Emperor Worship in Rome — Acts 17

Emperor worship in the Roman Empire was more than a religious ritual — it was a political act expressing loyalty to the state. Although Jews were exempted from this obligation, the abolition of sacrifices offered on behalf of the emperor ultimately deepened the conflict between Israel and Rome.

Emperor Worship in Rome

Emperor worship in the Bible refers to the practice of venerating and worshiping the Roman emperor as a god. Throughout the ancient world, it was not uncommon for rulers to be deified. Notable examples include the Pharaohs of Egypt, who claimed the title of sun god, and Alexander the Great, who built a temple in Alexandria and required people to worship him. The Seleucid dynasty of Syria (Aram) and the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt likewise followed the policy of deifying their kings.

The Roman Empire, which came to dominate Europe, the Near and Middle East, and Africa after the Hellenistic period, was no exception. Figures such as Caesar and Antony became objects of veneration, and Augustus (Octavian), the first emperor of Rome, understood emperor worship and ancestor veneration as expressions of loyalty to the state. Such matters were formally decided by a vote in the Senate.

This practice of emperor worship was applied equally to all colonial territories under Roman rule. Accordingly, in the cities of each subject nation, the state took the lead in organizing imperial worship, maintaining temples with public funds and granting special privileges to priests. Fortunately, Octavian exempted Jews from these obligations and granted them a considerable degree of religious freedom.

Nevertheless, Jews were required to pray for the emperor and to offer sacrifices for his well-being. The Roman emperor Caligula (A.D. 37–41) erected temples to Castor and Pollux — the twin sons of Zeus — on either side of the entrance to his palace, and positioned himself between the two statues to receive worship. However, in A.D. 66, the zealous activity of the Zealots in Israel led to the abolition of sacrifices offered on behalf of the emperor. From Rome’s perspective, this was viewed as a political act of rebellion against the Roman Empire. As a result, Israel came to be identified as a nation of concern — one that refused emperor worship and opposed Roman imperial policy.

This emperor worship continued for about 300 years, until the Emperor Constantine officially recognized Christianity as a state religion in 313 AD.

During this period, emperors Nero, Domitian, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Maximinus, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian, and Galerius rigorously enforced emperor worship and suppressed other religions as superstition. As a result, the church and its believers had to endure a brutal era of persecution lasting several centuries in order to preserve their faith.

*Source: Dictionary of Biblical Cultural Background

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