Why did pagan Rome, which had a history of tolerating other faiths, clash with early Christians? How did Christianity ultimately achieve dominance in the Roman Empire? Discover the answers in these 24 lectures that, together, are a historically focused discussion of the dramatic interaction between Judaism, Christianity, and paganism from the 1st to the 6th centuries. While some philosophical and theological content is included to clarify important points of transition, the focus of these lectures is - above all else - on its most important and fascinating episodes, among which are Emperor Nero's rescript in A.D. 64, which not only ordered the persecution of Christians in the city of Rome but also made the faith illegal throughout the empire; the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in A.D. 312, where Emperor Constantine won a victory described as having been deliberately fought under the Christian symbol of the Chi Ro; and the reign of Theodosius I, under which laws were passed making Christianity the only legitimate religion. Professor Harl also introduces you to a wide variety of individuals whose actions helped shape the history of this turbulent time, including rulers like Augustus and Justinian; proselytizers for the new faith, including James and Paul; religious thinkers such as Clement and Origen; ascetics such as Saint Anthony and Barsauma; and philosophical thinkers such as Galen.
