In 64 AD a huge fire destroyed much of Rome. The emperor Nero blamed the Christians for this. St. Peter, St. Paul and many other Christians died as martyrs in the aftermath of this disaster. Christians were also persecuted in later centuries.
The problem of the Roman emperors was that Christians refused to abandon their faith and worship the emperor and Roman gods instead. Under the emperor Decius (249-251 AD), tens of thousands of Christians died. Diocletian (284-305) was among the other Roman emperors who tried to destroy the Church, but he failed to do so.
