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The Roman Empire: Embracing Diversity in Religion and the Rise of Christianity

Discover how the Roman Empire respected various religions, the emergence of Christianity, and the challenges faced by its followers. Explore the shift from polytheism to monotheism, the ban on Christianity, and its eventual acceptance under Emperor Constantine. Uncover the historical context of religious freedom and persecution during ancient Rome.

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The Roman Empire: Embracing Diversity in Religion and the Rise of Christianity

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  1. The Roman Empire & Religion

  2. Freedom to Worship • As Rome expanded it came to include many people who spoke different languages & had different religions. • The Romans did not force the conquered to follow their religion.

  3. Better Safe than Sorry • The Romans also adopted other cultures gods. Ex. • Greeks. • The Romans were not sure what gods actually existed. • To avoid offending any of the gods, the Romans prayed to many different ones.

  4. Banning a Religion • The only time a religion was banned is when a ruler considered it a political problem. • Judaism was seen as one of these problems because they only prayed to one god

  5. A New Religion • During the 1st century ( 1- 99 A.D.) a new religion appears. • Christianity based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. • Christianity was rooted in the ideas and traditions of Judaism, but developed as a separate faith. • At this time Jesus was born around the end of the first century.

  6. A Prophecy • According to prophecy, the Jew’s new leader would restore the ancient kingdom of Israel. • The Prophets called this leader the Messiah, which means “God’s appointed one” • In other words, the Jews believed that God would choose the Messiah that would lead them. • Many Jews believed this Messiah would appear soon.

  7. Jesus of Nazareth • Born in Bethlehem • His birth marks the shift between B.C. & A.D. • Started as a carpenter then at 30 he traveled to spread his teachings. • He attracted many followers but his teachings challenged the authority of political and religious figures. • He was arrested and executed around 30 AD.

  8. Christianity Banned • Many people who became Christian faced challenges. • Few emperors feared that Christianity would cause unrest, so they banned it. • This began a period of persecution against the Christians. • Persecution is punishment of a group because of its beliefs. • People who did not worship the Roman gods were arrested or sentenced to death.

  9. Constantine • Christianity spread even though the people had to meet in secret. • In 300’s emperor Constantine became Christian and removed the ban. • Later emperors made it Rome’s official religion.

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