o The church, which had flourished as a religious movement
during centuries of oppression and persecution—flourished,
moreover, as a religion committed to peace, nonviolence,
and other countercultural values—found itself the pillar and
support of the world’s mightiest military and political power.
It never did completely resolve the internal tensions its new
status created.Diocletian’s Reforms
• In some respects, Diocletian was as important as Constantine for
the shaping of imperial Christianity because he gave a new shape
to imperial politics. It is against the backdrop of Diocletian’s
reforms, as well as his persecution, that we can best understand the
significance of Constantine’s initiative.
• After a “golden age” in the 2nd century—the reigns of Trajan and
Hadrian in particular seemed a high watermark for enlightened
imperial rule—the empire suffered severe internal and external
threats throughout the 3rd century, especially from 235 to 285, when
it was in almost a condition of anarchy.
o The Sassanid Empire (224–651) brought Persian/Parthian
power to a threatening position in the east, reaching as far west
as Antioch in the 250s.o Germanic peoples on the Danube and the Rhine had begun
the “invasions”—more properly, migration—that exercised
increasing pressure on the empire in the west.o The empire was in a bad financial state. Rome had always
depended on conquest for the acquisition of new wealth; with
the face of victory turning away from the empire, such easy
wealth was less available. The economic situation was made
worse by famine, plague, and monetary inflation.o From within, there was political unrest, with imperial
pretenders contending for power. Since the time of Augustus,
the usual way to become an emperor was through acclamation