THE
EARLY CHRISTIANS IN ROME
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
Dreamland in History
The White Robe of Churches
The Church of England: A History for the People (inFour Volumes)
Cloister Life in the Days of Cœur-de-Lion
Christianity and Paganism
The Golden Age of the Church
PAINTING IN THE CATACOMBS, CENTURY II OR III. THE GOODSHEPHERD IN THE CENTRE. ON THE LEFT DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS. ON THERIGHT THE THREE CHILDREN IN THE FURNACE.
THE
EARLY CHRISTIANS
IN ROME
BY THE VERY REV.
H. D. M. SPENCE-JONES
M.A., D.D.
DEAN OF GLOUCESTER
PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT HISTORY IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY
WITH A FRONTISPIECE IN COLOUR AND
TWELVE OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS
SECOND EDITION
METHUEN & CO. LTD.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
| First Published | October 27th 1910 |
| Second Edition | 1911 |
TO
EDGAR SUMNER GIBSON, D.D.
LORD BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER
A GREAT SCHOLAR AND A WARM FRIEND
PREFACE
Of the five Books which make up this work, the First Book relatesgenerally the history of the fortunes of the Church in Rome in thefirst days.
The foundation stories of the Roman congregations were laid largely bythe Apostles Peter and Paul—Peter, so with one accord say the earliestcontemporary writers,[1] being the first apostle who preached in Rome.Paul, who taught many years later in the Capital, was also reckonedas a founder of the Roman Church; for his teaching, especially hisChristology, supplemented and explained in detail the teaching of S.Peter and the early founders.
The First Book relates how, after the great fire of Rome in the days ofNero, the Christians came into prominence, but apparently were lookedon for a considerable period as a sect of dissenting Jews.
From A.D. 64 and onwards they were evidently regarded asenemies of the State, and were perpetually harassed and persecuted. Noreal period of “quietness” was again enjoyed by them until the famousedict of Constantine the Great, A.D. 313, had been issued.Although, through the favour of the reigning Emperor, a temporarysuspension of the stern law of the State, sometimes lasting for severalyears, left the Christian sect for a time, comparatively speaking, atpeace.
The Persecutions, which began in the days of Nero, with varyingseverity continued all through the reigns of the Flavians (Vespasian,Titus, Domitian).
Nerva, who succeeded Domitian, only reigned two years, and was followedby the great Trajan: still the persecution of the sect conti