Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Roman Rule of Israel (begins)

37 BCE

Growing anger against increased Roman suppression of Jewish life resulted in violence which escalated into a full-scale revolt in 66 BCE. The total destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was catastrophic for the Jewish people. Hundreds of thousands of Jews perished in the siege of Jerusalem and elsewhere in the country, and many thousands more were sold into slavery.

Paul of Tarsus

4 BCE

Known today as Saint Paul in the bible, he was actually Jewish and wanted to put Christians to death, his real name was Saul. It is said that as he was traveling to Damascus a man said to him "Why are you persecuting me" and that man was Jesus when he was risen from the dead. Later he was told by someone in the city that Jesus wanted Paul to believe in Christianity and to get baptized. He later was found traveling to other countries trying to spread Christianity all over. He died in 64/67 BC

Jesus of Nazareth

3 BCE

He is regarded as the re carnation of God and is a religious leader in one of the worlds biggest religions. After his death he got the name Jesus Christ from a Greek word christos, which means “the anointed one." He was born into a family of Joseph and Mary the virgin. Mary said that the child was with her holy spirit because she was a virgin but yet a child was conceived. He converted others to belief in him, which eventually led to a new religion, Christianity. He died in 30/33 BC

Great Fire of Rome

64

Nero wanted to tear down a third of Rome to rebuild a series of Palaces and call it Neropolis. On July 19 64 AD a fire broke out and burned down 10 of 14 districts of Rome. It started in the shops outside of the Circus Maximus. People blamed Nero of starting it so he could get what he wanted.

Perpetua

182

Perpetua was a christian martyr who wrote "The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity. She was imprisoned for going to the christian church. The government did not want them to go there because that meant they did not believe in a Monarch. During imprisonment she started a Diary which is the story she wrote. She also gave birth in Prison too.Her writing is still used to this day in the bible and other christian books. She was executed in 203 AD.

Constantine the Great

272

He was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. He not only made Christianity legal but he also made it apart of their culture. People believed that he had a special relationship with God.

Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

Christianity was one which quickly became a threat to the empire. Christians declared Christ to be their king, not the emperor of Rome. As a result, attitudes toward Christians changed. Nero was the first emperor to persecute them. Subsequent emperors also dealt harshly with Christians off and on for the next couple centuries. The ultimate goal of the Roman government was to stamp out Christianity completely.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

Battle of Milvian Bridge, (28 October 312) was a crucial moment in the civil war that ended with Constantine I, as a sole ruler of the Roman Empire and Christianity established as the empire’s official religion. Constantine’s conversion to the Cross may have been prompted by a dream of victory. The night before the battle Constantine had a dream where he saw a cross and he knew at that moment that they would win the battle the next day.

Edict of Milan

313

Edict of Milan a proclamation that permanently established religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire. It was the outcome of a political agreement concluded in Mediolanum between the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius in February 313. The proclamation, made for the East by Licinius in June 313, granted all people freedom to worship whatever deity they pleased, assured Christians of legal rights, and directed the prompt return to Christians of confiscated property.

Emperor Theodosius

347

He was not only a emperor but also a military commander. When he fought, he fought under god. He was born into a christian family Catholic to be specific. He brought together the council of Constantinople which later made sure all Christians had equal rights.