ABSTRACT
A small Jewish sect, formed round a leader crucified in Judaea under Tiberius, developed within a century into a cult with adherents in many provinces, and became from Ad 325 onwards the official religion of the Roman state. The details of its early history do not concern us here, but many thousands of inscriptions have survived which, from their simple wording, imagery or findspots, can confidently be ascribed to the Christian communities.
