1. Religion and the Roman Empire
Mrs. Hadgraft

2. Early Religion Early Rome was animistic
They later adopted Greek Gods and Goddesses

3. Later Gods and Goddesses
Romans adopted the Greek Gods and Goddesses
Changed the names
Religion was linked to the government
Deities were symbols of the state
They explained natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events
Polytheistic

5. Rise of Christianity As the empire grew, so did a new religion
It was born out of Judaism (Abrahamic Religion)
Roman power spread to Judea, where the Jews were living in 63 BCE
6 CE Judea became a province
The Jews believed that they would again be enslaved under a non-Jewish king

7. Jewish Rebellion 66 CE a group of Hebrews rebelled against Rome 132 CE
70 CE Romans destroyed the temple complex
All that was left was the Western Wall – which is the holiest place for Jewish followers to worship today
Half a million Jews were killed in the rebellion until the Romans won in 73 CE
132 CE
Another rebellion, half a million again were killed
Many Jews were driven from their homeland in the Diaspora:
The time when Jews were driven into exile from their homeland
This facilitated a further spread of the religion

9. Jesus of Nazareth Estimate birth 6-4 BCE Born in Bethlehem, Judea
There is little historic information about his life
The majority of information about his life is found in:
The Bible and the Gospels (Holy Book of Christianity)
The first four books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible
Jesus was raised in Nazareth in Northern Judea
He became a carpenter

10. Jesus’ Teachings Rise out of Judaism
By age 30 he began public ministry
He preached for 3 years
He began preaching a new Monotheistic religion: Christianity
The Ten Commandments: religious law
Belief: good people would live in an eternal kingdom after death, wicked would be punished for their sins

11. Death of Jesus 29 CE Jesus visited Jerusalem
People called him the Messiah or king
the one who would rescue the Jews
Roman governor, Pontius Pilate accused Jesus of defying the authority of Rome
He was not the Roman King
He was sentenced to crucifixion
a common punishment for opponents to Rome
His body was placed in a tomb
Gospels preach that three days later his body was gone, and a newly living Jesus was appearing to his followers

12. The Movement Grows Gospels were written by disciples
12 men, later called Apostles
These people helped to spread the message of Christianity
They traveled, teaching of Jesus, and the Monotheistic Religion
Example: the Apostle Paul
Never met Jesus
At first and enemy to Christianity
Believed he had vision of Jesus
Spread the word of his teachings
Pax Romana allowed the religion to spread quickly and easily
Safe roads and trade

14. Becoming a world Religion
Three million Christians by the third century CE
People converted because Christianity:
Embraced all people – men and women, enslaved, poor, nobles
Gave hope to powerless
Appealed to those who disliked the extravagance of Rome
Offered personal relationship with God
Promised eternal life after death

15. Constantine Roman Emperor 312 CE 313 CE legalized Christianity 380 CE
He Reported seeing an image of a cross before a battle
symbol of Christianity
Put symbol on shields
Troops won at the battle of Milvian Bridge
313 CE legalized Christianity
EDICT OF MILAN
380 CE
Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of empire

16. Holy Book: Bible Holy Book: Bible
Old Testament: The Jewish Torah – first part of the Christian Bible
DIFFERENCE: Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and son of their God, Jews do not.
New Testament : Second part of the Christian Bible
Four Gospels believed to have been written by the apostles
325 CE Constantine wrote the Nicene Creed defining basic beliefs