Summary
Highlights
Christianity began as a Jewish sect in Judea and Galilee with Jesus's teachings, initially having only hundreds of followers. After Jesus's crucifixion, apostles spread the faith to both Jews and Gentiles. Early Christian persecutions included Emperor Nero blaming Christians for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 C.E., leading to significant purges and the likely deaths of Peter and Paul.
The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. under Vespasian significantly impacted Christianity. Originally centered in Jerusalem, the dispersion of Jews and early Christians shifted the centers of Christianity throughout the empire, to places like Antioch. Christians' refusal to worship Roman gods and emperors, coupled with their missionary zeal, led to growing discomfort and further persecutions as their numbers and influence increased.
As Christianity grew in prominence, persecutions intensified, culminating in the most extreme state-sponsored purges under Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian, known for splitting the empire, orchestrated widespread crackdowns on Christians.
Decades after Diocletian's purges, Emperor Constantine emerged. In 312 C.E., during the Battle of Milvian Bridge, Constantine reportedly saw a vision of the Christian cross, leading to his conversion. This victory marked the beginning of his embrace of Christianity. In 313 C.E., the Edict of Milan legalized Christianity, ending centuries of persecution and making it an accepted religion.
Constantine further solidified Christianity's status by convening the Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E. This council aimed to unify Christian beliefs, resulting in the Nicene Creed, which affirmed Jesus's divinity as equal to God. On his deathbed, Constantine was baptized, becoming the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire.
Constantine's conversion gave Christianity significant momentum. By the end of the fourth century, under Emperor Theodosius, Christianity officially became the state religion of the Roman Empire. This marked a dramatic shift from a persecuted sect to the empire's official faith.