Dr. John Rao discusses early Christianity and the Greco-Roman world including the Greco-Roman ecumene. Dr. Rao discusses the character of the Roman Empire under the so-called Principate, the form of government and social order established by the Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.). This lasted until the late 100’s and 200’s A.D. It provides a crucial background for understanding the world in which Christianity was born and first spread.