Introduction
The thesis of The Romans, fourth edition, is that the Roman Empire was a unique and innovative state that could adapt and conquer various terrains and people. The Pax Romana, or Roman Peace, was a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire. It began with the reign of Augustus Caesar in 27 BC and lasted more than two centuries. During this time, the Roman Empire reached its height of power and influence.
Discussion
Cultures from all over the world met and interacted in the cosmopolitan cities of Rome and Alexandria. The Roman Empire was not simply a military or political powerhouse but also a remarkably flexible and adaptive culture that could absorb new ideas while still holding on to its core values. It is supported by various evidence, including archeological, literal, and comparative evidence from other civilizations. At the same time, the period of the Roman Empire’s existence is characterized by the appearance of a young religion, Christianity. On the one hand, the Emperor Constantine’s favor toward it made Christianity one of the fastest spread religions contributing to the unity of the empire. However, this paper aims to provide reliable evidence to demonstrate the negative impact of Christianity on the Pax Romana.
Christianity was a revolutionary force in the Roman Empire. It was an unsettling force because it was a new religion that challenged the traditional Roman religion. It was also a new way of thinking that challenged the Romans based on Greco-Roman philosophy, emphasizing reason and logic. Christianity, on the other hand, emphasized faith and trust in God with the perception and interpretation of His words for life conduct (Galvao-Sobrinho 18). Christianity also contributed to the Pax Romana’s collapse because it was a disruptive force in society. It challenged the status quo and promoted social change, eventually leading to the Pax Romana’s decline and the Barbarians’ rise.
Christianity is founded on the belief in one God who created the world and all that exists in it. Through the scriptures written by people whom God inspired, He reveals himself to human beings. The scriptures tell us that God is just and Holy and has a plan for the world. Christians believe God sent Jesus Christ to save people from sins (Harding and Nobbs 43). Jesus died on the cross and rose again; through his death and resurrection, human beings are forgiven and granted new life. Christians also believe that they are called to follow Jesus Christ and obey his commands. Christians should love their neighbors and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
Christianity became an unsettling force in the Empire and contributed to the Pax Romana’s collapse due to its revolutionary nature. Christianity was a new religion that threatened the established order (Graham and Kamm 115). It was also a religion that was open to all, regardless of social status. Such equality was seen as a challenge to the hierarchy of the Roman Empire. Christianity also demanded exclusive loyalty, challenging the Emperor’s claim to be the supreme ruler.
Christianity was directly affected by the Romans through persecution. In particular, Christians were “unfavorably disposed toward the pagan majority of the fifty to eighty million people” (Teitler 17). The most famous case was Saul of Tarsus, who became a Christian after encountering the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. He was then arrested and imprisoned for his beliefs. The Roman Empire was not a democracy, so the Emperor had absolute power.
He could order anyone to be killed, so Christians were often killed for their beliefs. That made them even more determined to spread their message, and they did so with great success. In addition, Christianity also profoundly affected Roman society by challenging the traditional values of ignorance, violence, and Greed. It taught people to love their enemies and to turn the other cheek. It was the revolutionary force that contributed to the Pax Romana.
Opposition to social order and Greed was prevalent in Ancient Rome. Christians believed there was more to life than just accumulating wealth and power. They believed in helping the poor and needy and living a simple life. It was in stark contrast to the culture of Ancient Rome, where Greed was considered a virtue (Harding and Nobbs 240). Christians also challenged the hierarchy that everyone was equal in the eyes of God regardless of their social status. That challenged the whole concept of the Pax Romana, which was based on hierarchy and order. The Christian belief in equality and compassion for those less fortunate directly challenged the Greed and social injustice prevalent in Ancient Rome. It is no wonder the Roman Empire eventually collapsed under the weight of its contradictions.
The early Christians were staunchly anti-imperialist since they saw the Empire as a corrupt and evil institution that needed to be overthrown. As a result, they were persecuted by the government, which saw them as a threat to its power. The Christians refused to compromise their beliefs, and their faith grew stronger in the face of persecution. The Anti-imperialists attitude was one of the major factors that led to the collapse of the Pax Romana. The Empire could not coexist with a religion that preached against its values and threatened its power.
Christianity’s growing influence in the Roman Empire had a significant economic impact. Many Christians refused to worship the Emperor or participate in pagan ceremonies, which alienated them from the rest of society and led to lost business opportunities. In addition, the Roman government began taxing Christians heavily to make up for the lost revenue. All of this combined to make Christianity an increasingly unsettling force in the Empire. The Pax Romana, which had lasted for more than two centuries, gradually began to unravel.
