Valerian in Early Christian Writings
Early Christian writings remember Valerian as both a ruler who first favored Christians and later persecuted them. Cyprian links Valerian to orders against bishops and to martyrdom at Rome, while Dionysius of Alexandria says he began kindly and then changed. Lactantius gives a later, very negative account of Valerian’s fall. The Bible passages here are background for how Christians thought about rulers, suffering, and loyalty under pressure.
102 early-church witnesses · 197 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about emperor Valerian?
Early Christian writings present Valerian mainly as a persecutor of Christians, but they also remember that he first treated Christians kindly. Cyprian says Valerian later issued orders against bishops, presbyters, deacons, and other believers, and he ties that policy to martyrdom in the churches. Dionysius of Alexandria gives the clearest balanced portrait: Valerian was at first mild and favorable toward Christians, then later turned against them.
Lactantius adds a harsher retelling of Valerian’s downfall, while the Bible passages most closely tied to the topic are general calls to honor rulers and endure suffering, not direct references to Valerian. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Cyprian connects Valerian with an order against Christian leaders and with martyrdom.
- Dionysius says Valerian was once mild toward Christians before turning against them.
- The strongest evidence is about Valerian’s persecution, not about his personal beliefs.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did Valerian order Christians to be punished?
Cyprian reports that Valerian sent written orders directing bishops, presbyters, and deacons to be punished at once, with harsher penalties for some lay Christians and exiles for women. These cards are the clearest direct evidence that early Christians remembered Valerian as actively targeting church leaders.
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
...fferent and uncertain reports are spreading in people's opinions. But the truth about them is this: Valerian had sent a written order to the Senate stating that bishops, presbyters, and deacons should be punished at once; but that senators, men of rank, and Roman knights should lose their position and also be deprived of their property. And if, after their wealth was taken away, they still persisted in being Christians, then they should also be beheaded. But matrons should be deprived of their property and sent into exile. Moreover, people of Caesar's household, whoever among them had either confessed before or should now confess, should have their property confiscated and should be sent in chains, assigned to Caesar's estates. The Emperor Valerian also added to this address a copy of the letters that he sent to the governors of the provinces concerning us. We are hoping every day that these letters will come, while we wait, according to the strength of our faith, to endure affliction, and expect from the Lord's help and mercy the crown of eternal life. But know that Xistus was martyred in the cemetery on the eighth day before the Ides of August, and with him four deacons. Moreo
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
Summary—Cyprian tells Bishop Successus that, in a severe persecution ordered by the emperor Valerian, Xistus the bishop suffered at Rome on the eighth day before the Ides of August. He asks him to make this known to the rest of his fellow bishops, so that each one might encourage his own flock toward martyrdom.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
Argument.— Cyprian Tells the Bishop Successus, that in a Severe Persecution that Had Been Decreed by the Emperor Valerian Xistus the Bishop Had Suffered at Rome on the Eighth of the Ides of August;
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
And presently Valerian also, in a mood alike frantic, lifted up his impious hands to assault God, and, although his time was short, shed much righteous blood.
