Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Roman Rule of Israel

27 BCE

Cultural interaction between the Romans and Jews
Ended 476
- Jews have lived in Rome for over 2,000 years, longer than in any other European city
- Had 2 civil wars between the Jews
- Multiple Roman-Jewish wars
- Many Judean Jews were sold into slavery
- Julius Ceaser and Augustus let the Jews practice the same religion

Jesus of Nazareth

4 BCE

Incarnation of the Christian God
Died in 33
- Nazareth was Jesus' birthplace
- Taught people in small groups or large gatherings about the coming of God
- Passion week: Palm Sunday Jesus entered Jeruselum
- Thursday of passion week: was the Lord's Supper
- The resurrection where people say he rose from the dead and met with his disciples

Paul of Tarsus

4 BCE

Set the tone for Christianity Died in 67
- Writing emphasized celibacy and the theory of divine grace and salvation
- Eliminated the circumcision requirement
- Used the gospel in teaching
- Earliest surviving Christian Literature
- Executed by Nero

Great Fire of Rome

64

Started the persecution of Christians.
Ended July 23, 64 CE
- 65% of Rome was destroyed
- Some thought Nero started it because he wanted to rebuild Rome the way he wanted
- Nero blamed it on the Christians because their area was not burned
- Lasted 6 days
- Hundreds of people died, thousands were homeless

Perpetua

203

Demonstrated strong faith in Christianity
- Augustine preached four sermons about her death
- Last moments were found in her diary
- Never rejected the fact she was Christian
- Thrown into a gladiator ring
- Her and her friends were slain one by one

Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

Diocletian attempt to wipe out the church
Ended 311 CE
- Diocletian destroyed their church buildings
- Hunted down Christians and their scriptures
- Tried to turn them into Pagans
- Christians were tortured, thrown in a dungeon, or killed
- Ended with the Edict of Milan

Constantine the Great

306

Legalized Christianity
Rule ended in 337
- The first emperor of the Christian religion
- Developed Edict of Milan
- Started to the evolution of the empire into a Christian state
- Conversion may have been politically motivated
- Converted because of his win at the Battle of Milvian

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

Constantine became ruler of Rome
Ended October 28th, 312
- Led Constantine to become the leader of Rome
- Converted Constantine to Christianity
- Constantine attributed the win to the Christian God
- Saw a cross and "In hoc signo vinces" in the sky
- Had a dream where Christ told him to use the cross on his shields

Edict of Milan

313

Established permanent religious toleration for Christians
- Constantine and Licinius established it
- Granted everyone to the ability to worship any deity without persecution
- Did not make Christianity the official religion
- Unsure if the Edict was a statement of actual faith
- Whether or not there was a formal 'Edict of Milan'  is debated by some

Emperor Theodosius

379

Made Christianity the official religion
Ended rule in 395
- Trapped an arena full of people and had soldiers kill them all
- Deal with Germans for an exchange of land and provisions and their soldiers would serve under the Roman banner when needed
- Stopped persecution
- Wrote the treaty of 382
- Attributed with the downfall Rome