Maximin the Goth.—​Brutal Assassination of Alexander.—​Merciless Proscription.—​Revolt of the Army on the Danube.—​Rage of Maximin.—​His March upon Rome.—​Consternation in the Capital.—​Assassination of Maximin.—​Successors to the Throne.—​Popular Suffrage unavailing.—​Persecution under Decius.—​Individual Cases.—​Extent of the Roman Empire.—​Extent of the Persecution.—​Heroism of the Christians.

[CHAPTER XIV.]

INVASION, CIVIL WAR, AND UNRELENTING PERSECUTION.

Æmilianus and Valerian.—​Barbaric Hordes.—​Slavery and its Retribution.—​Awful Fate of Valerian.—​Ruin of the Roman Empire.—​Zenobia and her Captivity.—​The Slave Diocletian becomes Emperor.—​His Reign, Abdication, Death.—​Division of the Empire.—​Terrible Persecution.—​The Glory of Christianity.—​Characteristics of the First Three Centuries.—​Abasement of Rome.

[CHAPTER XV.]

CONSTANTINE.—THE BANNER OF THE CROSS UNFURLED.

Helena, the Christian Empress.—​Constantine, her Son, favors the Christians.—​Crumbling of the Empire.—​Constantine the Christian, and Maxentius the Pagan.—​Vision of Constantine.—​The Unfurled Cross.—​Christianity favored by the Court.—​Licinius defends the Christians.—​Writings of Eusebius.—​Apostasy of Licinius.—​Cruel Persecution.

[CHAPTER XVI.]

THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE.

The Arian Controversy.—​Sanguinary Conflict between Paganism and Christianity.—​Founding of Constantinople.—​The Council of Nice.—​Its Decision.—​Duplicity of some of the Arians.—​The Nicene Creed.—​Tragic Scene in the Life of Constantine.—​His Penitence and true Conversion.—​His Baptism, and Reception into the Church.—​Charles V.—​The Emperor Napoleon I.