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The New Testament was a fulfilment to Christians as the promise of the Old Testament.

"It relates and interprets the new covenant, represented in the life and death of Jesus, between God and the followers of Christ, the promised Messiah."

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The Course of Empire Destruction (Painted by Cole Thomas)

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The Burning of Rome (18 July 64 AD-23 July 64 AD)

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The Burning of Rome (18 July 64 AD-23 July 64 AD)

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The considerably large stadium Circus Maximus caught fire on the 18th of July 64 AD. "Flammable goods" in neighbouring merchant shops were rumoured to have spread and caught onto the stadium, and strong winds helped fan the flames.

Only six days later were the flames put out.

14 Roman districts had been burnt and Emperor Nero had been the victim of the blame. "Two-thirds of Rome had been destroyed" Many historians have things to say about how Nero was spending his time as his city went ablaze.

Nero blamed the newly created "cult" The Christians for the wildfire.

This event would've been significant to Christians, just like it would've been to Nero. Receiving the blame for something that is inevitable in a city of 2 million people. Sounds unfair to pin on one person and/or a group of people just because of their beliefs.

References:

Heil, M. (2014, May 29). Background. Secrets of the Dead. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/great-fire-rome-background/1446/

JUL 18, 64 CE: Great fire of Rome. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/great-fire-rome

Niles, R. (2018, November 27). Nero and the burning of Rome – Drive thru history®. Drive Thru History®. https://drivethruhistory.com/nero-and-the-burning-of-rome/

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The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem (Painted by David Roberts)

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Siege of Jerusalem (March 70 AD - September 70 AD)

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Siege of Jerusalem (March 70 AD - September 70 AD)

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Enraged with the Jewish Revolt Romans fought back. Destroying The Temple of Jerusalem after it stood for 585 years.

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The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer, (Painted by Jean-Léon Gérôme 1883).

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65 Peter and Paul executed

80s Domitian develops emperor worship

95 Domitian executes or exiles several family members on charges of “atheism”

107 Simeon, cousin of Jesus and bishop of Jerusalem, killed for political (anti-Semitic) reasons

110 Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, martyred in Rome

112 Pliny inquires of Trajan how to treat Christians

155 (166?) Polycarp martyred

155, 160 Justin writes First and Second Apology

165 Justin martyred

177 Pogrom in Lyons and Vienne: 48 killed

178 Celsus’s True Discourse against Christians

180 12 from Scilli (N. Africa) killed

197 Tertullian writes his Apology

202 Emperor Septimius Severus forbids conversions to Christianity Judaism)

203 Origen’s father and Perpetua and Felicitas martyred, among others

211–213 North African hostilities

235–36 Emperor Maximin Thrax persecutes church leaders, including Hippolylus

248 Origen writes Against Celsus; persecutions in Alexandna

250 Emperor Decius orders universal sacrifice; church leaders arrested; Origen jailed and tortured; Pope Fabian martyred, as are bishops of Antioch and Jerusalem; Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, and Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, flee

251 Decius dies; Cyprian returns to Carthage and deals with lapsed Christians; Novationist schism

252–53 Emperor Callus revives persecutions of Decius

254 Origen, weakened from torture, dies

257–60 Emperor Valerian hounds clergy; Cyprian, Pope Sixtus II, and others martyred

261 Emperor Gallienus issues rescript ordering toleration

270s Emperor Aurelian establishes state cult of the Unconquerable Sun (birthday, Dec. 25) and threatens persecution

275 Porphyry writes Against the Christians

298–302 Christians in army forced to resign

303 Great Persecution begins February 23. Four edicts call for church buildings to be destroyed, sacred writings burned, Christians to lose civil rights, clergy to be imprisoned and forced to sacrifice, and (in 304) all people to sacrifice on pain of death

305 Diocletian and Maximian abdicate; hiatus in persecution

306 Constantine named Augustus by troops; in the East, Maximinus II renews persecution (through 310); Council of Elvira, in Spain, passes severe penalties for apostates

311 On death bed, Galerius issues edict of toleration; Maximinus II continues persecution in Egypt; Donatist schism begins

312 Constantine defeats Maxentius to take control of Western Empire

In the provinces, the great territorial gods—such as Saturn in North Africa and Jehovah among the Jews—were accepted as “legal religion” on the grounds that their rites, even if barbarous, were sanctified by ancient tradition. Countless local gods and goddesses, worshiped by the ordinary inhabitants of the Greco-Roman world, were often provided with a classical equivalent name and worshiped as “Roman” deities.

Despite this toleration, by the early second century the Roman governor of Bithynia (on the Black Sea) had no hesitation in sending to immediate execution those who had been denounced as being Christians. The name alone was a sufficient death warrant.

Reference:

Christian history timeline: Persecution in the early church. (n.d.). Christian History Institute. https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/persecution-in-early-church-timeline

Persecution in the early church: Did you know? (1990, July 1). Christian History | Learn the History of Christianity & the Church. https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-27/persecution-in-early-church-did-you-know.html

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Early Christianity is the period of Christianity preceding the First Council of Nicaea in 325. It is typically divided into the Apostolic Age and the Ante-Nicene Period. The first Christians, as described in the first chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, were all Jewish, either by birth, or conversion for which the biblical term proselyte is used, and referred to by historians as the Jewish Christians. The early Gospel message was spread orally; probably in Aramaic.

Reference:

EARLY CHURCH - Definition and synonyms of early church in the English dictionary. (n.d.). Educalingo, the dictionary for curious people. https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/early-church

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Having a vision during the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, allegedly was the motivator of Constantine the Great to converge into Christianity.

