1 Earliest Rome

The Mishnah on Alien Worship [Avodah Zarah] 1.1-4
12.7 The Christians
For three days before the festivals of the idolaters it is forbidden to do business with
them, to lend to them or to borrow from them, to repay them or to be repaid by them.
Rabbi Judah says, 'One may be repaid by them, because it is vexatious to the payer.'
They answered him, 'Although it is vexatious to him at the time, later he
will be glad.' Rabbi Ishmael says, 'The prohibition applies not only for three days
before them but also for three days following.' The sages however say,
'It applies before the festivals, but not after them.' The following are the festivals of the
idolaters: the Kalends, the Saturnalia, Empire Day, the Anniversaries of the Emperors,
the day of their birth and the day of their death. 1
This is the opinion of Rabbi Meir.
But the sages say, 'At every death at which burning takes place, there is idolatry, but
when burning does not take place there is no idolatry' But on the day when one cuts
off one's beard or a lock of hair, on the day when one returns from a sea-voyage, or on
the day when one comes out of gaol, or when an idolater holds a parry for his son,
is not forbidden, save on that day and only with that man. In the case of a
city in which idolatry is going on, is permitted outside it; if the idolatry is
outside, then it is permitted inside. What about going there? If the road leads solely to
that place, it is forbidden; but if one would be able to go by it to another place, it is
permitted. What about a city in which idolatry is going on, and in which some shops
were decorated and some were not? This was the case in Beth Shean, and the sages said,
'Those which are decorated are prohibited but those which are not decorated are
permitted.' 2
1. The Kalends, i.e. the first of lanuary when sacrifices on behalf of Rome were made;
Saturnalia, a Roman fesrival in late December widely celebrated (5.3); Empire Day
(Kratesim), perhaps anniversaries of the creation of the province; Anniversaries
(Genmid), perhaps of the emperor's accession, as days of birth and death are mentioned
separately.
2. The decorations envisaged are probably garlands. Tertullian, On Idoktry 15 reports a
story of a Christian in Carthage whose servants (in his absence) had garlanded the door
to his house on the sudden announcement of imperial good news; that same night the
man was chastised by God in a dream.
12.7 The Christians
The following selection of texts is designed to locate Christianity in the context
of contemporary society and religious options. The texts are grouped thematically,
though some texts relate to more than one theme: 12.7a critique of
Greek and Roman cults; 12.7b the spread of Christianity; 12.7c the social
composition of Christianity; 12.7d the practices of Christianity; 12.7e the
pluralism of early Christianity; 12.7f trials of Christians.
See further: Vol. 1, 269-71. 276-7, 283-5, 295-6, 299-300; for a fuller
collection of sources, see Stevenson (1987).
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