170-189 Germanic Invasion, Syrian Revolt & Christian Martyrs

During this 20 year period the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (pictured) co-ruled with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus. Both emperors were dead by 180, and the next emperor was Marcus Aurelius' young son Commodus.

By 175 Marcus was in dire straits facing a Germanic invasion of Northern Italy and a revolt in the eastern empire. Avidius Cassius, Governor of Syria and a native of Syria, declared himself Emperor and then Palestine, Arabia and Egypt fell under his control.

Around the same time, in 177, when Christians in Lyons and Vienne in the Rhone Valley started boasting of their power to cast out demons, Marcus Aurelius ordered their execution and in doing so created the Martyrs who seemed to enjoy the prospect of dying for their faith.

Under the pontificate of Victor I, the African Bishop of Rome from 189-198, the Church recognized the need to avoid persecution and ridicule by stamping out the crazy Christian cults and imposing centralized control - but his first effort to do so, deciding that Easter should be observed on a set Sunday each year, was not accepted by the churches in Asia Minor and he showed a remarkable display of authority by excommunicating them!

It seemed to most thinking people - Christian or not - that the persecution that did arise against the Christians was the result of the crazies within the religion.

Marcus died in 180 and his young son, Commodus, then became emperor.

150-169 Parthians, Plague, Germanic Tribes & Rapturists

In this 20 year period the Roman Emperor Antonius (pictured) died in 161, after a 24-year peaceful rule, and was succeeded by Marcus Aurelius who co-ruled with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus.

In 165, the King of Parthia replaced the Roman approved King of Armenia with his choice, and the Roman legion in the area was wiped out. Marcus sent Lucius to quell the situation but he dawdled, and in the meantime the Parthians had marched on, invading Media across the northern Tigris.

Plague broke out among Lucius' troops, spread throughout the Empire, then there was pressure from the Germanic tribes in 167 crossing the Alps, besieging Northern Italy.

In desperation Marcus auctioned his valuable possessions to raise funds for war as the plague had made tax collecting impossible.

During the pontificate of Soter, Bishop of Rome from 166-174, another heretic leader, Montanus, and his followers caused concern. Under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit they went into religious raptures during which they spoke in strange tongues and uttered prophecies - the purpose of which was to return the church to simplicity. They gained popularity in both the eastern and western empire -- but ridicule from non-Christians.

Marcus Aurelius was not well-disposed towards Christians, calling them "miracle-mongers, magicians and exorcisers" and to avoid persecution and ridicule the Church tried hard to stamp out the crazy Christian cults, imposing order and centralized control.