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romans
- Thread starter syo
- Start date
syo
Well-Known Member
but what about the hebrews? i think hebrews didn't worship the roman gods and they were in peace with the romans, yes?
Romans had a general respect for 'old' traditions. So the Hebrews were 'grandfathered in', so to speak.
Christians, on the other hand, were a new movement. That in itself was suspicious to the Roman mind. But, going further, there were reports of cannibalism (probably distorted reports about communion--eating the flesh), and these people refused what were considered basic social activities (like sacrificing to the emperor). Remember that sacrificing to the emperor was considered much like standing and saying the pledge of allegiance at a sporting event: it was a polite thing to do to show you supported the society. The Christian refusal was seen as peculiar at least, and treasonous at worst.
You also have to remember that the Romans *didn't* persecute the Christians at first. Nero blamed them for the fire in Rome, but most Romans saw through that. We have letters asking the emperor what to do when Christians refused sacrifice (again, tantamount to treason) and Tiberius said that as much leniency as possible should be shown. It wasn't until much later (third century) that there was anything like an active campaign against Christians, but this was under emperors that were attempting to restore the 'traditional values' of paganism. Once the actual persecutions got started, the Christians often made a point of displaying their faith, asking to be martyred. This was to the point that the Christian bishops were begging people NOT to be quite so willing to go to martyrdom.
Finally, it should be pointed out that Christians returned the favor once they got into power by destroying all the pagan temples and making paganism illegal, putting many pagans to death. So the tail wags both ways.
Christians, on the other hand, were a new movement. That in itself was suspicious to the Roman mind. But, going further, there were reports of cannibalism (probably distorted reports about communion--eating the flesh), and these people refused what were considered basic social activities (like sacrificing to the emperor). Remember that sacrificing to the emperor was considered much like standing and saying the pledge of allegiance at a sporting event: it was a polite thing to do to show you supported the society. The Christian refusal was seen as peculiar at least, and treasonous at worst.
You also have to remember that the Romans *didn't* persecute the Christians at first. Nero blamed them for the fire in Rome, but most Romans saw through that. We have letters asking the emperor what to do when Christians refused sacrifice (again, tantamount to treason) and Tiberius said that as much leniency as possible should be shown. It wasn't until much later (third century) that there was anything like an active campaign against Christians, but this was under emperors that were attempting to restore the 'traditional values' of paganism. Once the actual persecutions got started, the Christians often made a point of displaying their faith, asking to be martyred. This was to the point that the Christian bishops were begging people NOT to be quite so willing to go to martyrdom.
Finally, it should be pointed out that Christians returned the favor once they got into power by destroying all the pagan temples and making paganism illegal, putting many pagans to death. So the tail wags both ways.
If my information is correct, Nero had one group who wasn't required to worship him, the Jews. When Gentiles where accepting Jesus Christ as Lord became more than the Jews (as a Jewish sect) the tables began to turn.
Nero was demented so much so that even those in power celebrated when he died. In a stage of drunkedness, he started the fire that consumed Rome and his Jewish wife suggested he blame the Gentile Christians so that he wouldn't loose face and thus the persecution began.
The Apostle Paul, who took his case to Rome, won is first case. After this event, both Paul and Peter were taken captive and killed along with the masses of Christians. Some were made as human torches, some were torn apart and whatever else they could concoct.
One position:
Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire - Wikipedia
Now compare and contrast:
Hurricane Katrina: Is God Removing His Protection From America?
tempogain
Member
I've read that the Judeans agreed to pray for the Emperor in their temple on certain occasions, thus satisfying the Roman need for respect and maintaining the peace.
syo
Well-Known Member
these reasons i wish to know.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
I tend to believe that Nero especially used the Christians as scapegoats for the ills of society, much like many other leaders have done and continue to do. The Christians simply were not in enough numbers to be a real threat to Roman society. Also, Nero believed that he would be resurrected and basically come back again as a glorious leader, so similar Christian claims about Jesus obviously wouldn't much please him.
GoodbyeDave
Well-Known Member
The Jews were tolerated because they were obeying laws given to them by their god. The Christians, having renounced their Jewish origins had no such excuse and their atheism was thus seen as an insult to the gods.
I suspect the basic feeling was that an alien and superstitious cult could hardly be productive of public good. And they were right, for no sooner did the Christians come to power than they began to persecute non-Christians. When one considers the number of people who have been killed by Christians (and Jews and Muslims) for "religious" reasons, it far excedes the Christians who were executed by the Romans.
Personally I'd say the policy was counter-productive. Many would have refrained from denouncing Christians because they thought that the penalty was too severe. If I'd been emperor, I'd have declared the Christians infamis — without legal and civic rights — and intestabilis — unable to make a will or inherit. Anyone could still be a Christian, if they wanted to be a penniless labourer with no rights.
I suspect the basic feeling was that an alien and superstitious cult could hardly be productive of public good. And they were right, for no sooner did the Christians come to power than they began to persecute non-Christians. When one considers the number of people who have been killed by Christians (and Jews and Muslims) for "religious" reasons, it far excedes the Christians who were executed by the Romans.
Personally I'd say the policy was counter-productive. Many would have refrained from denouncing Christians because they thought that the penalty was too severe. If I'd been emperor, I'd have declared the Christians infamis — without legal and civic rights — and intestabilis — unable to make a will or inherit. Anyone could still be a Christian, if they wanted to be a penniless labourer with no rights.
Belief in resurrection in this way was uncommon among Romans at the time. It took Christianity and other mystery religions to make that concept common. Nero, in particular, probably did NOT think it would happen like that. He more likely felt that he would join the rest of the Gods in heaven.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
It's hard to say whether Nero said that about himself or that many of his followers believed he would return as such or both:
After Nero's suicide in 68, there was a widespread belief, especially in the eastern provinces, that he was not dead and somehow would return. This belief came to be known as the Nero Redivivus Legend.
The legend of Nero's return lasted for hundreds of years after Nero's death. Augustine of Hippo wrote of the legend as a popular belief in 422... -- Nero - Wikipedia