throughout his kingdom as he executed many Christians. Nero’s most brutal execution was by being tied to the horns of a wild bull and the bull being set free.