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St. Maurice was a 3rd century officer, whose legend holds that he was the leader of the Roman Legion of Thebes (about 6,600 men). This was a legion largely or entirely composed of Christians. The Thebean legion was in modern-day Switzerland when Maximian, who led the western Roman empire at that time, ordered him to travel to Gaul to suppress a revolt of Christians there. Maurice was also ordered to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods for victory, and to be merciless to all who resisted, even non-combatants. Maurice refused, and Maximian ordered the "decimation" of the Thebean legion, which means that every one in ten men was to be killed. Historically, it seems that many of the legion fled, and less than 100 were martyred. The cult of St. Maurice grew and grew, until St. Maurice became the most popular saint of the Holy Roman empire. Another legend held that St. Maurice wielded the true spear of Longinus (the spear which pierced Jesus' side at the crucifixion, or a copy of the spear. St. Maurice is the patron of armies, soldiers and infantrymen, swordsmiths, and of weavers and dyers.