Another answer from our community:
There was no real concept of an afterlife. Hades was like a piece of blotting paper. However mystery religions involved a personal contact with a god who gave keys to an afterlife to initiates. The earlier cults were anchored to a cult centre such as Samothrace - costly to get there, and costly to join. However some of them became mobile, and went to the customers.
Christianity was a mystery religion, and it became popular, along with the other mystery religions such as Isis and Mithraism, because its missionaries travelled rather than vice versa. And Christianity was available to all - rich or poor, free or slave. Of course it became popular - an afterlife for free in your own town just down the road.
The Romans as they had all the power would throw the early christians to the lions to get rid of them as they thought they would become more powerful then them.
Umm. Christians?
Christians refused to worship Roman gods.
In the underground catacombs.
At various times, Romans embraced, ignored or slaughtered Jews and Christians. Nero was notorious for persecuting Christians. Under Hadrian, at least half a million Jews died and many more were enslaved.
God
312 AD
The Romans as they had all the power would throw the early christians to the lions to get rid of them as they thought they would become more powerful then them.
Christians believed that Jesus was the king of the Jews; a treasonous thought. Christians denounced what they felt were the sinful ways of the Romans.
Christians:)
Umm. Christians?
The Romans hated everyone who would not worship their idols. Since Christians did not worship idols, [and since the Romans had Jesus (whom Christians regard as God in human form) crucified], the Romans sent many Christians into the arena to be killed for sport and entertainment.
The Romans told the Christians to worship their Ceasar, but the Chrisitans said that they should only worship God and Jesus......so that made the Romans really angry.
Christians refused to worship Roman gods.
Nero was the emperor who fed to the lions, burned alive, and crucified Christians of the early church. He was also emperor when Rome burned to the ground.
In the underground catacombs.
Punic Wars?