Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Roman Rule of Israel (begins)

57 BCE

When Israel was under the rule of the Roman Empire, the political and military aspects of the government were controlled by the Romans. From 57 BCE to 55 BCE, the Roman government split Israel into five administrative districts to govern.

Jesus of Nazareth

6 BCE

Christianity, a monotheistic religion, believes in only one God, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was a Jewish religious leader that became a central figure in Christianity. By many Christians, he is referred to as God himself. He is also an important prophet of the Muslim religion. Jesus, born in 6 BCE, lived until he was 36 years old when he was sacrificed for the people.

Paul of Tarsus

4 BCE

Paul of Tarsus, also known as St. Paul the Apostle, is known to be one of the first leaders of Christianity. He was born in 4 BCE and lived to be around 68 years old. He is considered the most important person after Jesus because he was part of a small Christian movement. His influence on Christians has made him one of the greatest leaders in Christianity.

The Great Fire of Rome

64

The Great Fire of Rome started on the night of July 19, in the merchant shops near the Circus Maximus stadium. Many people blamed the current Emperor, Nero, for starting the fire in Rome, although there are many theories. Other people believed that Nero destroyed the city and all the buildings so he could construct a new palace. Another theory is that Nero played the fiddle while the city of Rome was blazing.

Perpetua

182

Perpetua, a Christian martyr, lived from 182 to 203 CE. She kept a journal that was later published under the title The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity. When she was killed, her journal was continued by another martyr. In this journal, there are stories about Perpetua's trials and imprisonment

The Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

Under the rule of Diocletian, the Great Persecution of Christians occurred on February 23 in 303 CE. Officers and assistants marched to the Christian churches and seized all of their sacred books and burned them. Along with the burning, the church was leveled to the ground and Christians were imprisoned and killed.

Constantine the Great

306

Constantine is a Roman Emporer that ruled for 31 years, beginning in 306 AD. Constantine was ruling at the time Diocletian split the empire into two. Constantine was the ruler of the East. He reunited the split empire and moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople, named after himself.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

The Battle of Milvian Bridge took place just outside of Rome beside the Tiber River. The conflicts between the east and the west competing for power lead to this battle where Constantine was victorious. In the end, Constantine was the only ruler of the Roman Empire and Christianity was established as the official religion of the Empire.

Edict of Milan

313

The Edict of Milan was the agreement to treat Christianity with equal respect as the other religions practiced within the Roman Empire. The agreement between Constantine and Licinius in 313 CE led to many advancements in the Roman Empire. Some of which being peace and respect between people.

Emperor Theodosius

379

The Roman Emperor, Theodosius, ruled the eastern empire for thirteen years, lasting from 379 to 392 BC. He then was the sole emperor ruling the east and the west for the following three years. Theodosius established the Council of Nicaea as a universal norm for Christian Orthodoxy and directed the second general meeting for the council at Constantinople.