Romans - Background #1

An understanding of some background of the Roman Empire, Rome and the Roman church is very useful to understanding the book of Romans. I’ll begin with the Roman Empire and Rome.

The traditional date for the founding of Rome was 753 BC. It was founded by a person named Romulus and consisted of a village of thatched-roof huts on the Palatine Hill. The Roman Republic formed around 509 BC and lasted until 31 BC. By 168 BC the Republic extended from northern Europe to the coasts of Africa and east to the Euphrates River. Toward the end of the Republic a series of strong generals transformed the government into a dictatorship. The Roman Empire was born out of the dictatorships and lasted from 31 BC until 565 AD.

Here is a brief rundown of emperors for the period of time of interest to us:

Octavian – 27 BC to 14 AD – Jesus was born ~5 BC
Tiberius – 14 to 37 AD – Jesus was crucified and resurrected in 30 AD. Saul was converted in35 AD. (Acts 9)
Caliqula – 37 to 41 AD – Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Gentile), receives the Holy Spirit in ~40 AD (Acts 10).
Claudius – 41 to 54 AD – The apostle James was the first apostle to be martryed in ~44 AD. (Acts 12:2)
Nero – 54 to 68 AD – Paul likely wrote the book of Romans in 57 AD.

Rome in the first century was known for its impressive buildings, aqueducts, baths, theaters and thoroughfares. Its most prominent features were the Capitoline Hill with temples to Jupiter and Juno, the Palatine Hill with imperial palaces. Both of these hills overlooked the Roman Forum which was considered the hub of the entire empire.

It was here in Rome that our heroes, Paul, Peter and many others were martyred for their message. Peter was crucified upside down in 64 AD and Paul was beheaded in the same town in 67 AD. Rome represents the darkness of the human race, the sophistication of the human race, the rejection of the gospel and a planting ground for the tiny seed of the kingdom of God. Consider these things as we work our way through the book.