4. One of the most important events that occurred during the Roman Empire was the birth of Christianity. Describe the evolution of Christianity. How do historians explain its early success? In what ways did Christianity challenge Roman society and the Roman state?

4. In the Roman Empire, Christianity first emerged. Jerusalem, a city within a Roman province, was the site of Jesus Christ's execution by Roman authority. In the densely populated cities of the Empire, his followers succeeded quite well in propagating this new religion. In the beginning, Christians were undoubtedly persecuted at the discretion of the provincial governors, in addition to the occasionally mob violence. The Christian faith and religion become more structured over time. The Edict of Milan, which acknowledged Christianity, was published in 313 AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine. It was proclaimed as the Roman Empire's official state religion a decade later. Even though Rome was in decline, the Catholic Church, a burgeoning religion, received a tremendous impetus from becoming a part of the city. Christianity did not suddenly spread over the Roman Empire. Roman theological views gradually evolved. Judaism and Roman cultural institutions both had a significant impact on Christianity. The Roman empire effectively undercut its religious practices by endorsing Christianity. The development of a new religion, Christianity, was one of several elements that led to the demise of the Roman Empire. The polytheistic old Roman theology stood in opposition to the monotheistic Christianity. The Christians were subjected to various forms of persecution by the Romans due to their teachings, which were widely held by the underclass. There was also another disagreement about a faith. The Romans revered their ruler as a deity. However, the Christian belief in a single god—one who was not the emperor—weakened the emperor's power and legitimacy.