Rise of Christianity in Rome

Emperor Theodosius

347 BCE

-380 he announced that he was a Christian
-A favored charioteer was imprisoned (for homosexuality), and he wanted revenge: a chariot race came to be, as citizens gathered in the arena 7,000 ended up dead
-391 pagan temples were closed and worship became forbidden
-He defeated political enemies in the West and died 5 months later

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312 BCE

-Maxentius fought and was destroyed at the Milvian Bridge
-They saw light in the sky with words in Greek that are translated In hoc signo vinces (‘In this sign conquer’)
-God told him he should use the sign of the cross against his enemies and that lead them to victory
-Lactantius had a dream in which he was told to put the sign ‘the heavenly sign of God’ on his soldiers’ shields which lead him to a victory

Constantine the Great

272 BCE

-ordered a Christian symbol to be painted on his soldiers' shields
-Created the Edict of Milan in 313
-allowed for freedom of worship any god throughout the empire
-Constantine defeated Licinius and took control of a reunited empire
-founded the city of Constantinople at Byzantium

Great Fire of Rome

64 BCE

-Burned for 6 days, until it became controllable
-⅔ of Rome had been destroyed
-Nero (Emperor at the time) blamed the fire on Christians
-Nero then persecuted many Christians in horrific ways

Roman Rule of Israel (begins)

63 BCE

-Pompeii (roman general) help Pharisees win Civil War in Israel
-Rome thought they could have access to land since the helped
-Rome took control over Israel thinking it was ok, since they helped Israel win a war
-Roman General Pompey captured Jerusalem

Jesus of Nazareth

4 BCE

-Performed miracles of healing and helping people
-Teached about the father, God
-Helped many people surrender their lives to God
-Was crucified and resurrected on the 3 day

Paul of Tarsus

4 BCE

-Followed Jesus
-Denied his friendship with Jesus 3 times before Jesus died
-Preached the word of God
-Was told to help the Gentiles , until they followed the one true God

Perpetua

182

-She wrote of her imprisonment & her trial and her father’s plea for her to deny her Christianity
-The day before her scheduled death, she gave her diary to another Christian, who continued the story of Perpetua & her fellow Christians. He wrote of Christian’s bravery in the arena when they were attacked by wild beasts and of Perpetua’s voluntary acceptance of death by the sword
-Her influence was so high that it was praised by orthodox Christians
-Very brave in the Christian's & anyone’s eyes

Great Persecution of 303 CE

303

-Christians were murdered
-Largest persecution of all time
-7 million Christians were killed
-Killed in horrific ways
-Burned them
-Fed them to lions
-Left them to die in chariot races

Edict of Milan

313

-Freedom to worship whoever they want to
-Assured Christian’s legal rights
-directed Christians to return to property that had previously been taken away
-Christians got their rights again