A threat to the pax deorum (the peace of the gods)

A Moderate View

A Tale of Two Persecutions: Examining Roman Actions Against Christians
The difference between the statements “The Romans persecuted the Christians” and “there were Christians among the persecuted by the Romans” lies in their scope and implication. While the former suggests a singular and continuous focus of Roman oppression, the latter frames the Christian experience within a broader context of Roman efforts to maintain order and suppress perceived threats. Historical evidence supports the nuance captured in the second statement, revealing that while Christians did face targeted persecution, they were not the sole recipients of Roman wrath.
The Targeted Persecution of Christians
The assertion that “The Romans persecuted the Christians” is undeniably true. There were several periods of intense, empire-wide persecution specifically targeting Christians. These were not random acts of violence but were often sanctioned by imperial edicts.
The first state-sponsored persecution is attributed to Emperor Nero in 64 CE, who, according to the historian Tacitus, blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome to deflect suspicion from himself. This set a dangerous precedent, establishing Christians as a scapegoat.
Later, under emperors like Decius (250 CE) and Valerian (257-258 CE), Christians were systematically targeted for their refusal to participate in the civic religion, which included sacrificing to the Roman gods and the emperor. This refusal was seen as an act of treason and a threat to the pax deorum (the peace of the gods), which was believed to ensure the stability of the empire.
The most severe and widespread persecution occurred under Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues, beginning in 303 CE. This “Great Persecution” involved the destruction of churches, the burning of scriptures, the imprisonment of clergy, and the requirement for all citizens to perform sacrifices on pain of death.
These instances clearly demonstrate that there were times when the Roman state machinery was explicitly directed at the eradication of Christianity.
Christians Among the Persecuted
However, to say only that “The Romans persecuted the Christians” is to miss the larger picture of Roman governance. The Roman Empire was generally tolerant of other religions, provided they did not conflict with Roman authority or public order. The phrase “there were Christians among the persecuted by the Romans” more accurately reflects the reality that various groups incurred Roman displeasure for different reasons.
One of the earliest examples of the suppression of a religious group was the action against the Bacchanalia in 186 BCE. The Roman Senate, fearing the secretive and ecstatic nature of these rites dedicated to the god Bacchus could mask political conspiracies, brutally suppressed the cult, executing and imprisoning thousands. The concern here was primarily about public order and political stability, not religious dogma.
The Druids, the priestly class of the Celts in Gaul and Britain, also faced Roman persecution. The Romans viewed them as a source of resistance to their rule and were repulsed by their practice of human sacrifice. Emperors Tiberius and Claudius took measures to suppress and ultimately forbid their rites.
The relationship between the Romans and the Jews was complex and often fraught with violence. While Judaism was generally recognized as a legitimate and ancient religion, Jewish monotheism and resistance to Roman rule led to several bloody conflicts. The Jewish-Roman Wars (66-73 CE, 115-117 CE, and 132-135 CE) resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the slaughter of vast numbers of Jews, and their dispersal from Judea. In these instances, the persecution was rooted in political rebellion and military conflict rather than purely religious intolerance.
Therefore, when Christians were persecuted, they were part of a larger pattern of Roman response to groups perceived as threats to their authority, traditions, and the stability of the empire. Early on, Christians were sometimes seen as a sect of Judaism and may have been caught up in the broader conflicts between Romans and Jews. As Christianity grew and its refusal to conform to Roman religious and civic life became more apparent, the persecutions became more targeted.
In conclusion, both statements contain an element of truth. “The Romans persecuted the Christians” accurately describes specific, historically documented events of targeted oppression. However, “there were Christians among the persecuted by the Romans” offers a more complete and nuanced historical perspective, acknowledging that the Roman state dealt harshly with any group—religious, political, or social—that it perceived as a challenge to its power and the established order. The story of Christian persecution is a significant chapter, but not the entirety, of the history of Roman efforts to maintain control over a vast and diverse empire.