Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
As the Roman Empire got bigger and new lands and people were taken into it, the conquered people added their gods or religion to the Roman Pantheon (the name for the multitude of Roman gods). One such new religion was Christianity.
See the fact file below for more information on the Christianity in the Roman Empire or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Christianity in the Roman Empire worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
BACKGROUND
- Jesus Christ was born in Palestine, then part of the Roman Empire. In about 26 A.D., he began to preach, telling people that he was the Son of God.
- Around 29 A.D., Jesus was killed by the Romans for inciting rebellion against Rome. He was crucified, which was a common and gruesome death.
- The followers of Jesus were soon given the nickname “Christians”.
- Christianity went through several changes in fortune from popular following to terrible persecution (being picked on or bullied for religious or racial reasons or for thinking differently).
TEACHINGS
- Unlike many other religions at the time, the Christians talked about peace and forgiveness, not the usual anger and punishment of the Roman Gods.
- The ideas of Christianity spread, and the organization of the Roman Empire helped this in several ways.
- It was relatively easy to move around the Empire. The Romans built excellent roads that were safe from robbers.
- Latin and Greek were common languages in the Empire. This made the spread of new ideas quick and easy.
- The Roman army never had units of soldiers based in their home country, so as not to call the loyalty of the men into question. Many of the units based in Britain were from the Middle East, so Christianity spread to Britain quite quickly.
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
- In the summer of 64 A.D., there was a very large fire in Rome that burnt uncontrollably for weeks. At this time, there was a lot of bad feeling towards the Christians. The Romans were angry at the fact that the Christians said that only they would go to Heaven. The Christians upset many others with “depressing” talk of the world and how all non-believers were evil and should change their bad ways.
- The Christians refused to worship the Emperor as a god, and this was against the law. The Christians were tortured to make them worship the Roman gods, and the books of Scripture were burned. Emperor Nero blamed the Christians for the fire of Rome and began to persecute them. Many were sent to the games to be torn apart by wild animals for the entertainment of the people of Rome. 600 of them were even arranged around the top of the Colosseum in Rome to be set on fire to act as floodlights.
- Attacks on the Christians went on for a very long time, with them taking the blame every now and then whenever it was convenient for them to be blamed for some problem. The leaders were crucified, and the Christians were driven to worship underground in catacombs to avoid persecution. Christians did gain some tolerance later on in the Empire, but it was not until Emperor Constantine (who was crowned in York) that Christianity was truly accepted.
- Just before a crucial battle in A.D. 312, Constantine said that he had a dream where he was told to paint the Christian symbol on the shields of his soldiers. He did this and won the battle. In A.D. 337, he decided out of gratitude that he would allow the whole Empire to worship any religion freely, including Christianity.
- The future of Christianity was assured when Constantine converted to Christianity. The temples of the old Roman gods were left to decline or began to be converted to new Christian churches. As you might expect, the old religions did not disappear all at once, but they were increasingly driven underground by Christian persecution. Even the persecution and killing in the Roman arena continued to some extent under the Christians.
- It could be said that without the Roman Empire, Christianity would not have spread so quickly, or perhaps not at all! The Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire and continues in the form of the Roman Catholic Church, which has its heart in Rome’s Vatican City.
- There is a Holy Roman Emperor in the form of the Pope, which comes from the Latin PAPA for Father. Catholic masses are still performed in Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. Some Roman buildings are still in use today as churches, while most of the others have fallen into ruin.
Christianity in the Roman Empire Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Christianity in the Roman Empire across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Christianity in the Roman Empire worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Christianity in the Roman Empire. As the Roman Empire got bigger and new lands and people were taken into it, the conquered people added their gods or religion to the Roman Pantheon (the name for the multitude of Roman gods). One such new religion was Christianity.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Christianity in the Roman Empire Facts
- Locating the Roman Empire
- Find the Word
- Complete the Information
- Christianity in the Roman Empire Timeline
- Jesus of Nazareth
- Constantine the Great
- Narrating the Spread of Christianity
- Teachings of Christianity
- Christianity in the Contemporary Period
- In a Nutshell
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Christianity do to the Roman Empire?
The Roman state made Christianity legal. This was a problem because Romans believed that their emperor was a god. But Christians only believe in one god. This made the emperor seem less important.
Why did Romans accept Christianity?
Christianity was especially appealing to poor citizens of the Roman empire because it promised relief from their sufferings in this world, and also because it created a community where everyone’s social class or gender was equal.
When did Rome accept Christianity?
Emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity in 312 after enduring persecution and enacted the Edict of Milan a year later which made Christianity an accepted religion within the empire.
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Christianity in the Roman Empire Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 3, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.