The idea that Romans would have a fear of Christianity is very valid considering the circumstances of the times. Christianity, while destined to grow and expand, was seen as a genuine threat to the Roman Empire leading up to 3rd c. CE. Its ability to conform mass groups of people was unlike any religion prior, and at a time when the stability and future of Rome was potentially uncertain, the idea of another large group of people coming together under common ideas could easily be seen as trouble by Roman leadership. Fear that a religion could change an entire way a society operates was alarming for the Romans and by taking steps to keep it under control, they could maintain order and mitigate potential uprisings. Looking at the course of history, religion is one of the major themes of conflict. By suppressing Christianity, the Romans could focus solely on the maintenance and expansion of their empire.
A monotheistic religion, at the time, went against the grain of religious and spiritual practices of the early Roman Empire. Not only considered strange, it was something that underwhelmed the state, and caused tension between its citizens. This idea, that Rome’s own citizens could cause its collapse, was more realistic and dangerous than any outside threat and was one of the reasons Christianity was looked down upon.
The idea of a new religion shaping the structure of a fragile republic was not something to be taken lightly. In a society that viewed their ruler as a sort of God, Christianity takes away an emperors validity by focusing on only one true God. Christianity showed how fragile the Roman society really was. It was cult like and taboo, but had the potential to completely change Roman culture. Christianity didn’t exude the same warlike, rallying call that polytheistic Roman religions offered prior. It was a genuine threat to their dominance as an Empire and something the Romans really couldn’t control without apparent force.
Christianity ended up having a direct impact on the empire when Constantine accepted it and moved the Roman capital. The aftermath of this split the Empire in two, making Christianity officially accepted after being put down for so long. Like many things that are different and new, Christianity was genuinely feared by the Roman Empire. The implications of accepting a new religion in their society would completely shift Roman culture. The end result was a powerful and captivating religion that changed not only the Roman Empire, but the course of history as a whole.
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The West in the Pre-Modern World 