CHAPTER XIII

THE PEACE AFTER GALLIENUS

As it was not long before Valerian was taken captive, and reduced to slavery by the barbarians, his son Gallienus, obtaining the sole command, was disposed to use more clemency in the exercise of his power. He, therefore, immediately restrained the persecution against us, by sending edicts, in which he commanded that the ministers of the word might perform the customary duties of their office with freedom, the copy of which was as follows: “The emperor Cæsar Publius Licinius Gallienus Pius Felix Augustus, to Dionysius, Pinna, Demetrius, and the other bishops. The benefit of the privilege granted by me I have ordered to be issued throughout the whole world, that all may depart from their religious retreats; and therefore you may make use of this copy of my edict, that no one may molest you. And this liberty indeed, which you are now permitted to have, has been long since granted by me. Aurelius Cyrenius, therefore, who has the chief administration of affairs, will keep the copy here given by me.” This, that it may be the better understood, we have here presented to our readers, in a translation from the Latin tongue. There is also another ordinance from him, which he addressed to other bishops, in which he grants permission to recover what are called the cemeteries.