When Christianity began to spread through Ancient Rome, it caused a great deal of social upheaval. The Roman Empire saw Christianity as a threat and tried to suppress it, but eventually, they realized that they could not simply get rid of the new religion and started to tolerate it. However, Christians still posed a problem for the Empire because of their revolutionary nature. Ultimately, that contributed to the collapse of the Pax Romana.
The Pax Romana provided peace and stability in which they could grow and develop their beliefs without fear of persecution. As Christianity evolved, the Pax Romana would prove to be a double-edged sword, aiding its exponential expansion and susceptibility to persecution. The Roman Empire was a vast and mighty force, and its power and stability provided a level of security that was attractive to Christians. It helped to create a sense of unity among the different people of the Empire, providing a common identity that Christians could embrace.
The Pax Romana had a complicated relationship with the early Christian communities. On the one hand, the Romans welcomed the Christians because they were considered a “quiet” religious group that did not cause any trouble. On the other hand, the Romans were often suspicious of the Christians and their beliefs, mainly because they were seen as a threat to the Roman way of life (Graham and Kamm 135). Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire during the Pax Romana, and it was not long before Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. It was a turning point for Christianity and the Roman Empire.
The Emperor’s conversion legitimized Christianity and helped it to become the dominant religion of the Empire. The Pax Romana also allowed for safer and more rapid communication between Christian thinkers across various regions, thus contributing to the development of Christian thought during this period. The Christian writings of the time reflected various topics, including philosophy, theology, ethics, politics, gender roles, and more (Graham and Kamm 160). As scholars engaged with one another in a more open dialog than had been possible before this period, they were able to reflect on how their own experiences shaped their understandings of Christianity. Thus they were able to start developing new theological frameworks which would become part of Christian tradition ever since.
The Pax Romana had a tremendous impact on the spread of Christianity across Europe and beyond. During this period, Roman law recognized Christianity as a legal religion, providing it with legal protection and allowing it to be practiced without fear of persecution (Graham and Kamm 165). It allowed Christians to worship and evangelize without fear of retaliation, allowing them to spread the gospel more widely and quickly. The structure of the Roman Empire also helped facilitate the spread of Christianity. The Pax Romana led to increased unity among provinces when Rome converted to Christianity in 330 CE, leading to its adoption throughout Europe.
The Pax Romana had lasting effects on Christianity, its spread, and its historical development. It was during the period of the Pax Romana that Jesus was born, and peace and stability provided by Roman rule allowed for a greater spread of Christianity beyond Jerusalem.
Though Christianity was an illegal religion initially, it gained acceptance from the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 AD (Graham and Kamm 176). It was a key to Christianity’s spread, as it gave it legitimacy in the eyes of Rome and helped facilitate its growth into other areas. At this time, Christians were able to establish churches in many towns and cities within the boundaries of the Empire. The Pax Romana also gave Christians time to develop their liturgy and writings; this material went on to form the basis of Christian beliefs even after Rome’s fall. Though eventually, Rome fell apart, many of its legacies lived on, including those related to Christianity, and these effects can still be seen today.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Graham and Kamm’s thesis suggests that the Romans were much subtler and more intelligent than they are often given credit for. Through carefully examining their literature and art, Graham and Kamm can show the complex and nuanced ways the Romans interacted with their world. While Pax Romana was an era of stability and prosperity, it was not without its flaws. Christianity’s revolutionary nature ultimately led to its clash with the Roman Empire, and its beliefs and practices ultimately contributed to the collapse of the Pax Romana. It was a time of great prosperity and peace, which directly led to Christianity’s rise, which was seen as a unifying force during this time. As a result, it grew in popularity and became one of the largest religions in the world. The Pax Romana was a time of significant change for Christianity and had a lasting impact on the religion.
Works Cited
Galvão-Sobrinho, Carlos R. Doctrine and Power: Theological Controversy and Christian Leadership in the Later Roman Empire. Transformation of the Classical Heritage, 2021.
Graham, Abigail, and Antony Kamm. The Romans: An Introduction. Routledge, 2020: 120-180.
Harding, Mark, and Alanna Nobbs. Into All the World: Emergent Christianity in Its Jewish and Greco-Roman Context. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2017.
Teitler, Hans Carel. The Last Pagan Emperor: Julian the Apostate and the War Against Christianity. Oxford University Press, 2017.