What helped spread Christianity in Ancient Rome?

Answer 1

It seems that the existence of the Roman Empire with its laws rather favored the growth of Christianity in the first century. It is true that in many cases there were persecutions of Christians, but these persecutions favored that the Christian people dispersed by the empire carrying with them their teachings . The universality of the language of the time also favored this fact. When the Roman emperors wanted to agree with the church, true Christianity was perverted and the false doctrines that many religions practiced today were born.

Answer 2

Religious tolerance. The Romans tolerated and respected other religions. Although some Roman emperors persecuted the Christians, these were breaks in the policy of tolerance. These periods were followed by a return to toleration. Most of these persecutions were mild and aimed at the clergy, rather than the followers.

The Great Persecution. The last persecution was gruesome and large scale. However, instead of weakening the Christians, it encouraged resistance and defiance and strengthen their ranks. The persecution was ended to restore stability.

The appeal of Christianity. It is generally agreed that Christianity's promise of redemption and salvation was appealing to many Romans. In pagan religions it was thought that after death one went to the underworld and not much was said about the afterlife. Christianity, instead, offered salvation and hope. Moreover, the pagan gods were indifferent to humans and they were gods to be appeased with sacrifices (natural disasters were interpreted as the wrath of the gods because they had not been honoured). By contrast, Jesus Christ was a figure of compassion, mercy and benevolence.

Imperial endorsement. Constantine the Great favoured Christianity. All but one of the next emperors were Christians who pursued pro-Christian policies. In 380 the co-emperors Theodosius and Gratian issued the Edict of Thessalonica which made mainstream Christianity (the Latin and Greek Churches, which later came to be called Catholic and Orthodox respectively) the sole legitimate religion of the empire. Christianity became state religion ad was officially endorsed by the Roman state. The object of the edict was to ban the many dissident Christian doctrines which were branded heretic. The main target was Arian Christianity, which was popular around the empire and which was persecuted. Thus, the edict also promoted greater uniformity among the Christians.

Persecution of pagan religions. Theodosius also introduced laws which banned the institutions and practices of Roman religion which had not already been banned by previous Christian emperors. This made practicing this religion virtually fully illegal. Theodosius either ordered the destruction of pagan temples, shrines and statues or condoned such destructions by Christian monks and zealots. In some parts of the empire there were also forced conversions. These persecutions weakened pagan religions and further favoured the spread of Christianity.

Answer 3

The martyrdom of the early Christians inspired others to become Christians too.

Answer 4

Christianity began in the 1st Century AD and was not around during the period known as ancient Rome - which believed in paganism primarily from Babylon, Egypt and Greece.