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Emperor Constantine noticed the internal discipline of the Christian Church and hoped that by encouraging Christianity he could encourage unity in the empire. Michael Grant (The Emperor Constantine) says that at the very outset, the Donatists and the Arians demolished Constantine's idea that the empire, with Christians in charge, could become a single harmonious unit.
In 313, Constantine and Licinius jointly issued the Edict of Milan, building on Galerius' Edict of Toleration but going a good deal further by granting positive advantages and privileges to the Christian community. These benefits were not intended to accrue to Gnostic Christianity, which was treated as an illegal heresy. At the behest of the Bishop of Rome, Constantine soon declared the Donatists illegal, but eventually gave them the right to exist.
As sole emperor, Constantine funded the construction of magnificent churches and paid the stipends and expenses of the Christian clergy out of imperial funds, although Christians were only a very small minority of the population. People of ambition soon realised that opportunities for advancement in imperial service were offered to those who became Christians. Emperor Constantine began the long persecution of the pagan temples, which would result in the public worship of the old gods being declared a capital crime by Emperor Theodosius in 391 CE.
Edward Gibbon (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) suggested that Constantine’s conversion of himself and his subjects to Christianity was one of the principal causes of the fall of the western Roman Empire, which ceased to exist 139 years after his death. Grant says that the most that can be legitimately said for Gibbon's thesis is that Christianisation may have accelerated the process.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoConstantine, a follower of Mithraism, was concerned about challenges to imperial authority, and enlisted the Christian bishops to give him a secondary controlling force throughout the empire to promote its stability and well-being of its citizens.
Theodosius used his own Christianity to impose it on the people of the Empire, demanding acceptance on pain of death, and turning loose his erratic and violent nature in the cause of the religion of an alleged loving god..
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoConstantine harnessed Christianity to use as a religious control mechanism as a secondary backup to his political control.
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How did constantines policies toward christiny differ theodosiuss?
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What are the Constantines two achievements?
Constantine's accomplishments were making Christianity the official religion of the empire & founding Constantinople (Istanbul).
When was Constantines created?
Constantine Palace was created in 1807.
When was Constantines - album - created?
Constantines - album - was created on 2001-06-05.
What was the policy of Spain toward the colonial Philippines?
The Philippines was the only colony Spain had in Asia. Spain was hoping to use the Philippines to get in on the spice trade business. It was also part of Spain's policy to convert Filipinos to Christianity and then to spread Christianity to other countries in Asia such as Japan and China.
When was Shine a Light - Constantines album - created?
Shine a Light - Constantines album - was created on 2003-08-19.
What was Constantines religious faith?
apon founding it was roman traditional, it converted to Christianity with the rest of the roman empire. it was then captured by Turks and Arabs sucesivley, both being Muslim. it is today Muslim.
What was romes policy toward most of the religions in the empire?
Rome had a policy of tolerance toward most of the religions or forms of worship in the empire.
Did Constantinople prosper under Constantines rule and give reasons to support the answer?
did constainople prosper under constantines rule and give a reason s to support the answer
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how did the british officials change their policy toward the indians after the french and indian war
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How can the policy of First Federal toward general fraternization between employees be summarized?
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