Topics in Middle East History

Christianity versus the Roman Empire

Christianity Events Roman Empire
Jewish Sect claiming that Jesus is the Messiah. Jewish Christians are branded as heretics (by other Jews), minim in Hebrew.  

Competent emperors (for the most part)

Pax Romana - Peace and prosperity (at least for the rich).

No historical record ("Dark Tunnel") Jewish revolt of ~70
Bar-Kokhba revolt ~132

Separate Religion with centers in Alexandria, Antioch, Corinth, Rome, etc but not in Jerusalem.

Jewish Christians are branded as heretics (by other Christians) called Ebionites.

Christianity spreads and gains wealth and power as a social "support group" with hierarchy. It becomes a state within a state.

There is also corruption and, most important, theological disputes that split the church.

Arianism is the most important sect claiming that Jesus, the son, is of similar substance to the father while the orthodox position is that the son is of the same substance as the father.

The theological disputes mask political and regional disputes.

 
Death of Commodus — 192

Civil wars between claimants to the imperial title. Borders are left unguarded.

Christians are persecuted on several occasions but not consistently.

Emperor Diocletian introduces a division of the empire into four parts and institutes elaborate rules for succession of emperors.

Diocletian's palace is in Nicomedia, a town near today's Istanbul. None of the other three rulers lives in Rome either.

 
Christianity gains Constantine's favor who takes active interest in the theological disputes - Nicean creed condemns Arianism. Constantine becomes sole emperor — 324 Empire is united and capital is moved away from Rome to a new city, Constantinople. (Today's Istanbul.)
 
Emperor Theodosios makes Christianity the sole religion of the Empire — 380

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First Posted: October 2, 2011. Latest Revision: October 2, 2011.