Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

By 67703
  • 63 BCE

    Roman Rule of Israel (begins)

    Roman Rule of Israel (begins)
    -Israel's location was benefited Rome. Crossroads there allowed people to move freely into different continents
    - Rome made a compromise that allowed Jews their freedom of worship by also having to follow Roman rules and laws
    -Romans and Jews had a mostly positive relationship
    -Jews were excused from military service and they did not have to appear in court by the Sabbath
    - People in Israel saw their right to worship as a privilege that was granted by Caesar, who could take it away if not obeyed
  • 1 CE

    Jesus of Nazareth

    Jesus of Nazareth
    Died: 30 CE
    -Jesus was a religious leader of Christianity and believed to be the incarnation of God
    -Much of Jesus's early childhood is unknown.
    -He was born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, and moved to the city of Nazareth soon after.
    -Jesus's teaching mostly focused on the Kingdom of God that God exists in heaven and people arrive upon death
    -Jesus had a complete devotion to God and put it ahead of himself and his family. He also was a healer and miracle worker.
  • 3

    Paul of Tarsus

    Paul of Tarsus
    Died: 65 CE
    -In his childhood, Paul's family were faithful Jews, and he was sent to study Jewish Law
    -Paul heard a prophet that included Jesus, and began to persecute Jesus's followers
    -On January 25, people celebrate Saint Paul's conversion to Christianity after his encounter of Jesus and when he was baptized to gain holy spirit.
    -Paul traveled to many places to teach people about Jesus.
    -He wrote letters when he was arrested for for preaching about Jesus that people still read today.
  • 64

    Great Fire of Rome

    Great Fire of Rome
    End Date: July 25th 64 CE.
    -The Great Fire of Rome started in the Circus Maximum stadium which is located in the capital of Italy today.
    -Many think that Nero (Roman Emperor) started the fire, some even think that Nero wanted a new palace from burning Rome.
    - Nero blamed the Christians for starting the fire as a rebellious cult.
    - Most historians say that the cause of the fire could be from a fire that started in a wooden apartment that people were living in
    - 10/14 Roman districts were burned
  • 181

    Perpetua

    Perpetua
    Died: 203
    -Perpetua was a Christian martyr who wrote a journal about her events of her trial and imprisonment.
    -Her writing is one of the surviving written records by a female in the ancient world
    -She was arrested at the time when emperor Severus forbidden the conversion of Christianity
    -Perpetua's diary included her prophetic dreams that offered visions into heaven
    -Her diary was handed over to another Christian who recorded the events of her execution and her acceptance taking death by sword.
  • 303

    Great Persecution of 303 CE

    Great Persecution of 303 CE
    Ended: 313 CE
    - Romans increasingly saw Christianity as a threat as people began to reject the religion.
    -Nero was the first emperor to persecute the Christians, however Diocletian had the most intense persecutions
    - In 260, laws had passed rights for Christians, in 303 Diocletian overturned the laws to ban citizens from worshiping god
    -The Roman Government destroyed a church (Nicomedia) as a first act to wipe out Christianity.
    -Acts of Persecutions included: being burnt alive and imprisonment
  • 306

    Constantine the Great

    Constantine the Great
    Died May 22,337
    -Constantine was the first Roman emperor to affirm Christianity
    -He turned the Roman Empire into a Christian state, evolving Christian culture, including Western Medieval culture.
    -Before his rule, the empire was split into two in which Constantine brought together.
    -Constantine moved the old capital of Rome, the new capital was named after him (Constantinople).
    -Constantine battled against two emperors to rule, claiming that his success came from the support of God and Christ.
  • 312

    Battle of Milvian Bridge

    Battle of Milvian Bridge
    -It was a battle in the civil war in which Constantine won and Christianity became Rome's official religion
    -It was a battle that was fought between Constantine and Maxentius.
    -The battle was fought over Tiber River on the Milvian Bridge outside of Rome.
    -Before the battle, Constantine described the fate like a religious awakening.
    -Maxentius had a defective battle strategy, putting his troops too close to the river. When Constantine's men struck out, Maxentius could not retreat and drowned.
  • 313

    Edict of Milan

    Edict of Milan
    -Edict of Milan was the political agreement outcome between the Emperors Constantine 1 and Licinius
    -The Edict granted freedom to the people freedom to worship any deity they desired
    -The Edict established tolerance for Christianity, and granted legal rights to the Christians
    -This was the only Edict that effectively established religious tolerance as others were short lived
    -The granted rights Christians received included the right to organize churches and the returning of confiscated property
  • 347

    Emperor Theodosius

    Emperor Theodosius
    Died: 395 AD
    -Roman Emperor who the Creed of the Council Nicaea as a norm for Christian Orthodoxy
    -He participated in campaigns against the Picts, the Alemanni, and the Samaritans.
    -Theodosius created a treaty of alliance to coexist with the barbarians in 382 as it was a major issue in Rome.
    -Theodosius valued paganism, and took many measures to suppress it such as passing an Edict in 391.
    -After Theodosius death, the Roman empire was inherited by his sons in which Rome was divided permanently