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THE Roman emperor, Alexander, having finished his reign in
thirteen years, was succeeded by Maximinus Caesar. On account of
his hatred toward the household of Alexander, which contained many
believers, he began a persecution, commanding that only the rulers of
the churches should be put to death, as responsible for the Gospel
teaching. Thereupon Origen composed his work On Martyrdom, and
dedicated it to Ambrose and Protoctetus, a presbyter of the parish of
Caesarea, because in the persecution there had come upon them both
unusual hardships, in which it is reported that they were eminent in
confession during the reign of Maximinus, which lasted but three
years. Origen has noted this as the time of the persecution in the
twenty-second book of his Commentaries on John, and in several
epistles.
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