1. The Roman Persecutions

2. What does it mean?
PERSECUTE (verb): to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs
PERSECUTION (noun): A movement to kill people based on their religion
Sentence: Many Christians were imprisoned or killed because of their religion in the Roman Persecutions. d

3. Why did the romans persecute Christians?
Romans feared Christian beliefs
Romans blamed Christians for economic problems
More non-Jewish people, called Gentiles, were becoming Christian
Many thought it Christianity could end the Roman government

4. Persecution of Christians
Crucifixion
2. Thrown to Lions
3. Set on fire

5. A RELIGION IN Rome
Christianity became a legal religion in Rome because of Emperor Constantine in 313 C.E.
Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion in 380 C.E.

6. Essential Question
How did Christianity change from being a persecuted religion to an official religion in Rome?

7. The Document Writers
Tacitus – Wrote about the “Great Fire” Emperor Nero was believed to start in an article called “Annales”
Eusebius – Roman historian who became a bishop in 314 C.E.

8. The Document Writers
Constantine – Emperor of Rome from C.E. He became a Christian towards the end of his life.
Theodosius I– The emperor of Rome from C.E. He made Christianity the official Roman religion in 380 C.E.

9. Facebook Timeline ACTIVITY
Each group will read one document from around the time of the Roman persecutions (starting from 49 CE)
Not every group will read the same document
After reading, talk to your group members to answer the questions on the bottom of your reading
Write the answers to your questions in the right box on your Facebook timeline
You will change groups and share your answers with your new group members
All boxes should be filled, besides the first one (“What’s on your mind?”)

10. Is this even a persecution or acceptance?
Answer the 2 questions
Is this even a persecution or acceptance?
(Acceptance = to allow something
Give an example from your reading.

11. Homework Read your completed timeline
Answer the Essential Question in the first box – “What’s on your mind?”
Draw a profile picture for the person your group was assigned
Write the person’s name box in the middle