 The Emperor faced significant opposition from the Samaritans , who resisted conversion to Christianity and were repeatedly in insurrection . He persecuted them with rigorous edicts , but yet could not prevent reprisals towards Christians from taking place in Samaria toward the close of his reign . The consistency of Justinian 's policy meant that the Manicheans too suffered persecution , experiencing both exile and threat of capital punishment . At Constantinople , on one occasion , not a few Manicheans , after strict inquisition , were executed in the emperor 's very presence : some by burning , others by drowning . 