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
Valerian lived for a considerable time under the well-merited insults of his conqueror;
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
...uggles and hardships took place in these regions, both generally among everyone and privately among Christians. There were also many frequent earthquakes, so that many places throughout Cappadocia and Pontus were destroyed. Even some cities, pulled down into the abyss, were swallowed up when the earth opened wide. Because of this, a severe persecution also arose against us because of the Christian name. And after the long peace of the former age, it came suddenly, and by its unusual evils it was made more terrible because of the disorder among our people. Serenianus was then governor in our province, a bitter and terrible persecutor. But when the faithful were put into this troubled condition, and were fleeing here and there out of fear of the persecution, leaving their country and crossing into other regions—for there was a chance to cross over, because that persecution was not over the whole world, but local—there suddenly arose among us a certain woman who, in a state of ecstasy, declared that she was a prophetess and acted as if she were filled with the Holy Spirit. And she was so driven by the force of the chief demons that for a long time she troubled and deceived the brot
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
Soon after that, Valerian also, in a similarly mad state of mind, raised his wicked hands to attack God. And although his time was short, he poured out much righteous blood. But God punished him in a new and extraordinary way, so that it might be a lesson for future ages that the enemies of Heaven always receive the just reward for their evil deeds. After he was taken prisoner by the Persians, he lost not only the power that he had used without restraint, but also the freedom of which he had robbed others. He spent the rest of his days in the lowest condition of slavery. For Sapores, the king of the Persians, who had taken him prisoner, whenever he wished to get into his carriage or mount a horse, ordered the Roman to bend down and offer his back. Then, placing his foot on Valerian’s shoulders, he said with a mocking smile, "This is true, and not what the Romans paint on boards or plaster." Valerian lived for a long time under the well-deserved insults of his conqueror. So the Roman name remained for a long time a mockery and a laughingstock among the barbarians. And this too was added to the severity of his punishment: although he had an emperor for his son, he found no one to ave
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
But what marked his character most, and in which he went beyond all earlier emperors, was his desire to corrupt women. What else can I call it except a blind and reckless passion? Yet even those words weakly express my outrage as I tell of his crimes. The greatness of his guilt overwhelms my tongue and makes me unable to speak as I should. Eunuchs and pimps searched everywhere, and as soon as any beautiful face was found, husbands and parents had to step aside. Noble married women and virgins were stripped of their clothing, and all their limbs were examined, so that no part might be thought unworthy of the emperor's bed. Whenever a woman resisted, she was punished with death by drowning, as if, under the rule of this adulterer, chastity had been treason. There were some men who saw their wives violated, though they dearly loved them for their virtue and faithfulness, and they could not bear their mental anguish, so they killed themselves. While this monster ruled, only remarkable ugliness could protect any woman's honor from his savage desires. At last he introduced a custom that forbade marriage unless the emperor gave permission, and he used this as a tool for his lust. After he
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
...everence for the Divinity deserved our first and greatest attention. We thought it proper that both Christians and all others should have the freedom to follow whatever religion each one thinks best, so that God, who dwells in heaven, might be kind and favorable to us and to everyone under our rule. Therefore, we judged that it was a healthy measure, and one fully in agreement with right reason, that no one should be refused permission to join himself to the rites of the Christians, or to whatever other religion his own mind leads him. In this way, the supreme Divinity, to whose worship we freely devote ourselves, might continue to grant us His favor and kindness. Accordingly, we make known to you that, without regard to any conditions in our former orders to you concerning the Christians, all who choose that religion must be allowed to continue in it freely and completely, and must not be troubled or harassed in any way. We thought it right to speak this clearly about the matters entrusted to your care, so that you might understand that the freedom we have granted to the Christians in matters of religion is full and unconditional. At the same time, you should understand that th
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
...ifices almost every day, and she fed her servants with meat that had been offered to idols. But the Christians in her household would not take part in those meals. While she feasted with the Gentiles, they kept fasting and praying. Because of this, she came to hate the Christians. With complaints like those often made by women, she stirred up her son, who was no less superstitious than she was, to destroy them. So, through the whole winter, Diocletian and Galerius held councils together, and no one else was present. Everyone thought that their discussions concerned the most important matters of the empire. For a long time, the old man resisted the fury of Galerius. He showed how harmful it would be to cause unrest throughout the world and to shed so much blood. He said that Christians were accustomed to meet death eagerly, and that it would be enough to keep people of that religion out of the court and the army. Yet he could not restrain the madness of that stubborn man. Therefore, he decided to ask the opinion of his friends. Now this was part of Diocletian’s bad character: whenever he decided to do something good, he did it without advice, so that all the praise might be his a
How did early Christians remember the persecution under Valerian?
