How Did The Religious Shift In The Roman Empire

Religious Shift

The religious shift in the later centuries of the Roman Empire significantly contributed to its decline due to the differences in beliefs. Based on detailed research, it can be strongly argued that Rome fell in the 5th century CE due to the emergence of Christianity, and consequential shift from Paganism to Christianity, resulting in the fall of traditional, religious-based Roman policies, which were the foundation of the Roman Empire. The emperor of Rome in 3rd century, Constantine, had specific motives, goals and justifications for decreeing Christianity as the main religion, which initially impacted the governance of Rome. With the presence of Christianity, there were also social and political changes that impacted the governance of the empire, and the stability of Rome.

The atmosphere and attitude of the Roman Empire was religiously hostile, for example, many Jews witnessed hostility between religions during the rule of Rome, as highlighted by historian Edwin Gibbon (1776), where he states, “From the reign of Nero to that of Antonius Pius, the Jews discovered a fierce impatience of the dominion of Rome, which repeatedly broke out in the most furious massacres and insurrections”. Emperor Nero’s actions contributed to the notion that Rome was a destructive and adverse people, as referred to by Roman senator and historian Tacitus (1st century CE)