 Christian writer Tertullian ( c . 155 – 230 ) was the first to call Nero the first persecutor of Christians . He wrote , " Examine your records . There you will find that Nero was the first that persecuted this doctrine " . Lactantius ( c . 240 – 320 ) also said that Nero " first persecuted the servants of God " . as does Sulpicius Severus . However , Suetonius writes that , " since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus , he [ emperor Claudius ] expelled them from Rome " ( " Iudaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit " ) . These expelled " Jews " may have been early Christians , although Suetonius is not explicit . Nor is the Bible explicit , calling Aquila of Pontus and his wife , Priscilla , both expelled from Italy at the time , " Jews " . 
 Christian writer Tertullian ( c . 155 – 230 ) was the first to call Nero the first persecutor of Christians . He wrote , " Examine your records . There you will find that Nero was the first <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>persecuted this doctrine " . Lactantius ( c . 240 – 320 ) also said that Nero " first persecuted the servants of God " . as <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>does</mark></a> Sulpicius Severus . However , Suetonius <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>writes</mark></a> that , " since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus , he [ emperor Claudius ] expelled them from Rome " ( " Iudaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit " ) . These expelled " Jews " may have been early Christians , although Suetonius <a href='negative_concord' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a> <a href='negative_concord' title='5'><mark>not</mark></a>explicit . Nor is the Bible explicit , calling Aquila of Pontus and his wife , Priscilla , both expelled from Italy at the time , " Jews " . 
Christian writer Tertullian ( c . 155 – 230 ) was da first to call Nero the first persecutor of Christians . He wrote , " Examine yo records . There youu will find dat Nero was the first persecuted this doctrine " . Lactantius ( c . 240 – 320 ) also said tdatNero " first persecuted tdaservants of God " . as do Sulpicius Severus . However , Suetonius write thdat " since thdaews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus , he [ emperor Claudius ] expelled them from Rome " ( " Iudaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit " ) . These expelled " Jews " may have been early Christians , although Suetonius ain't explicit . Nor is the Bible explicit , callin Aquila of Pontus and his wife , Priscilla , both expelled from Italy at the time , " Jews " .