Persecution
the act or practice of persecuting; specifically, the act of afflicting with suffering or loss of life or property for adherence to particular opinions, religious creed, political views, nationality, etc., either as a penalty or in order to compel the sufferers to renounce the principles in which they believe. The word first became current in Christian circles in connection with _10 persecutions of Christians under the Roman emperors. The first was the persecution under Nero, A. D. 64; the second, under Domitian, A. D. 95; the third, under Trajan, A. D. 106; the fourth, under Marcus Aurelius, A. D. 166; the fifth, under Septimius Severus, A. D. 198; the sixth, under Maximinus, A. D. 235; the seventh, under Decius, A. D. 250; the eighth, under Valerian, A. D. 258; the ninth, under Aurelian, A. D. 275; and the tenth, under Diocletian, A. D. 303. The mediæval church persecuted all whom it considered heretics, and the Reformation in England everywhere had to struggle against perevery secution. When it became powerful enough, it also became intolerant to those who differed from it, passing and carrying out penal laws against Roman Catholics, dissenters, and unbelievers.