Many pagan religions were worshipped alongside the traditionally enforced religion of the ancient Romans. Because Rome was a multicultural Empire, pagan rituals and beliefs were permitted as long as the people respected and paid loyalties to the emperor. It wasn't until Christianity started to bloom, that the Roman authorities, and the community started to take forceful action against those followers. There were many different religious and non-religious reasons for the cruel persecution of early Christians. Although Christians had many names for their God, they were monotheistic; meaning they worshipped one God only. On the contrary, the Romans were polytheistic; worshipping many different gods. They were disliked because of the strange rituals they participated in, they did not worship the Roman emperor, and were a targeted scapegoat for many problems in the Empire.
People liked Christian views and beliefs, and were drawn to the idea of "Love Thy Neighbor". They needed a sense of reward for their long and hard life; and wanted something to look forward to after death (heaven). They also were in need of a single God that they could relate to, and have a "relationship" with, instead of having a different God for every occasion. There were many rumors flying about that Christians were cannibals (because of the 'Lord's Supper' in which they eat the 'flesh' and drink the 'blood' of Jesus Christ), and that they performed human sacrifice. But what angered the Roman people the most was their refusal to worship the Emperor. .
Persecutions of the Christian sect began mildly, with beating and a few executions of Christians who would not renounce their faith. But with new problems arising in the empire, Emperors were trying to find scapegoats to blame their mistakes on. In 64 A.D, there was a great fire that destroyed nearly half of the city of Rome. The fire took lives, furniture and paintings, houses and livestock.
