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2. Incorporated gods of many cultures
Polytheistic
Incorporated gods of many cultures
People show loyalty by honoring Roman gods and the emperor
The bulk of Rome’s religion was borrowed from Greece – a good activity is to review the Greek Gods & Goddesses and compare those to the Roman names.

3. Excused from worshipping Roman gods Waiting for messiah (savior)
Absorbed many Greek customs
Want a return to tradition & a revolt against Rome
Jews were protected by Rome and allowed to continue their religion. Everything was fine until rebellion in Judaea led to a major change in the practice of their faith. Although Judaea was ruled by the Romans, the governors there had practiced the same kind of religious tolerance as was shown to Jews in Rome. However, Roman inefficiency, along with famine and internal squabbles, led to a rise in Jewish discontent. In 66 AD, this discontent exploded into open rebellion. Four years later, the Roman army had crushed the revolt, but had also destroyed the temple.
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4. Sadducees - favored cooperation with Romans
Pharisees - Non violent goal of free Judaea
Essenes - Awaited the Messiah to save Israel from oppression
Zealots - Anti-Roman extremists – advocated overthrow of Roman rule
For more info on these see

5. Jew from Galilee, preached from about AD 30 – 33
Believed in Jewish roots
Monotheism
Ten Commandments
Mosaic law – the Old Testament & Moses
I stress to my students the historical relevance of Jesus and try to avoid any religious bias in teaching. Obviously private school teaching can vary in that sense.

6. Preached a new message than had been heard before
Said he was the Messiah and Son of God
Salvation was available to all believers
His “Sermon on the Mount” becomes the moral teaching of Christianity
Jesus’ moral teaching and the ability for anyone to become saved in an afterlife was very appealing to the poor in Rome.
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7. Jewish leaders felt challenged
Romans afraid he could lead rebellion
Arrested and crucified
Followers said he rose and ascended to heaven
Jesus was condemned by Jewish authorities when he would not deny that he was the Son of God. Jesus was arrested by Temple guards of the Sanhedrin, shortly after the Last Supper (during which Jesus gave his final sermon).

8. Disciples spread teachings to other Jews
The Apostle Paul converts, preaches to non-Jews & sets up new churches across the Roman Empire
Paul is considered one of the most important figures of the period. In the mid-30s to the mid-50s AD, he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Paul took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences.

9. Christians suspected of disloyalty & evil practices
Blamed for social ills of the Roman Empire
Numbers grew anyways due to inclusion and devotion to beliefs

10. Attractive to all classes
Did not discriminate by sex or class
Women could participate
Promise of salvation for all

11. Organized with bishops leading each area
Emperor Constantine converts in 312
The Edict of Milan issued by Constantine in 313 gave freedom of worship to Romans
There is no consensus among scholars as to whether Constantine adopted his mother Helena's Christianity in his youth, or (as claimed by Eusebius of Caesarea) encouraged her to convert to the faith himself. Some scholars question the extent to which he should be considered a Christian emperor: "Constantine saw himself as an 'emperor of the Christian people'. If this made him a Christian is the subject of ... debate.", although he allegedly received a baptism shortly before his death.

12. Issued in 380 AD by Emperor Theodosius
Made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire
The edict re-affirmed a single expression of the Apostolic Faith as legitimate in the Roman Empire, "catholic" (that is, universal) and "orthodox" (that is, correct in teaching). After the edict, Theodosius spent a great deal of energy suppressing all other forms of Christianity.

13. Why do you think Christianity was able to grow in Rome despite the persecution of early followers?