The significance of this event is huge, a Roman emperor conforming to Christianity, and Christian beliefs. Many Jewish/Christians must have felt mistrust and shock to even hear a murmur of news, that unexpected.  Whereas some Romans may have felt betrayed and/or hurt.

THE NIGHT BEFORE MEETING AT THE MILVIAN BRIDGE, EITHER IN A VISION OR A DREAM, CONSTANTINE SAW AN IMAGE WITH THE SCRIPT "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES" ("IN THIS SIGN, CONQUER").

Eusebius reported that Constantine saw the sign of the cross, while Lactantius said it was the superimposed letters chi and rho (the first two letters of 'Christ' in Greek). Whatever Constantine saw or experienced, he credited his victory to the Christian God.

Reference:

Barnes, & D., T. (2021, May 10). Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1737/constantines-conversion-to-christianity/

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The Vision of the Cross (Painted by Raphael)

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Although Constantine is acclaimed as the first emperor to embrace Christianity, he was not technically the first to legalize it. In the 3rd century CE, various generals issued local edicts of toleration in an effort to recruit Christians into the legions. These edicts then fell by the wayside when the contender was killed in battle.

In the Eastern Empire, Galerius (r. 305-311 CE) initially had persecuted Christians but reversed it through the Edict of Toleration in Serdica in 311 CE. Licinius (r. 308-324 CE) had also persecuted Christians sporadically but took the edict of Galerius as a model and met with Constantine in Milan to unify positions. The Edict of Milan was issued in 313 CE, with the added stipulation that Christian property that had been confiscated or destroyed would be returned or compensated with funds.

Reference:

Barnes, & D., T. (2021, May 10). Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1737/constantines-conversion-to-christianity/

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Reference:
The Origin of the Apostles' Creed

Conrad Henry Moehlman

The Journal of Religion

Vol. 13, No. 3 (Jul. 1933), pp. 301-319 (19 pages)
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1197088#metadata_info_tab_contents

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The Roman empire has fallen and the Renaissance was approaching.

People use the phrase “Middle Ages” to describe Europe between the fall of Rome in 476 CE and the beginning of the Renaissance in the 14th century.

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Religious disagreements and political conflicts were two main factors that lead towards The Great Schism.

The Great Schism split the main faction of Christianity into two divisions, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. Today, they remain the two largest denominations of Christianity. On July 16, 1054, Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius was excommunicated from the Christian church based in Rome, Italy.

Rome believed that the pope—the religious leader of the western church—should have authority over the patriarch—the religious authority of the eastern church. Constantinople disagreed. Each church recognized their own leaders, and when the western church eventually excommunicated Michael Cerularius and the entire eastern church. The eastern church retaliated by excommunicating the Roman pope Leo III and the Roman church with him.

This has a significant impact as it has shaped the Christian Religion into what we see, believe and think of Christianity and religion today. History has moved with us, and The Great Schism was a crucial part of Christianity and its origins.

References:

JUL 16, 1054 CE: Great Schism. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/great-schism

East-west schism. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/East-West-Schism-1054

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The invention of Printing Press - Gutenberg (1445-1450)

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The invention of Printing Press - Gutenberg (1445-1450)

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The printing press is an innovative and smartly created tool. Transferring images (Made with ink, paint etc) onto a medium (Paper, Fabric). The pressure is placed on the press to transfer the chosen design.

Many people in our society choose to use printing presses today. Whether because they want to make merch for a company/brand (or themselves!), or maybe they have an interest in the art.

Johannes Gutenberg in 1450 had perfected The Gutenberg printing press, it was prepared and ready to use commercially.

This invention inspired literacy in Renaissance Europe.

The printing revolution also contributed mightily to the Protestant Reformation that split apart the Catholic Church.

References:

McFadden, C. (2018, September 12). The invention and history of the printing press. Interesting Engineering | Technology, Science, Innovation News and Videos. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/the-invention-and-history-of-the-printing-press

Constitutional Rights Foundation

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Queen Mary, I of England Known As Bloody Mary.

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She prioritized religion above all else, implementing reforms and restrictions aimed at restoring the Catholic Church’s ascendancy in England. Most controversially, she ordered 280 Protestants burned at the stake as heretics—a fact that would later cement her reputation as “Bloody Mary.”

Reference:

Solly, M. (2020, March 12). The myth of 'Bloody Mary'. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/myth-bloody-mary-180974221/

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The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. These events were part of the wider European Reformation, a religious and political movement that affected the practice of Christianity in Western and Central Europe.

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King James Translation of the Bible (1611)

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King James Translation of the Bible (1611)

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King James Version (KJV), also called the Authorized Version or King James Bible, English translation of the Bible, published in 1611 under the auspices of King James I of England. The translation markedly influenced the English literary style and was generally accepted as the standard English Bible from the mid-17th to the early 20th century.

References:

King James Version. (2022, November 18). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/King-James-Version

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The Pilgrim’s Progress, religious allegory by the English writer John Bunyan, published in two parts in 1678 and 1684. The work is a symbolic vision of the good man’s pilgrimage through life. At one time second only to the Bible in popularity, The Pilgrim’s Progress is the most famous Christian allegory still in print. It was first published in the reign of Charles II and was largely written while its Puritan author was imprisoned for offenses against the Conventicle Act of 1593 (which prohibited the conducting of religious services outside the bailiwick of the Church of England).

References:

The pilgrim’s progress. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Pilgrims-Progress

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Key points I have learnt:

Christianity plays an important role in history.

Christianity was controversial, and it was extremely rare and significant for a Roman to convert into a Christian

Christians were slandered.

My personal take:
Christianity is way more diverse and broad than I thought it was. I was unaware of how greatly Christianity had an impact on history and on people's lives now and then. It was interesting to learn about all the conflict Christians and Christianity went through because of what they believed in.