Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Jesus of Nazareth

1 CE

Jesus was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He was a Jew who was baptized and subsequently began his own ministry, and started preaching his message. His messages engaged in healing, taught in parables and gathered followers. he is the religious leader revered in Christianity.

Paul of Tarsus

33

Paul was a young contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth. At first he was strongly against Christianity. He would be the person who would rounded up and collected Christians to kill them. He then made a trip to Damascus which converted him to Christianity. After the trip he was all for Christianity and was the significant figure after Jesus died.

Great Fire of Rome

64

A fire began in the South of Palatine Hill but spread North from the wind. Nero blamed members of Christianity for the fire and launched the first Roman persecution of Christians in response.He arrested, tortured, and executed hundreds of Christians on the pretext that they had something to do with the fire. The fire went on for three days. Three of Rome’s 14 districts were completely wiped out, only four were untouched.Hundreds of people died and two-thirds of Rome had been destroyed.

Roman Rule of Isreal

66

Jewish was sectioned to two parts, the Christians and the Pharisees, who became Judaism. Christian non-involvement in the war of 66-70 showed their growing distance from the rest of Judaism. Christians were viewed as traitors. Jesus had clearly been opposed so they move away.

Perpetua

203

Perpetua was a Christian noblewoman who lived in North Africa. North Africa was the center of a vibrant Christian community. Emperor Septimius Severus was determined to cripple Christianity so he focused his attention on North Africa.The first to be arrested were five new Christians taking classes to prepare for baptism, one of whom was Perpetua. They were going to be executed. Perpetua's father tried to tell people she wasn't a Christian but she wouldn’t go against what she believed in.

Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

Diocletian's goal was to wipe out the Church. This was the last and most severe persecution of Christians. Many problem were going on and everyone was looking at Diocletian, the emperor, for answers but he blamed the Christians who were an easy target, so people could get off his back. He hunted down Christians and destroyed their church buildings. Many Christians fell away, and many others were tortured, thrown in a dungeon, or put to death.

Constantine the Great

312

Constantine was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity.He initiated the empire into a Christian state and provided the impulse for a distinctively Christian culture.Everything happened because he looked to the sky where he saw the sign of the cross superimposed over the sun. Under it was the inscription In Hoc Signo Vinae or “conquer by this sign.”At night in a dream he received an explanation of the sign-Christ appeared before him telling him to carry the sign of the cross into battle.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

On October 28, 312 AD Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius fought to see who would be the emperor of Rome.
Constantine won the battle and become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire.His victory of the battle marked the beginning of Constantine's conversion to Christianity.

Edict of Milan

313

This letter signed on February, 313 AD by the Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius, proclaimed religious toleration in the Roman Empire. Constantine I, who ruled the western parts of the Empire, and Licinius, who ruled the East. The two emperors were in Milan to both sign the letter. The Edict of Milan gave Christianity a legal status

Emperor Theodosius

380

Theodosius was the Roman Emperor from AD 379 to AD 395. He used his power to officially enforce orthodox Christianity. He made it the official religion of the Roman Empire and stopped the persecution. He also allowed followers of the religion to relocate.