Professor Bart D. Ehrman

The Christians were perceived by the Romans, including the officials, as the reason behind all the calamities in the empire. They thought that the growing Christian movement was what was making their pagan gods angry. […]

Christians were increasingly and infuriatingly blamed for being atheists by the pagans. The apologists defended themselves by reminding the pagans of their belief in one true God. […]

Through the apologies, the Christians tried to defend themselves as well as their faith. And yet, they were hardly read by the pagans, kings or officials. They ended up becoming more as arguments that could be used and put forth by other fellow Christians when they, too, felt under attack. […]

Christians were rumoured to practice secret worship, performing grotesque rituals. Though there wasn’t any truth to these charges, it was common for one community to level them against another in a bid to disrepute them. […]

The first recorded persecution against Christians for being Christian occurred in 112 CE, under Pliny the Younger’s rule. Pliny’s actions showed that having been a Christian was not a crime; being one was. […]

The first recorded persecution against Christians for being Christian occurred in 112 CE, under the Roman emperor Trajan. It was localized to the province of Bithynia-Pontus, whose governor was Pliny the Younger. […]

Though Christianity was shown as being a hugely successful movement and a huge threat to the Roman Empire, it wasn’t true. The persecution of Christians was first heard of in 64 CE. […]

The Christian texts offer the earliest records of Christian persecution. The book of Acts, Paul’s letters, and book of 1 Peter have been informative sources shedding light on the topic. […]

The Christians in the early years faced severe criticism for their beliefs. Most of the Christian narratives act as a polemic against the Jews, labeling them as murderers of God. […]