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How Religion all
changed in Roman Britain
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- For the first 300 years
that the Romans ruled Britain, the Romano-British worshipped
many different gods. They were pagans,
like the Saxons.
- In the Middle East, a
religion called Christianity was started by Jesus Christ,
around the year AD 25.
- Christians believe in
only one God. This religion was very unpopular with
the Roman Government. It was banned.
- Legends tell us that
Christianity was brought to Britain by Jesus's grand uncle,
Joseph of Arimathea, in AD 63. These stories are probably made
up.
- Traders and merchants
(people selling things) brought Christian ideas to Britain in the 2nd century. The
Christians had to worship in secret.
- Sometimes, they were
hunted down and executed. In Rome, they were eaten by lions!
This might have happened in Britain too.
- We know of at least
three Christians who were executed in Britain: St. Alban, St.
Aaron and St. Julius.
- In AD 313, the Emperor
Constantine changed the law. He said it was OK to be a
Christian.
- Christianity quickly
became very popular. Romano-British bishops went to a big conference at Arles (in France)
the next year.
- Archaeologists have dug
up the remains of several Romano-British
churches. Some pagan
temples were turned into churches.
- By the time the Romans
left Britain, many people in the country were
Christians.
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Click to find
out: What
happened next?
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