The Rise of Christianity

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The Rise of Christianity
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Christianity

Christians believe that Jesus Christ was born
during the reign of Caesar Augustus, in Judea a
province of Rome, to a Jewish family
The common calendar counts Years from his
birth BC Before Christ AD Anno Domini,
Latin For In the Year of Our Lord
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Beliefs

• Monotheism Like the Jewish faith, Jesus taught
  that there was just one God
• God was greater than the Roman emperor
• Chose 4 followers, called disciples, four of whom
  wrote about the life of Jesus
• These became a part of the Christian holy book,
  the Bible

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Result

• The Romans that governed Judea, came to fear
  Jesus, and see his teachings as a threat to the
  empire
• Some believed that Jesus wanted a kingdom on
  earth to rival Rome
• The Romans put Jesus to death by crucifixion,
  hanging from a cross, which has thus come to
  symbolize the religion

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Legacy
Christianity continued to spread throughout the
Roman Empire.
Christians refused to worship Roman gods, which
was illegal.
If you did not worship Roman gods, you were a
criminal.
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Coliseum
Once people confessed to being Christians, they
were brought to the Coliseum, another big
entertainment center in ancient Rome.
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Coliseum
Gladiators! 50,000 Seated Spectators!
This is where the ancient Romans gathered to
watch bloody combat between professional fighters
called gladiators.
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Coliseum
Bloody Battles! Wild Animals!
There were also battles between men and wild
animals. Not everyone liked the bloody sports,
but many did.
Admission was FREE.
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Persecution
Christians were ordered to be thrown to the lions
as part of the entertainment in the Coliseum.
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Survival
Christians practiced their religion in secret,
often in catacombs.
Catacomb Underground tomb
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Result

Christianity continued to grow and spread.
The Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan
(313 CE) which gave religious freedom to all,
including Christians.

Emperor Theodosius, in 392 CE, made Christianity
Romes official religion and outlawed all other
religions.