In the first three centuries of Roman Empire the Christianity were persecuted by the authority of empire. Behaviour towards Christianity in the Roman Empire fluctuated throughout the time period because of some events in the empire and actions of individual emperors. The conflict between Christianity and Empire was inevitable, but it wasnot on the level that the government should persecuted the Christians. The reasons that there were conflict and persecution were mostly related with political climate, dispostion of each emperor and differences of Chrisitanity from local religions. In the Roman Empire the religion was headmost and first important social activity that promoted loyalty to the state and unity of the empire. The Roman’s
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We can see it from the correspondence between Trajan and Pliny . In 112 AD, Roman governor Pliny the Younger was sent by the emperor Trajan (r. 98-117) to the province of Bithynia on official business. During his visit, Pliny encountered Christians, and he wrote to the emperor about them. The governor indicated that he had ordered the execution of several Christians, "for I held no question that whatever it was they admitted, in any case obstinancy and unbending perversity deserve to be punished." However, he was unsure what to do about those who said they were no longer Christians, and asked Trajan his advice. The emperor responded that Christians should not be sought out, anonymous tips should be rejected as "unworthy of our times," and if they recanted and "worshipped our gods," they were to be freed. Those who persisted, however, should be punished.{1}Although Trajan wroted in the letter that Christians should be punished in the case of disobedience, and proved offensiveness, it was not so justifyble decision. Trajan took into account the Christians as offensive when they did not deny their Christianity, and religiously beliefs. They could be pardoned in the case of recantation and accept to pray Roman’s Gods. However, in this case it should not to take into account as disobedience. It seems that it was discrimination against
We can see it from the correspondence between Trajan and Pliny . In 112 AD, Roman governor Pliny the Younger was sent by the emperor Trajan (r. 98-117) to the province of Bithynia on official business. During his visit, Pliny encountered Christians, and he wrote to the emperor about them. The governor indicated that he had ordered the execution of several Christians, "for I held no question that whatever it was they admitted, in any case obstinancy and unbending perversity deserve to be punished." However, he was unsure what to do about those who said they were no longer Christians, and asked Trajan his advice. The emperor responded that Christians should not be sought out, anonymous tips should be rejected as "unworthy of our times," and if they recanted and "worshipped our gods," they were to be freed. Those who persisted, however, should be punished.{1}Although Trajan wroted in the letter that Christians should be punished in the case of disobedience, and proved offensiveness, it was not so justifyble decision. Trajan took into account the Christians as offensive when they did not deny their Christianity, and religiously beliefs. They could be pardoned in the case of recantation and accept to pray Roman’s Gods. However, in this case it should not to take into account as disobedience. It seems that it was discrimination against