Judaism and Christianity were rivals under the Roman Empire, and the Jews lost the race, in part because after 135 they raised the barriers between themselves and the gentiles, and because for Jews who wished to be assimilated, Christianity was a better option. Furthermore, Rome was not the actual ruler of most of the Christians even in the Empire. It was no accident that nearly all the bishops who attended the First Council, the one called by Constantine, were from Eastern cities. Christians were a decided minority in the Western Empire. The same was true of the Jews. Despite the age and prestige of th Roman Church, the pope of Rome played a modest role in the course of events folwwoing Constasntine’s decision to make Christianity the offical religion. The Emperor, after all, was shifting the political center from Italy to the East where the bulk of “Romans” actually lived. Many pagans, many Jews opportunistically joined the now regnant Church. The hostily of Christians was toward both pagans and Jews who chose not to convert.
What an interesting bit of analysis. Do you have any sources you care to share? I mean the facts are clear, and this is the history I know, but I never got this bit.. like this.
The thing that seems to be always left out of the history of this time is the War between Rome and Persia (Parthia). The 114 Revolt and perhaps the Bar Kochba revolt seem to have to been amongst other things, skirmishes that stopped the Romans from their goal of conquering and holding all of Parthia and thus enslaving the Greater Jewish community that this and prior Persian and Babylonian Empires had sheltered ever since the fall of the First Temple.