Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Jesus of Nazareth

6 BCE

Jesus of Nazareth is a very important figure in Christianity, and is believed to have been God reincarnate. Most of his life is told through the New Testament, a book that is the key doctrine for Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth is thought to have been a perfect person, and is an example that all Christians look up to. Jesus did many things in his life and re-established the religion of Christianity. Jesus lived until 30-33 CE.

Paul of Tarsus

5

Paul of Tarsus, or otherwise known as Paul the Apostle, was the second founder of Christianity. He taught the teachings of Jesus Christ to the world and helped spread the religion. He was considered to be the most important person after Jesus Christ.

Great Fire of Rome

64

The Great Fire of Rome was the beginning of serial prosecution of Christians. It is believed by many that the fire was started by the emperor at the time, Nero, but it is not confirmed. What we do know is that the fire could have fit Nero's political agenda. The fire would have allowed Nero to rebuild the city, and also allow Nero to blame the Christians and ultimately get rid of Christianity. From then on, the Christians were to blame and were arrested and tortured because of this blame.

Roman Rule of Israel

64

The Roman Rule of Israel occurred in 64 CE when Rome conquered Syria and took over the land. Taking over what they called Judea was very important for the economy of Rome as it allowed trade and transport to occur more easily. The Jews that resided there were very religious, and because of their economic importance, the Romans allowed them to practice their religion so long as they followed Roman rule.They were also given exceptions and rights to these rules.

Perpetua

203

Perpetua was a strong Christian martyr who was imprisoned and put to death along with her slave Felicitas. She presided in the Roman province of Africa, and her diaries that she wrote while in prison are still read today by many Christians. It is believed that she was born in 181, and she died in 203.

Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

The Great Persecution of 303 CE was a persecution of Christianity mostly led by Diocletian. Diocletian forbid Christians from practicing their religion and forced them to comply with Roman religious practices. Diocletian did so in a series of Edicts, and these Edicts took away any legal rights that the Christians might have had. These Edicts basically tore apart the church, from destroying temples and scriptures to putting church leaders in jail. Christianity could no longer continue.

Constantine the Great

312

Constantine the Great was a Roman emperor who is widely known to have converted to Christianity. He converted to Christianity because of a vision he had of the cross and the words 'In Hoc Signo Vinces.' (In This Sign You Will Conquer) He believed that this was a sign from God and soon became a follower of Christianity. Constantine created the Edict of Milan, which allowed Christianity the right to worship and made the religion legal. Christianity would not be here today without Constantine.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

The Battle of Milvian Bridge was a battle between Constantine and Maxentius. Constantine won the battle and went then on to become the sole Roman ruler. Constantine is said to have won the battle by right of God, as earlier he had a vision of the cross and the words, 'In Hoc Signo Vinces.' These words are have thought to have meant, 'In this sign you shall conquer.' Constantine took the cross and put it onto all of his soldier's shields. Many believe that this is what allowed Constantine to win.

Edict of Milan

313

The Edict of Milan was a document signed by Constantine and another emperor, Licinius, that gave the Christians religious freedom and commanded the Romans to give religious tolerance towards anyone else of a different religion. This Edict ended the age of persecution and started the growth of Christianity.

Emperor Theodosius

379

The Emperor Theodosius was the last Roman emperor to rule over a united Rome and firmly established that Christianity was the state religion of Rome. Theodosius was very against any other religions and commanded the other religions to conform to that of the Trinity. His ruling was what established the age of Christianity in Rome and set a standard for all the coming emperors to follow.