The Great Presecution of the Christians under Diocletian
303.02.23: The Christian Church in Nicomedia is torn down.
303/4 Constantine is with Diocletian in Nicomedia, and presumable accompanies Diocletian during his visit to Rome
303 November 20 (before) Diocletian in Rome for the Vicennalia
303 December 20 Diocletian leaves Rome
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1999.05.08
recollection of the day's events
In perfoming a web search on emperor Maximian, a surprising number of links to saints turned. It appears that maximian is responsible for a great many Christian martyrdoms, for example, St. Maurice, St. Ursus, St. Dimitrius, St. Panteleimon, the 20,000 martyrs of Nicomedia, St. Hesychios the Senator.
Without his knowing it, Helena may have been Maximian's greatest nemesis.
1999.08.19 12:10
epicenter/reenactment
Nicomedia, back in the last years of the third century and the ealiest years of the fourth century, was the Roman imperial capital of Diocletian.
Diocletian instiututed the last "great" Roman persecution of the Christians in 303.
Nicomedia is thus where countless Christian martyrs died.
Back then there was all kinds of horrible (for some) news coming out of Nicomedia.
I never imagined that Nicomedia, aka Izmit, would, in my own lifetime, reënact its former status as death capital of the world.
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