To be an early Christian in Rome was quite a dangerous thing; to be a Christian was to recognize an authority above the Empire- something Rome couldn't tolerate.
In later years, Justin Martyr recalled that even before his conversion, he recognized the fallacy of Rome's perception of Christians:
“For I myself, too, when I was delighting in the doctrines of Plato, and heard the Christians slandered, and saw them fearless of death, and of other things which are counted fearful, perceived that It was impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For what sensual or intemperate man, or who that counts it good to feast on human flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived of his enjoyments, and would not rather continue always the present life, and attempt to escape the observation of the rulers.” - The Second Apology of Justin