Cyprian and Dionysius present Valerian’s reign as a time of severe persecution, martyrdom, imprisonment, and suffering for Christians. Lactantius adds that Valerian attacked God, shed righteous blood, and was later punished after his capture by the Persians.
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistles and Epistolary Fragments Direct teaching
...outh speaking great things and blasphemy; and power was given to him, and forty-two months." And in Valerian's case one finds both things to wonder at. Most of all, one must consider how different it was with him before these events, and how mild and well-disposed he was toward the men of God. For among the emperors who came before him, there was not one who showed so kind and favorable a disposition toward them as he did. Yes, even those who were said to have openly become Christians did not receive them with that extreme friendliness and graciousness with which he received them at the beginning of his reign. And his whole house was then filled with the pious, and it was itself a very church of God. But the master and president of the Magi of Egypt persuaded him to abandon that course, urging him to slay and persecute those pure and holy men as adversaries and obstacles to their accursed and abominable incantations. For there are indeed, and there were, men who by their simple presence, and by merely showing themselves, and by simply breathing and speaking some words, have been able to scatter the tricks of wicked demons. But he put it into his mind to practice impure rites of
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistles and Epistolary Fragments Supporting witness
5. After that man had betrayed one of the emperors before him and made war against the other, he quickly perished with his whole family, root and branch. And Gallienus was proclaimed emperor and accepted by all. He was at once an old emperor and a new one, because he came before those men and also outlived them. This fits the word spoken by the Lord to Isaiah: "Behold, the things that were from the beginning have come to pass, and new things will now arise." For a cloud can block the sun's rays and overshadow it for a little while. It hides the sun and seems to take its place. But when the cloud has passed by or melted away, the sun, which had risen before, comes out again and shows itself. In the same way, this Macrianus came forward and even gained access for himself to the empire of Gallienus, which was already established. But now he is no longer that, because in fact he never truly was, while the other, that is, Gallienus, remains just as he was. And his empire, as if it had thrown off old age and cleansed itself from the wickedness formerly attached to it, is now in a stronger and more flourishing condition. It is now seen and heard of at greater distances, and it spreads out
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistles and Epistolary Fragments Supporting witness
Now we worship the one God, who is the Creator of all things, and the very Deity who has committed the sovereignty to the hands of their most sacred majesties Valerian and Gallienus.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistles and Epistolary Fragments Direct teaching
...eator of all things, and the very God who has entrusted royal power to their most sacred majesties, Valerian and Gallienus. Him we both honor and worship. And to Him we pray continually on behalf of the rule of these princes, that it may remain unshaken." Aemilianus the prefect said to them, "But who is keeping you from worshipping this god too, if indeed he is a god, along with those who are gods by nature? For you have been commanded to worship the gods, and those gods whom everyone knows to be such." Dionysius replied, "We worship no other." Aemilianus the prefect said to them, "I see that you are both ungrateful for and unmoved by the mercy of our princes. Therefore you will not remain in this city, but you will be sent to the regions of Libya and settled in a place called Cephro. For I have chosen this place in accordance with the command of our princes. It will in no way be lawful for you, or for any others, either to hold assemblies or to enter the places called cemeteries. And if anyone is seen not to have gone to this place where I have ordered him to go, or if he is found in any assembly, he will bring danger on himself; for the required punishment will not fail. Go, t
Common Questions
Did early Christians think Emperor Valerian persecuted Christians?
Yes. Cyprian and Lactantius describe Valerian as a persecutor, and Cyprian ties his rule to arrests and martyrdoms.
Did any early Christian writer say Valerian was first kind to Christians?
Yes. Dionysius of Alexandria says Valerian was at first mild and favorable toward Christians before later turning against them.
Do the Bible passages here name Valerian?
No. The Bible passages are general teaching about honoring rulers and staying faithful under suffering.
Source Index for Emperor Valerian
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 197 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 102
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 95
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.