![[Perpetua,_Felicitas,_Revocatus,_Saturninus_and_Secundulus_(Menologion_of_Basil_II).jpg]] *[Perpetua and Felicity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetua_and_Felicity) (c. 182 – c. 203) were Christian martyrs of third century Roman Carthage.* The history of early christianity taught within the religion often focuses on the sacrifices of martyrs who refused to renounce their faith even when threatened with torture and violent death. Although many historians think legends of martyrdom are exaggerated, many of the best documented of these martyrs died in Carthage in Roman North Africa. The region's christian community had grown rapidly and refused to accommodate the Roman requirement of public sacrifices to the imperial gods (including Julius Caesar and Augustus, who had both been deified). According to many sources, the Romans were initially happy to allow their christian subjects to practice their religion and considered their god to be just another of the multitude of divinities worshipped by people in their empire. The christians, however, had inherited the monotheism of the "Old Testament", and some refused to compromise or even pretend to honor Roman gods they considered illegitimate. ![[ad250_2.gif]] *Spread of Christianity at the time of the persecution by the Emperor Decius.* Not all, however: in Carthage in 250 CE, when the Emperor Decius required christians to perform public sacrifices or face execution, many gave in to the pressure while others who refused were killed in the Arena. This led to church debates about whether to forgive the lapsed Christians. By 250 CE, between 1% and 5% of the empire's 60 million people were Christians (or, up to 3 million). And by 250, a hierarchical structure had been built in the new church, with bishops in Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch and the removal of women from leadership roles that most historians agree they had occupied in the early years of the faith. ------ Next: [[8.4 - Constantine]] Back: [[8.2 - Christianity's Appeal]]