Temple to Emperor Trajan at Pergamum

The Greeks, Romans, and other peoples in the Roman Empire worshiped multiple deities. Traditional deities: the chief male god was named Zeus in Greek and Jupiter in Latin; the goddess of beauty and love was Aphrodite or Venus; the god of wine was Dionysus or Bacchus; and the god of healing was Aesclepius. Cities typically had several temples, each dedicated to a god or goddess. These deities were honored by civic festivals and public processions, as well as by the sheep and oxen that the priests sacrificed. In contrast to Greco-Roman religion, both Christianity and Judaism taught that there was only one true God. Belief that God was revealed in Jesus Christ, however, set church members apart from Jews as well as from Greeks and Romans. Emperor worship: some, but not all, Roman emperors were regarded as gods; emperors were usually given divine status after their deaths, although a few were considered gods during their lifetimes. Cities built temples to the emperors in order to show their loyalty. In return for their loyalty these cities received help and prestige from the Roman authorities. Christians agreed to pray for the well-being of the emperor, but refused to worship the emperor as a god. Their refusal sometimes led to persecution.