The Second Persecution: Under Domitian, A. D. 85

Domitian was a cruel and savage tyrant who not only persecuted the Christians, but also put to death some of the chief citizens of Rome. To get money to pay for the games and entertainment’s he gave to amuse the people, the rich were plundered of a large part of their wealth.

Many were the accusations brought against the followers of Christ. They were charged with holding disorderly, nightly meetings; with being of a rebellious, turbulent spirit; of murdering their children, and even of being cannibals. If famine, or pestilence, or earthquakes afflicted any of the Roman provinces, these calamities were said to have been sent by the gods to punish the Christians. The persecutions naturally enough increased the number of informers; and many false witnesses, for the sake of gain, swore away the lives of the innocent. When Christians were brought before the magistrates, a test oath was administered, and if they refused it, death was pronounced against them. If they confessed themselves Christians, the sentence was the same. The various kinds of punishments and cruelties inflicted were imprisonment, racking, burning, scourging, stoning, hanging, and worrying by wild beasts. Many were forced to fall headlong from high places, and others were thrown upon the horns of wild bulls. After having perished under these cruelties, the privilege of burying the dead bodies was refused their friends.

http://www.kamglobal.org/Martyrs/martyrs04.html