The elimination of class and tribal differences did not prevent unexpected manifestations in the cities of acute hostility to strangers, who began to reproach all the troubles (an example of this is the clashes between the Greeks of Alexandria and the Jews who lived there during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. The same unfounded hatred of the mob in certain cities will be felt by the first Christians in the period of the spread of the new creed in the Roman Empire).

The contradictions of private and public life, uncertainty about the future, the crisis of moral ideals, the sense of impossibility of changes in the state led to the emergence of many different associations, most of which were associated with the religious search of the masses of the Eastern provinces and Rome. People sought to enlist the help not of the authorities, but of powerful divine forces. When traditionally established ties are destroyed, confidence in the future is lost, a person feels lost, isolated, and in these conditions very acute questions arise about the meaning of life, justice, ways of getting rid of suffering and death. In the I century BC. e. in the cities of Greece, Italy, Asia Minor rapidly falling authority of the ancient gods. The crisis of traditional religion, in addition to the causes of the General decline, was also caused by the fact that many Roman gods were faceless, personifying abstract concepts: Loyalty, Justice, Wisdom. There was growing dissatisfaction with the existing religion: the gods did not understand the believers, did not “hear” their requests, were unjust.

Christianity replaced the pagan Roman religion also because many of the ideas and rites of Christians had long been known in Rome. They were used in Judaism, in the veneration of the ancient Iranian God Mithras and others. Worshippers of the God Mithras were soldiers of the Roman army, officials. Mitra is the deity of heavenly light, sun and truth. The cult of this God explained the nature of evil, considering it independent and eternal in the world, preached the belief in the afterlife and the last judgment. In many cities of Rome were arranged temples of Mithras, where worship was performed with singing and music. Many adherents also conquered other Eastern cults: ISIS, Phrygian great mother-Cybele.