Was the Roman Empire traditionally a place of religious tolerance?

Answer 1

Within limits, the Roman Empire was a place of religious tolerance. Conquered peoples were permitted to continue worshipping their traditional gods, as long as they also paid homage to the Roman gods.

A special exemption for the Jews, so that they did not have to worship the Roman gods, was made in deference to their monotheism and their belief in the great antiquity of the Jewish faith. During much of the first century, Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism and therefore subject to the same exemption.

After the late-first-century break with Judaism, Christianity was no longer afforded the privileges of Judaism. However, about 112, Trajan said that Christians were not to be sought out for punishment, and if they came up in court they were to be given the opportunity of clearing themselves by formal denial, no matter how compromising their previous conduct may have been - so long as they also offer up the required prayers to the Roman Gods.

There were two brief periods of official persecution of Christians in the third century, but these are said to have resulted more from concerns about Christian loyalty to the emperor, than concerns about their religion. Religious tolerance ended in the fourth century, with first the Christians subject to persecution, then the pagans becoming the targets of persecution.

Answer 2

Yes, The Romans tolerated the religions and the customs of the conquered people. They could not have managed to control their vast empire without this kind of policy. They also allowed the conquered peoples to use their customary laws at the local level.