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The rapid growth of Christianity in the Roman Empire after Jesus’ death is one of the most unique and remarkable events in history. Basically, Christianity’s growth from just a few thousand believers in AD 33 to more than half the population of the empire around the year 300 depended on two critical factors: the Jewish Diaspora and the spread of the Roman communications system (roads, patrolled sea lanes, mail service), both of which had been largely completed by the time of the crucifixion.
The missionaries carrying the message of Christ from Jerusalem went first to the synagogues and Jewish communities of the Diaspora where they were warmly received and made numerous converts. The decision at the Council of Jerusalem (AD 50) to waive most of Mosaic Law for Gentile converts opened up the possibility of a mission to the Gentiles, which was quickly undertaken by the Diaspora Jew Saul of Tarsus (St. Paul) and others with considerable success. The missionaries traveled over a mainly paved road system that had probably reached 60–70% of its ultimate extent of some 53,000 miles by the end of the Roman Republic (508–27 BC).
Persecution of Christians began under Roman emperor Nero (AD 37–68) and was especially harsh under Marcus Aurelius (AD 121–180) and Septimius Severus (AD 145–211). Many of the Church leaders were martyred. But not all the emperors were opposed to Christianity. Philip the Arabian (AD 244–249) stopped the persecutions and supported religious tolerance but persecution resumed under Decius. Diocletian (AD 244–311) ushered in the last and greatest persecution of Christians beginning in AD 303. Constantine (AD 272–337) legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan in AD 313, and Theodosius (AD 347–395) made Christianity the official religion of the empire in AD 381 while largely ending state support for paganism and banning pagan practices ten years later.
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