Final answer:
The statement is true; Christians faced widespread persecution in the Roman Empire beginning with Nero in 64 AD, culminating in the Great Persecution under Diocletian, and ending with the Edict of Galerius in 311.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Christians were persecuted across the Roman Empire throughout the first century is true. Persecution began under Emperor Nero in 64 AD and continued sporadically for the next two and a half centuries. Christians' refusal to engage in the imperial cult, their monotheistic beliefs, and their evangelistic zeal made them targets for persecution. The most severe and widespread persecution occurred under Emperor Diocletian starting in 303 AD, known as the Great Persecution, where Christians suffered horrific punishments and executions for their faith. This period of systematic persecution came to an end with the issuance of the Edict of Galerius in 311, which granted Christians the freedom to practice their religion, although it did not compensate for their losses.