Between the first and fourth centuries Christianity gradually became the prevailing religion of Rome. The burden of how to respond to this new religion was placed upon the Roman government. Many kings or emperors of the Romans responded to Christianity in a different fashion. Over this large amount of time Christianity fought its way into the hearts and souls of the Roman people. Through the first general persecution of Christians by Decius in 250 A.D. to the conversion of the emperor to Christianity by Constantine, it was only a matter of time before Christianity came to the forefront.
             In Rome from 17 A. D. to 69 A. D. the Julio-Claudian dynasty began. It began under the rule of Tiberius from (17-37). During Tiberius' reign Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus of Nazareth to Death in the Roman province of Judea created from the Jewish Kingdom Judah. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God according to Christianity, was alive during a troubled period when Roman rule aroused feelings of anger. This feeling of anger in Judaea was an idle setting for the ministering of Jesus (Holmes 68). The Christians were believed to have been conspiring against the Roman Government and were therefore persecuted by governors and local authorities, but no major persecution took place.
             From 37-41 A. D. Caligula (Gaius) became ruler of Rome. During his younger years Caligula had been secluded at the island of Capri and therefore had not been trained appropriately to become the king of Rome. He was totally unprepared for such a challenge. As his reign began he first brought back all of the Augustian ideals that made former ruler Augustus so popular. He promised to work with the Senate and the elections would return to the people. He also promised that there would be no unpopular taxes. However, after surviving a near-death illness Caligula revoked his promises for Rome and became power-crazy. At times he would throw extravagant parties th...