Although it is often claimed that Christians were persecuted for their refusal to worship the emperor, general dislike for Christians likely arose from their refusal to worship the gods or take part in sacrifice, which was expected of those living in the Roman Empire.
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Overall, this quotation supports the idea that "<span>both the rich and the poor have the ability to serve", since during this time in Athens political participation was considered to be a great and necessary privilege.</span>
