In spite of being faithful.

In spite of being faithful -

Sometime toward the end of the last ice age, a gray wolf gingerly approached a human encampment. Those first tentative steps set his species on the path to a dramatic transformation: By at least 15,000 years ago, those wolves had become dogs, and neither they nor their human companions would ever be the same. The wolf-dog analysis suggests that dogs evolved only once, from a now-extinct wolf population. As early as 11,000 years ago, there were already five distinct dog lineages; these gave rise to canines (dogs) in the Near East, northern Europe, Siberia, New Guinea, and the Americas, the team reports today in Science (magazine). Because dogs had already diversified so much by that time, "domestication had to occur long before then," Pontus Skoglund (Paleogenomicist at the Francis Crick Institute) says. The oldest definitive dog remains come from Germany about 15,000 to 16,000 years ago. (This paragraph is appended on 20.01.2022 at 4:30 AM.)

Dogs for Romans fall into two categories, hunting dogs and sheep dogs. Though the domesticated dogs sometimes if they got too hungry, they might attack you or your flock. In both cities and rural areas the home was guarded by chained watchdogs. Excavations at Pompeii revealed one unfortunate dog still chained to a doorpost at the time of the city disaster of Mount Vesuvius. If the dogs failed in their duty they would end up in hot water. In one famous story told by Pliny the Elder in his 'Natural History', once the dogs failed to prevent an attack by the Gauls in 390 B.C. The Gauls managed to escape the notice of guards and watchdogs but were spotted by the beady-eyed Geese (sing. Goose) of Juno. The Geese activated the inhabitants of the city and saved the city from being conquered. In tribute to this, dogs were crucified once a year near the Circus Maximus as a reminder and punishment for their betrayal. 

The first martyrs of Christendom are faithful followers of the Lord. They didn't worship the false gods which is a must as Roman citizen. The faithfulness of the early Christians was treated as a failure citizens of Rome. This in turn drawn them to Circus Maximus, and been tortured by dipping them in tar and used as torches at nights to light the night shows, some were crucified and some to gladiatorial fights and some to beasts and some killed. 

Tertullian, one of the Early Church Fathers of the second century, said “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The martyrs faced their death with might. St. Ignatius of Antioch before his martyrdom in the Colosseum, he knew what he was getting into, but he had no fear. With complete hope he said, “Now I begin to be a disciple of Christ. I care for nothing, of visible or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus Christ.” In another instance, St. Ignatius says, "I am His wheat grounded fine by the lion's teeth to be made purest bread for Christ."

Apostle Paul foreknew about his demise. Writing to Timothy, "..the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2Timothy 4:6,7 NIV). Let's all as faithful believers of Christ Jesus be encouraged by the words of the early martyrs and stand firm in faith and face the world with undeterred hope.

Picture : Watchdog of Pompeii.