Due to lack of trustworthy records, it is often difficult to verify statements about history, especially when those statements are written by writers who may be biased. This is an ongoing challenge for those who study the history of the early churches. One fact remains indisputable: the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and virtually wiped out that city in 70 AD. For a long time afterward, Jews were out of favor with the Roman government. It seems likely that, from 70 AD on, Christians sought to separate themselves from being associated with their Jewish counterparts and any favor or special privileges Jews once had from the Romans were no longer valuable.