Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Roman Rule of Israel

63 BCE

1. Roman general Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC in his eastern campaign
2. Julius Caesar defeated Pompey in 45 BC and took over his empire including Israel
3. The Romans ruled in Israel until 313 AD
4. Judea was the most significant Roman province that was managed by many different leaders throughout the lifetime of Rome
5. Israel was ruled by Rome when Jesus was born inside of Rome's borders

Jesus of Nazareth

6 BCE

Also known as Jesus Christ, Jesus was the religious leader of Christianity.

1. His birth marked the year 0 and was the start of the Common Era
2. He was actually born in 6-4 BC and died 30 AD
3. He is regarded by Christians as the incarnation of God
4. He was the catalyst for the most popular religion in modern era
5. Jesus was born in the city of Judea in the Roman Empire where he became the first religious leader of Christianity

Paul of Tarsus

4 BCE

Paul of Tarsus was an apostle who taught the gospel of Christ to the 1st century world.

1. He was born in 4 BC in Tarsus, Turkey and died in 62 AD in Rome
2. Considered the most important leader of Christianity after Jesus
3. Paul was born a Greek speaking Jew but fell in love with Christianity at first exposure
4. He was one of the most important leaders of the early Christian movements Paul wrote many testaments to Christianity and persuaded many people to convert to the religion.

The Great Fire of Rome

64

The city of Rome burned for 6 days in what became known as the Great Fire of Rome. The fire started on July 18, 64 and ended on July 23, 64 AD. Almost 2/3 of the city was burned.

1. The Emperor at the time, Nero, blamed the fire on the Christians but is rumored to have started it himself.
2. The fire started in the Circus Maximus.
3. The fire burned down 10 of Rome's 14 districts.
4. The fire destroyed 60,000 buildings
5. There were only 6 verified deaths

Perpetua

182

Vibia Perpetua was one of the most recognized Christian martyrs of the Ancient World and her diary was passed down through the generations.

1. Perpetua was a strong believer in Christianity when it was banned.
2. She and 5 others were arrested and when they refused to give up their faith, they were put to death
3. Perpetua's diary is a firsthand account of her trial and imprisonment
4. The diary also describes her death
5. Her martyrdom and her account are highly revered by all Christians

The Great Persecution

Period: 303 to 311

Under the rule of Diocletian, the Great Persecution was the last and most severe Christian Persecution in Ancient Rome.

1. Most Christians were thrown to the beasts or burned..
2. Diocletian, used some Christians as torches in his yard.
3. At this time, the Roman Empire was very unstable and went to many emperors which stopped with Diocletian.
4. Diocletian gave up his throne two years after the persecution started but his successor, Galerius, continued it.
5. 3,000 Christians were executed.

Constantine the Great

306

Constantine was an emperor of Rome the legalized Christianity throughout the empire.

1. Ruled Rome from 306-337 AD
2. Passed the Edict of Milan with the Eastern Roman Emperor to legalize Christianity in Rome
3. Fell in love with Christianity for the rest of his life and believed people should be entitled to any religion they wanted
4. Christians were never persecuted in Ancient Rome again
5. See Edict of Milan and Battle of Milvian Bridge for more details.

The Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

The Battle of Milvian Bridge set the stage for Constantine and his love for Christianity.

1. The battle took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine and Maxentinus
2. Before the battle, Constantine and his soldiers saw a cross in the sky and the words "In Hoc Signo Vinces" which translates to "In His Sign Conquer."
3. Constantine also had a dream where Christ told him to use the cross against his enemies
4. This paved the path for Constantine and his love for Christianity
5. He loved Jesus

Edict of Milan

313

The Edict of Milan was the starting point of Christianity's boom in the modern world.

1. The Edict was formed by Constantine and the Eastern Roman Emperor, Licinius
2. The Edict legalized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire
3. This led to a boom of Christianity throughout the empire and it has become the dominant religion ever since
4. Constantine was the biggest believer of Christianity
5. Constantine built Constantinople that was solely dedicated to Christianity and Jesus

Emperor Theodosius

379

Emperor Theodosius ruled the empire from 379-395 AD.

1. Was the last emperor to rule both parts of the Roman Empire together
2. In 380, Theodosius issued the Edict of Thessalonica which made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
3. He was known for defeating the Goths and other Barbarians that tried to enter the empire
4. His reign ended when he died in 395
5. After his rule, the empire was ruled as two halves for the rest of time.