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【Abstract】This paper studied the course of Christianity gradually being committed by the Roman Empire by analyzing the influence from Roman monarchs on Christianity in chronological sequence.Accelerated by a series of edicts and laws，Christianity was eventually made to be an empire religion worshiped in the Roman Empire.
【Key words】Christianity； Roman Empire； persecution； establishment
Just like Roman was not built in a day，neither did Christianity become the national religion of Roman Empire within merely 24 hours.The establishment of Christianity accounted for a lengthy process which could roughly be divided into two phases.The first stage was from about AD 64 to about AD 311，when the Christians suffered from endless persecutions in Rome.The second period commenced since Constantine the Great became emperor and concluded during the region of Theodosius the Great.
After Jesus died，St.Peter and St.Paul started to lead his disciples to preach Gospel in the Mediterranean regions，which denoted the development of the early Christian church.During that time，the Christian religion was being discriminated in Roman Empire.In AD 54，Nero the tyrant（54-68 A.D.）inherited the thorn and since then the misery of the Christian wormed its way to the openness.Nero framed a case against the Christians，claiming they were to blame for the fire in Rome in AD 64.He cruelly killed St.Peter and St.Paul and stood as the first tyrant to oppress Christian.Nero set a precedent of persecuting the Christian and promulgated a law of “Christians esse non licet”（people are forbidden to profess Christianity）.
In 250，the rapid development of Christianity disturbed Trajan Decius（249-251 A.D.）He then reacted ruthlessly to the growing visibility of the religion.Decius issued one of the most remarkable Roman imperial edicts： Persons suspected of Christianity were evidently obliged to clear themselves by sacrificing to the old gods，then taking out a libellus，a certificate from a temple confirming the act，to protect themselves against further legal proceedings.Therefrom，an organized Empire-wide persecution of Christians lately called “the 300-year disaster of the church”witnessed its first appearance in history，causing many divines were subjected to execution and vast Christians disaffiliated themselves from the church.
Whatever hardship they suffered，the Chritians held firmly their faith during the 300 years of persecution and finally saw the ray of hope. On 30 April 311，the Edict of Toleration by Galerius was issued by the Roman Tetrarchy of Galerius，Constantine（311-337 A.D.）and Licinius，which officially ended the Diocletian persecution of Christianity.The Christians were granted an indulgence by its provisions.Two years later，Christianity was officially legalized in the Roman Empire by Constantine in his Edict of Milan，which was a turning point in the history of Christianity.It was the first time for Roman Law to admit the church to own property and complete freedom of religious beliefs.
In 325，Constantine the Great held the first ecumenical council in the city of Nicaea to address theological disputes.The Nicene Creed，which was adopted at this council，specified Christianity’s definition of mainstream for most followers.The year 325 was a very important year to be the dividing line in the history of the church.From then on，Christian principles gradually realized its unification.Meanwhile，it signified Christianity was completely controlled by Roman government with respect to beliefs，theologies，organizations and so on.Thus Christinaity turned out to be the ruling instrument of Roman government.
In the 380s，Theodosius the Great（249-251 A.D.）reiterated Constantine’s ban on former customs of Roman religion，prohibited haruspicy on pain of death，pioneered the criminalization of Magistrates who did not enforce laws against polytheism，broke up some pagan associations and tolerated attacks on Roman temples.In 393 he issued a comprehensive law that banned any public non-Christian religious customs，ending the existence of pagan religion.At this point，the Roman rulers opened their arms and embraced Christinaity.Eventually，Christianity was officially radicated as the only orthodox church in Roman Epire.
References：
[1]William Stearns Davis.ed.Readings in Ancient History： Illustrative Extracts from the Sources.2 Vols.（Boston：Allyn and Bacon，1912-1913）.Vol.II：Rome and the West.p.289.
[2]齐世荣.精粹世界史-基督教与中世纪西欧社会[M].北京：中国青年出版社.1999.
[3]Edward Gibbon（1 January 2008）.The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.Cosimo，Inc.pp.132.ISBN 978-1-60520-122-1.
[4]Lactantius.The Minor Wo rks：The Deaths of the Persecutors
（De Mortibus Per secuto rum）[M].Sister M ary Francis McDonald O P.The Catholic University of America Press.1965.
