Roman tradition was tolerant of religion, and the empire was home to a diverse array of gods and goddesses worshiped by its people. However, when Christianity, seen as a small cult at the time, emerged as a new religion, it faced persecution from Roman authorities. Christianity faced persecution for its stark contrasts with Roman culture and religious practices.
One unique aspect of Christianity that caused Roman authorities to persecute it was its monotheistic doctrine and exclusive claim to one true God. Roman tradition allowed a diverse array of gods and goddesses to worship. However, Christianity's assertion that there was only one God and that all other gods were false challenged this traditional understanding and offended Roman authorities. This exclusivity of Christianity was not only in terms of the one God but also its exclusive claim of eternal life and the afterlife, setting it apart from the traditional Roman beliefs and practices.
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Christianity offered a sense of community and shared identity that set its followers apart from traditional Roman society, thus posing a challenge to Roman traditions. Tacitus commented in Annals, "They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up." Furthermore, Christians' refusal to worship their emperor as a god and rejection of traditional Roman religious practices further angered the