[colechristensen]

>They used the term pagan, as in the "old ways"

That's not what the latin origin of pagan ever meant, it meant peasant or rural usually in the negative connotation common for city folks referring to people who lived outside of cities\. Were there ever any recorded instances of Romans referring to themselves as "pagan" as a group? Maybe one.

>"Rome"

Weird usage of scare quotes, especially in the time frame you are referring to, the name of the empire or the city was never ambiguous.