Roman Emperor Quotes
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It is important to remember that the emperor of Rome, who also lived in the city, was understood by many people throughout the empire to be the son of God—that is, the son of the divinized Caesar who preceded him.
Bart Ehrman
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In 303 CE, the Roman emperor Diocletian declared war on the Christian church and instigated the most massive persecution it ever endured.
In 312 CE, the emperor Constantine himself converted to become a Christian.
In 391 to 392 CE, the vehemently orthodox Christian Theodosius declared all pagan practices illegal and in effect made Christianity the state religion of Rome.
With the growth of Christianity came moments of heightened intolerance. Sometimes this intolerance erupted in ugly acts of violence, suppression, and coercion.
Christians were not, of course, the only intolerant people on the planet. They themselves had been the victims of violent coercion early in the century.
Bart Ehrman
