Chronicles of Faith: Unveiling the Untold Saga of Ancient Christianity’s Provocative History.

In the shadow of the Roman rule, Christians found themselves marginalized in business opportunities and societal status, barred from worship, targeted by violent mobs, persecuted, tortured, and systematically killed in organized campaigns by the Roman government. Tacitus, a Roman historian, went so far as to accuse them of harboring ‘hatred of the human race.’ The Book of Revelation emerged as a response to the relentless Roman persecutions.

Chгіѕtіaп maгtyгѕ іп the Coloѕѕeυm

Tacіtυѕ wгote Chгіѕtіaпѕ, “weгe пaіled oп cгoѕѕeѕ…ѕewп υp іп the ѕkіпѕ of wіld beaѕtѕ, aпd expoѕed to the fυгy of dogѕ; otheгѕ agaіп, ѕmeaгed oveг wіth combυѕtіble mateгіalѕ, weгe υѕed aѕ toгcheѕ to іllυmіпate the піght.”

Dυe to peгѕecυtіoп, Chгіѕtіaпѕ met іп ѕecгet pгіmaгіly іп the hoυѕeѕ of wealthy membeгѕ. Thіѕ oпly ѕeemed to гaіѕe the level of hoѕtіlіty agaіпѕt them. Becaυѕe eaгly Chгіѕtіaпѕ һeɩd ѕeгvіceѕ “behіпd cloѕed dooгѕ” at піght іпѕtead of dυгіпg the day іп opeп templeѕ lіke the гomaп they weгe accυѕed of havіпg oгgіeѕ aпd eпgagіпg іп саппіbalіѕm (paгtly fгom a mіѕіпteгpгetatіoп of the pгactіce of Commυпіoп).

The Romans insisted on the worship of their gods, but allowed for the recognition of local deities. The persecution of Jews and Christians arose from their refusal to worship Roman gods, posing a perceived threat. Judaism and Christianity were not the only religions in the Roman Empire; various others, such as Mithraism, Manichaeism, Gnosticism, and more, were practiced. Subjects of all religions were expected to sacrifice to Roman gods and worship the emperor as a god.

Around A.D. 49, Claudius expelled Jews from Rome due to disturbances. The persecution under Nero after the Great Fire in Rome may have been less severe than reported, with Peter and Paul being plausible martyrs. Nero’s persecution was likely a local police action limited to the city of Rome and may not have been associated with the fire. Nevertheless, Nero’s name became synonymous with a policy of persecution. The major empire-wide persecution occurred around 200 years after Nero’s death under the Roman Emperor Decius, who ruled from A.D. 249 to 251. The question remains: Why were Christians persecuted?

The persecution of Christians during the Roman rule, particularly under emperors like Nero, was rooted in various factors. Dr. Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe from the University of Cambridge explains that the intensity of persecution often depended on local governors and their zeal in pursuing and prosecuting Christians. Reasons for individual Christians being targeted were diverse, with some becoming scapegoats, their faith attacked when personal or local hostilities were at play.

Contemporary pagan and Christian sources also preserved other accusations against Christians, including charges of incest and cannibalism. These likely resulted from distorted accounts of the secret rites celebrated by Christians, such as the agape (the ‘love-feast’) and the Eucharist (partaking of the body and blood of Christ).

Pagans were likely suspicious of Christians due to their refusal to sacrifice to the Roman gods, which was seen as an insult to the gods and a potential threat to the empire. Moreover, the Christian refusal to offer sacrifices to the emperor, a semi-divine monarch, carried implications of sacrilege and treason.

The classic test of a Christian’s faith often involved forcing them, under the threat of death, to swear allegiance to the emperor and offer incense to his images or to sacrifice to the pagan gods. During the persecution of Polycarp in the mid-second century, officials urged him to declare ‘Caesar is Lord’ and offer incense to save his life, but he refused. Later, in the arena, he was asked to swear an oath by the ‘luck of Caesar,’ and again, he refused, ultimately being burned alive.

General persecutions tended to be triggered by specific events, such as the fire in Rome under Nero or during periods of particular crises, like the third century. The rapid turnover of emperors during the third century, social unrest, barbarian invasions, economic hardship, and rampant inflation contributed to a tumultuous atmosphere. Both pagans and Christians observed this unrest and sought someone or something, preferably subversive, to blame. Consequently, a series of emperors ordered savage empire-wide persecutions of Christians.