The Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire timeline

Jesus was often referred to as a rabbi while on his ministry that started after John the Baptist baptized him. Jesus was a Galilean Jew ane regularly debated with fellow Jews on how best to worship God, engage in healings, and taught in parables. Jesus was arrested and tried by Jewish authorities, he was later turned over to the Roman government and Crucified. His followers believe that after his death Jesus rose from the dead, and the community it created eventually became the early church.

Paul was an apostle the gospel of christ to the first world century. He is the second most important person in the Christian religion, second to Jesus. His letters greatly influenced Christian theology, especially on the mystical human contact with the divine. His letters also made a name for himself in the small Christian community and secured his place among one of the greatest religious leaders of all time. He used his position as a Jew and a Roman to appeal to Jewish and Roman audiences.

In 37 BC, the Romans replaced the seleucids as the significant power in the region. Romans granted the Hasmonean king limited authority under the Roman governor. Jews were resentful; a last-ditch effort was made by Jews to restore glory to the Hasmonean dynasty. Jewish defeat leads to land becoming a Roman providence. Later, Judea came under direct Roman administration. Growing anger against increased. This lead to Roman forces razing Jerusalem to the ground, essentially ending Jewish revolt.

The fire began in merchant shops around Circus Maximus. After six days of burning, the fire was brought under control, then reignited and burned for another three days. The fire had destroyed two-thirds of the city. Emperor Nero blamed the fire on Christians, which began the first persecution of Christians. It is rumored that Nero ordered the fire started to clear space for a new palace. Surprisingly there were only six verified deaths during the fire.

Perpetua was 22, married, and a mother of a son when she was put to death. Perpetua was one of five Christians put to death in the arena. Her pagan father would often come to visit her; he would come to plead that she would renounce her religion to save her life. Her and four of her companions were lead to the arena. Perpetua and her female companion were gored to death by a bull but miraculously survived. Perpetua then voluntarily accepted her death by sword rather than renounce her religion,

The Great Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. The emperors at the time diminished their legal rights and demanded that they practice religious traditions of old. It's intensity varied across the empire, weakest being in Gaul and Britain. There is no evidence that edicts that Diocletian passed directly targeted Christians. It's believed 3,000-3,500 Christian were killed during this time. Persecution was officially discontinued on April 30, 311.

A Roman Emperor from 306 to 337, Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. In 313 he helped establish tolerance of all religions throughout the empire. Constantine's mother is believed to have influenced him to protect Christianity. At a time, he practiced Christianity and paid respects to old pagan traditions and sacrifices to Apollo and Hercules simultaneously. Constantine became terminally ill and asked to be baptized by the bishops at river Jordan as he was dying.

The battle took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius. The campaign was part of a civil war over if the roman empire would become a tetrarchy or not. Constantine won and started on a path that would lead him to the end of tetrarchy and the sole ruler of the empire. Maxentius drowned in the Tiber River during the battle. When his body was recovered, it was decapitated, and his head was paraded around the streets after the battle.

The Edict of Milan signed by emperors Constantine and Licinius that bestowed religious tolerance to everyone in the empire. It marked the end to the great persecution of Christians, which had been taking place before this. It gave Christianity it's legal status but did not make it the state religion. The Edict of Thessalonica did that. It debated whether or not the proclamation was an act of genuine faith or the first step Constantine took with creating an alliance Christian god.

Theodosius was the emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to govern both Easter and western halves of the Roman Empire. While emperor, he settled the long-standing Gothic problem by allowing them to reside south of the Danube as allies of Rome. He is sometimes called Theodosius the Great because he solved the Gothic Problem. His will divided the empire into halves, his two sons each had ruled individually. This marked the end of the imperial unity the empire maintained.