1. The Period of Persecutions 1.The Empire and its gods. 2.The cult of the Emperor. 3.Local persecution under Nero in 64 CE. 4.Charges against Christians. 5.Christian apologists respond.

2. Olympic gods

3. The Father of all gods Jupiter (Zeus) Capitolinus

4. Family tree of the Homeric gods

5. Minucius Felix, Octavius (selections). 1.Based upon chap. 6, what are some characteristic traits of the Roman religion? 2.According to chap. 7, why do the Romans worship their gods? 3.How were Christians commonly perceived by the non- Christians (chap. 8)? 4.What rumors circulate about Christian practices among the outsiders (chap. 9)? What could be the grounds for these rumors? 5.What peculiar traits distinguish Christianity from other religions of the Roman Empire (chap. 10, 12)?

6. Gods mentioned in Octavius 6. 1. Ceres. Latin goddess of vegetation. Vatican Museum. Demeter. Cnidus, 330 B. C. Asclepius. National Museum of Athens.

7. Diana of Ephesus. Ishtar (Astarte). Phoenician ivory plaque Mercury (Hermes).

8. Pagan caricature of the Christian God (see Octavius 9. 3)

9. Mystery cults: Persian god Mithras

10. Triclinum Mithraeum (1 st c. C. E.) under the Church of San Clemente in Rome

11. The Murder of Julius Caesar The Senate declared him god ”Yet this father, this high priest, this inviolable being, this hero and god, is dead, alas, dead not by the violence of some disease, nor wasted by old age, nor wounded abroad...but right here within the walls as a result of a plot... Of what avail, O Caesar of what avail was your humanity, of what avail your inviolability, of what avail the laws?” Marc Antony's funeral oration for Caesar, Cassius Dio, XLIV. “ Yet this father, this high priest, this inviolable being, this hero and god, is dead, alas, dead not by the violence of some disease, nor wasted by old age, nor wounded abroad...but right here within the walls as a result of a plot.” Dio Cassius. Marc Antony's funeral oration for Caesar, XLIV.

12. Emperor Cult Julius Caesar divinized after his death Temples dedicated to the genius of emperors Test of civil duty: Caesar is (divine) Lord! Julius Caesar 100-44BC Octavian Augustus 63BC-14AD

13. Persecution of Christians under Nero Time: 64 AD Place: Rome Occasion: the great fire in Rome Nero blamed the fire upon Christians Christians burned as torches & used as gladiators Emperor Nero (54-68)

14. Tertullian complains about common pagan sentiments: If the Tiber reaches the walls, if the Nile does not rise to the fields, if the sky does not move [drought], or the earth does [earthquake], if there is famine, if there is plague, the cry is at once: ‘Christians to the lion!’

15. Seminar. Emperors to whom Athenagoras addressed his apology Emperor Marcus Aurelius 161-180 His son, Lucius Commodus 176-192

16. Seminar questions. What were the main charges against Christians? How does Athenagoras respond to the charge of atheism? What arguments does he use? Do you find his arguments persuasive or not? What is idolatry? According to Athenagoras, what are the main beliefs of Christians? What are the main differences between the Christian God and pagan deities?