Perhaps you want to qualify what you say, seeing as you jumped on me to distinguish between the Republic Republic from the Roman Empire.
During what period did Rome tolerate Jews, even extending Roman citizenship to Jews; and, during what period did Rome throw Jews as well as Christians to the lions?
I’ll address my question.
The tolerant period:
“In 63 B.C., the Romans conquered Judea, the land of the Jews. Rome immediately recognized it had a problem because the Jews refused to pay homage to Roman gods. Rome gave in and exempted Jews from this requirement. Rome did this in part because the Jews had helped Roman general Julius Caesar win an important battle several years earlier. Soon Rome recognized Judaism as a legal religion, allowing Jews to worship freely.”
The intolerant period:
Basically following the Jewish revolt.
For more on the Roman treatment of Christians and Jews, esp. during the first three centuries of the common era, see:
One more thing: The Romans weren’t the only political entity that thought first to accept Jews, in view of their industriousness, education and wealth (at times), and then turn on them. For more on Jews, see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y8jyQKskdY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGhwjMxd0NY
I've never heard that Romans tossed Jews to the lions, but they lost many of their privileges, and even their homes and liberty, after their rebellions, the final one (the Bar Kokhba revolt) ending in A.D. 136.
Christians had an opposite trajectory. Jews initially enjoyed more privileges, but were eventually more persecuted. Christians were more persecuted, but eventually became the official religion.