Christianity began with Jesus, and his followers and grew to transform the Roman Empire, and also the empires that followed it. In the year A.D. 180 major conflict, confusion, and civil war followed after the death of Marcus Aurelius. For over 50 years the Roman throne was occupied by whoever had the military strength to seize it. Throughout the years there were more than 22 emperors, and most of them died violently. Christianity played a major role in the Roman Empire. Christianity was persecuted in the mid third and early fourth centuries, but still spread, as it benefitted from the crumbling of the secular late Roman world. After Constantine legalized christianity, it became very powerful. The late emperor's gained christian support and