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Why Did Romans Mistreat Christians?
As the number of Christians grew, some Romans believed that they were dangerous.
They thought Christians were a threat to the empire. Romans expected everyone to
worship the emperor as a god. The Christians, like the Jews, however, believed that only
God could be worshipped. Christians criticized popular Roman festivals that honored the
numerous Roman gods.Also, Christians did not support warfare as a way to resolve
problems. As a result, they refused to serve in the Roman army. Furthermore, Christians
buried their dead outside Rome in catacombs, or underground burial places. Christians
could also meet there to hold memorial services.
People who thought the Christians were dangerous believed that they should be
punished. Some Romans blamed Christians for causing natural disasters. In a.d. 64, the
emperor Nero falsely accused Christians of starting a fire that burned most of Rome. As
a result, Christianity was outlawed.
Christians were often mistreated. They were arrested and beaten. Some Christians
became martyrs (MAHR • tuhrz), or people who were willing to die rather than give up
their beliefs. Despite the mistreatment, Christianity continued to flourish.
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Why did the Romans distrust Christians?
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What is a Martyr? Give an example