Despite harsh treatments of Rome such as persecution of Emperor Nero, Christianity spreads all over the Rome and other countries and became an official religion of Rome based on road systems with Pax Romana, and its attractive ideas: salvation, missionary, and universal aspect. Then Rome could not resist the great trend of it anymore, they turned into the positive attitude towards Christianity in 4th centuries. From the 1st century to the 3rd centuries, Rome had a hatred for Christianity and treated it very harshly to oppress its spread. At that time, Christianity was a minor religion. Roman emperors thought that it would threaten their power since Christians had a strong solidarity and only adored God. For the reason that Christians thought worshipping emperors were an idolatry which was banned through Bible, they rejected worshipping Roman emperors. These behaviors of Christians annoyed Roman emperor and even other Roman citizens who believed their old deities. For example, according to document 3, Tacitus, Roman historian, described Christianity in a negative way using the words such as . Even though …show more content…
Factors of diffusion were road systems with Pax Romana and its philosophical ideas. Document 1 represents the complex road system of Rome on the large territory. Under Pax Romana, the Peace of Rome, people could travel all over the Rome because of the complex road system safely without the menace of barbarians. This allowed Christian missionaries to travel vastly, even to Africa, and to increase its believers and congregation. Plus, the philosophical ideas of Christianity also fascinated people of the lower class in Rome. According to document 2, Jesus died for us, sinners, and people who believed Jesus raised him from the dead could be saved, and Lord is Lord of all, not just for Jews. And its idea of salvation which is not in Roman myth might encourage the lower