Final answer:
The early Roman Empire initially persecuted Christians, but after Emperor Constantine, Christianity was legally accepted, and it later became the official state religion under Emperor Theodosius I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best statement that reflects how the Roman Empire interacted with Christianity is option (d): The early Roman empire persecuted Christians, but the later Roman empire made Christianity its official religion. Initially, Christians were often persecuted for their beliefs, notably under emperors like Nero and during empire-wide persecutions under Decius and Diocletian. The situation changed dramatically with Emperor Constantine's reign starting in 306 AD, who through the Edict of Milan in 313, ended the persecution of Christians and made Christianity a legally accepted religion. Later, under Emperor Theodosius I in 380 CE, Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Thus, Christianity's relationship with Rome transformed from one of persecution to being the core of the state religion, greatly altering the societal and religious landscape of the empire. This transition was part of a larger transformation within the Roman Empire during the third through the seventh centuries CE, from polytheism to monotheism and from a pagan to a Christian society.