lived king who was crowned in his cradle and reigned seventy years (309–379), full of glory and renown, began what is perhaps the fiercest persecution the Church has ever had to endure.
It is strange that anyone can forget the Persian martyrs. Not in the worst time of Roman persecution was there so cruel a time for Christians as under Shapur II of Persia. In proportion to its extent and the time the persecution lasted, Persia has more martyrs than any other part of the Christian world. The cause of the persecution may easily be understood. As long as the Roman Empire was pagan the Persian king had no particular prejudice against Christians. Indeed, while Rome persecuted them, Christians found an asylum under the protection of her enemy. But when Christianity became the official religion of the Empire, how could the Great King tolerate it in his realm? Shapur II spent his life fighting Rome; could he allow his own subjects to profess the Roman religion? The cross was the Roman standard; could he let it stand on his side of the frontier? These Christians prayed with his enemies, no doubt they prayed for them. How could he tolerate such disloyalty behind him when he went out to war? It is the tragic situation often repeated in history: Christianity was treason against the State. Without any particular wish to trouble people's consciences, a country at war can hardly allow what seems treason at home. No doubt the Persian Christians, almost inevitably, gave some cause for this idea. They heard with joy that across the frontier the faith was now honoured, protected, triumphant. How could they help contrasting this with their own State? And when they learned that the Christian legions were marching against the Pagan king, how could they help hoping, praying, that their fellow-Christians should win, should occupy the land and bring to them too peace and honour, as the Church enjoyed where Cæsar reigned? Were there even machinations with Rome? It would not be surprising if there were. In any case, the Persian Government thought so. In Shapur's first proclamation against Christians he explains his reason: "They dwell in our land and share the ideas of Cæsar, our enemy."[1] The mobeds tell the king that "there is no secret which Simon[2] does not write to
