When my wife and I visited Rome in 2018, we had the opportunity to visit the famed Colosseum. In my mind I beheld images of Christians cowering in the corner, as the lions were being released, while Rome’s pagan citizenry cheered on Emperor Nero’s animals to destroy those who confessed the name of Jesus. Though a gruesome thought, it is still a sobering and inspiring demonstration of the resiliency of Christian faith.
It was quite a shock then to hear our docent tell us that we have no evidence of Christians being ripped apart by lions at the Colosseum under the reign of Nero. Nero died in the year 68 A.D., and construction of the Colosseum did not begin until 70 A.D. when Vespasian became emperor. The structure was not completed until 80 A.D.
I guess I really did not know my history as well as I thought I did….
The Colosseum of Rome. In our trip to Rome in 2018, my wife and I learned that contrary to popular belief, Christians were not “fed to the lions” simply because of their faith here. Instead, the story is more complicated.
Veracity 