JANUARY 30:  PAGANISM, EARLY CHRISTIANITY, AND ROME

Traditional religion, traditional family values:  the emperor Augustus as pontifex maximus

Altar to Mars and Venus:

Jerusalem:  the Temple Mount today

Judaism:  a representation of the Temple (from the third-century synagogue at Dura-Europus)

AD 70:  The Romans destroy Jerusalem and the Temple

Early views of Jesus:

Christ crucified, with the two thieves (fifth century)

Christ before Pilate (Rossano Gospels, sixth century)

Leave it to the experts:  Apostolic authority

Christian radical asceticism:  sexuality is the root of all evil

Anti-Christian graffiti:  "Alexamenos is worshipping his god."

"Christians to the Lion!"

 The Christian as Soldier of Christ and Athlete of God:

"How Beautiful a Spectacle for God:"  the Christian martyr