[Vermont Lt]

The Romans did not care if someone worshipped other “gods.” What they did not like was losing the coins that were cast at the Roman Gods/Caesars.

Its all about the Benjamins. It always has been.

[Antoninus]

The Romans did not care if someone worshipped other “gods.”

They absolutely did care which is why Decius, Valerian, Diocletian, etc. instituted empire-wide persecutions. The first two in particular could be called "devout pagans" who believed that the growth of "atheist" religions like Judaism, Christianity and Manichaeism caused the pagan pantheon to withhold their traditional protection from the glorious Roman state.

[Telepathic Intruder]

It depended on which Emperor was in rule. For the most part you’re correct, life under the Romans was very free as long as you paid your tribute. If you didn’t, life was short.

[AppyPappy]

Rather ironic that the church would pick up this same practice.

[RedStateRocker]

That and the genuine belief that no worshiping the Roman gods would bring misfortune on the entire community.

Yes, the Romans could not care less if someone worshiped Christ (Or Mithras, or ISIS), but you had to also worship their gods. That’s why the question of ‘are Christians Jews’ was so urgent. ONLY the Jews could get away with not worshiping the emperor, and that only because the Romans esteemed antiquity, and Judaism was OLD.

[A strike]

That doesn’t appear to be the case here, where the authorities were all about demanding obeisance to Rome and renouncing Christianity.