Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/23

III

THE NEW TESTAMENT EPISTLES, AND LETTERS OF APOSTOLIC
FATHERS

Adoption of favourite letter-form as literary pieces—in Epistles
of the New Testament, and in letters of Apostolic Fathers 69


PART IV


I

(a) HADRIAN—HIS POLICY TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY

Hadrian—His life of travel—His character—Early policy
towards Christians—He insults Christianity in his building
of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem—The great Jewish
war—Its two results—(a) Complete change in the spirit of
the Jews—(b) A new conception of the Christian sect on
part of Roman Government—It was now recognized that
the Christian was no mere Jewish dissenter, but a member
of a distinct sect, dangerous to Roman policy 75


II

(b) HADRIAN—HIS ENMITY TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY GRADUALLY
INCREASED

Last years of Hadrian—Persecution of Christians more pronounced—Undoubted
authorities for this graver position of
Christians throughout the Empire—Table showing succession
of Antonines to the Empire 81


III

ANTONINUS PIUS AND MARCUS ANTONINUS—THEIR IDEALS

Character of Antoninus Pius—His intense love for Rome—His
determination to restore the old simple life to which Rome
owed her greatness—His devotion to ancient Roman traditions,
and to the old Roman religion—Antoninus Pius and
his successor Marcus lived themselves the simple austere life
they taught to their court and subjects 84


IV

INTENSE ANTIPATHY OF THE ANTONINES TO CHRISTIANITY

Reason of the Antonines' marked hostility to the Christian sect—The
Christians stood resolutely aloof from the ancient
religion which these two great sovereigns believed was indissolubly
bound up with the greatness of Rome—With such
views of the sources of Roman power and prosperity, only
a stern policy of persecution was possible—This policy,
pursued in days of Pius, was intensified by his yet greater
successor Marcus—The common idea that the Christians were