Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire- Period 333 timeline

This was the last and most trying persecution towards the Christians. Emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius agreed on persecuting the Christians because part of their project of reunifying the empire involved uniting all Romans behind a shared belief in the old gods. As a result, Several thousand Christians were killed. Christian leaders were also murdered. The persecution was viewed by Christians as the culmination of the last attempts to rid them from society.

During the first century, Rome had dominion over Israel. In 63 BCE, after much turmoil and civil war within Israel, the Romans invaded and conquered Jerusalem. In order to keep control over the Galilean and Judean peoples, Julius Caesar and the Senate installed Herod as king. It took Herod three years to finally gain control over the Jews. he kept a firm rule over the whole region. He became one of Augustus’ favorite military leaders. The emperor admired his immense development program.

Jesus the Nazarene was born in Bethlehem. His mother's name was Mary and his father's name was Joseph. She conceived him as a virgin, for an angel came to her and told her that she would conceive a son by means of the Holy Spirit and was to call him Jesus. Joseph was about to leave her but in a dream an angel told him the truth. Most scholars assume Jesus' preaching began around AD 27–29 and lasted one to three years. They calculate the death of Jesus as having taken place between AD 30 and 36.

Paul of Tarsus was likely born between the years of 5 BC and 5 AD. He was the second important founder of Christianity, a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul was a Pharisee who was educated and spent many years in Jerusalem (until about A.D. 34, according to PBS). He was on his way to Damascus to continue his mission of stamping out converts to the new Jewish sect of Christians when he experienced a vision of Jesus. From then on he became a missionary, spreading the message of Christianity.

The fire began in the district south of the Palatine Hill. The area’s homes burned quickly and the fire spread north by high winds. During the fire, it was reported that heavy looting occurred. The fire lasted nearly three days. Three of Rome’s 14 districts were completely destroyed and only four were left untouched. Hundreds of people died in the fire and many thousands were left homeless. It was thought that Nero started the Fire, but there is no evidence. He blamed the Christians.

One of the most famous accounts of martyrdom was that of Perpetua. She was killed by the late second century. She was a young Roman noblewomen and nursing mother who wrote down accounts of her arrest and imprisonment. Perpetua and her slave Felicity, who had also recently given birth, were thrown to the beasts, survived, and ultimately killed by the sword. Perpetua supposedly helped guide the trembling hand of her executioner to her own neck. It was spread and converts read it becoming inspired.

Constantine the Great was born around 272 AD in the city of Naissus. He fought in the army for several years. When he became Emperor, there was another man who declared himself Emperor, Maxentius. The night before the battle he dreamed that he would win if he used the cross in the shields of the soldiers. He was said to have seen a sign which said 'In this sign you willl conquer.' He won and took over Rome. Believing he was helped by Christ, he met with Licinius to issue the Edict of Milan.

The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October 312. the name comes from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the battle and ended the Tetrarchy. He became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. Maxentius drowned in the Tiber during the battle; his body was later taken from the river and decapitated, and his head was paraded through the streets of Rome on the day following the battle

Constantine met with Licinius, the eastern emperor, at Milan, and issued the Edict of Milan. This made Christianity legal, removed all restrictions on Christian worship, and returned all property confiscated from the Church during the Great Persecution. However, Licinius came into conflict with Constantine and removed the Edict of Milan. They went into war and Constantine won. This reaffirmed his belief that the Christian God was on his side, and made Christianity legal throughout the empire.

Theodosius was born on Constantinople, which today would be Istanbul, Turkey. He was known as Theodosius the Great. He was the Roman Emperor from AD 379 to AD 395 and was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. He campaigned against Goths and other barbarians who had invaded the empire. He made Christianity the official religion of Rome and he also became a convert, leading him to stop the persecution. He also allowed Christians to relocate.