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To: JMJ333
Constantine still gets more credit than Galerius, IMO. After all, his edict was motivated out of gratitude, not political calculation, and he never revoked it later, as Galerius might have done. Despite his initially primitive understanding of religion, he acquired a serious appreciation of Christianity's theological subtleties, culminating in his active participation at the Council of Nicaea. Though never establishing Christianity as the official religion of the empire, his committed patronage was decisive, propelling Christianity to a prominence that to this day is visible in every word and act of the Bishop of Rome.
14 posted on 08/07/2002 8:21:36 AM PDT by Romulus
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To: Romulus
Interesting. Do you have any book recommendations to add?

I was just reading about Pompey crucifying 6,000 slaves along the Appian way and--long before Constantine of course, but I may as well start back as far as possible.

15 posted on 08/07/2002 10:31:26 AM PDT by JMJ333
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To: Romulus
Constantine still gets more credit than Galerius, IMO. After all, his edict was motivated out of gratitude, not political calculation, and he never revoked it later, as Galerius might have done.

Galerius really can't get much credit at all considering he was a persecutor. And doesn't Eusebius claim that Galerius only issued this proclamation while deathly ill -- being eaten by alive by swarms of worms, as a divine punishment for his wicked life?
38 posted on 08/07/2002 6:34:21 PM PDT by Antoninus
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