ROMAN EMPIRE was the ruling goverment all around the Mediterranean from about 63 B.C. to A.D. 450.
It began as a small city-state in Italy and grew into an empire that controlled most of the world of that day. It reached form Britain, France, and Germany in the north to Morocco in Africa nd east to what is now Turkey and Lebanon. As Rome conquered and controlled these areas, it brought some degree of peace that lasted about five centuries. This peace also permitted trade to flourish. Roman money became the common currency throughtout the world.
In the time before Christ, the city-state had a form of democracy with a senate representing the citizens. Later the emperor became powerful. By about A.D. 100, the emperor of Rome was even worshiped as a god in some places. The Romans insisted that everyone must say, "Caesar is Lord."
Because Christians would not do that, the huge Roman Empire persecuted the tiny early church, and many Christians were thrown to the lions. But this only seemed to make the early church even stronger.
The peace and the ease of trave that Rome established helped the church to grow and spread throughout the world of that day.
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