In 64 A.D., a great fire broke out in Rome. Its real cause remains unknown. Legend has it that Nero set the fire to see "how Troy looked when it was in flames," and of course, that mad Caesar" fiddled" (on his lute) while Rome burned. The truth was infinitely more gruesome. The aftermath of that conflagration kindled a centuries-long slaughter, the scale of which has not been seen again...until the 20th century. Roman historian, Tacitus reported:

"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace...an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred of mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs...or were nailed to crosses, or doomed to the flames...to serve as nightly illuminations when daylight had expired.

"Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer... Hence, even for criminals...there arose a feeling of compassion, for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed." (Tacitus, Annals, ca. 115 A.D.)

     Romans evidently didn't really buy Nero's excuse for the great fire, so for what crime did many die so cruelly? Pliny the Younger, who was governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, gives us a clue. Due to Christian influence, he found pagan temples to be nearly deserted, and that sacrificial animals for their rites had few buyers. Worse, Christians simply refused to worship the emperor as a god. In a letter to Emperor Trajan, from about 112 A.D., Pliny wondered what to do about these heretics:

"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and them reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind." (Pliny the Younger, Letters)

     Pliny indicated that upon threat of death, suspects were interrogated to ascertain if they were believers. They were asked three times under threat of death. If they answered yes, and held firm, they were executed. If other information was desired, torture might be added.

     So, on whose part was the "hatred of mankind?"

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another...And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Jesus Christ, from Matthew 24:9-13 NKJ).

© Russ Brown, 1998