[5]徐红英.浅析罗马帝国末期基督教国教地位的确立[J].青岛大学师范学院学报.2004.01.
【Key words】Christianity； Roman Empire； persecution； establishment
Just like Roman was not built in a day，neither did Christianity become the national religion of Roman Empire within merely 24 hours.The establishment of Christianity accounted for a lengthy process which could roughly be divided into two phases.The first stage was from about AD 64 to about AD 311，when the Christians suffered from endless persecutions in Rome.The second period commenced since Constantine the Great became emperor and concluded during the region of Theodosius the Great.
After Jesus died，St.Peter and St.Paul started to lead his disciples to preach Gospel in the Mediterranean regions，which denoted the development of the early Christian church.During that time，the Christian religion was being discriminated in Roman Empire.In AD 54，Nero the tyrant（54-68 A.D.）inherited the thorn and since then the misery of the Christian wormed its way to the openness.Nero framed a case against the Christians，claiming they were to blame for the fire in Rome in AD 64.He cruelly killed St.Peter and St.Paul and stood as the first tyrant to oppress Christian.Nero set a precedent of persecuting the Christian and promulgated a law of “Christians esse non licet”（people are forbidden to profess Christianity）.
In 250，the rapid development of Christianity disturbed Trajan Decius（249-251 A.D.）He then reacted ruthlessly to the growing visibility of the religion.Decius issued one of the most remarkable Roman imperial edicts： Persons suspected of Christianity were evidently obliged to clear themselves by sacrificing to the old gods，then taking out a libellus，a certificate from a temple confirming the act，to protect themselves against further legal proceedings.Therefrom，an organized Empire-wide persecution of Christians lately called “the 300-year disaster of the church”witnessed its first appearance in history，causing many divines were subjected to execution and vast Christians disaffiliated themselves from the church.
Whatever hardship they suffered，the Chritians held firmly their faith during the 300 years of persecution and finally saw the ray of hope. On 30 April 311，the Edict of Toleration by Galerius was issued by the Roman Tetrarchy of Galerius，Constantine（311-337 A.D.）and Licinius，which officially ended the Diocletian persecution of Christianity.The Christians were granted an indulgence by its provisions.Two years later，Christianity was officially legalized in the Roman Empire by Constantine in his Edict of Milan，which was a turning point in the history of Christianity.It was the first time for Roman Law to admit the church to own property and complete freedom of religious beliefs.
In 325，Constantine the Great held the first ecumenical council in the city of Nicaea to address theological disputes.The Nicene Creed，which was adopted at this council，specified Christianity’s definition of mainstream for most followers.The year 325 was a very important year to be the dividing line in the history of the church.From then on，Christian principles gradually realized its unification.Meanwhile，it signified Christianity was completely controlled by Roman government with respect to beliefs，theologies，organizations and so on.Thus Christinaity turned out to be the ruling instrument of Roman government.
In the 380s，Theodosius the Great（249-251 A.D.）reiterated Constantine’s ban on former customs of Roman religion，prohibited haruspicy on pain of death，pioneered the criminalization of Magistrates who did not enforce laws against polytheism，broke up some pagan associations and tolerated attacks on Roman temples.In 393 he issued a comprehensive law that banned any public non-Christian religious customs，ending the existence of pagan religion.At this point，the Roman rulers opened their arms and embraced Christinaity.Eventually，Christianity was officially radicated as the only orthodox church in Roman Epire.
References：
[1]William Stearns Davis.ed.Readings in Ancient History： Illustrative Extracts from the Sources.2 Vols.（Boston：Allyn and Bacon，1912-1913）.Vol.II：Rome and the West.p.289.
[2]齐世荣.精粹世界史-基督教与中世纪西欧社会[M].北京：中国青年出版社.1999.
[3]Edward Gibbon（1 January 2008）.The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.Cosimo，Inc.pp.132.ISBN 978-1-60520-122-1.
[4]Lactantius.The Minor Wo rks：The Deaths of the Persecutors
（De Mortibus Per secuto rum）[M].Sister M ary Francis McDonald O P.The Catholic University of America Press.1965.
[5]徐红英.浅析罗马帝国末期基督教国教地位的确立[J].青岛大学师范学院学报.2004.01.