The recognition of the Christian religion in the Byzantine Empire, 4th century a.d

Abstract

This article attempts to detail out in order to analyse the recognition of the Christian religion of the Byzantine Empire at the beginning of the fourth century A.D. In particular, this paper clarifies the impact of the sectarian conflicts between pagans and Christians in the Empire, especially during the reign of the emperor Diocletian and the emperor Constantine I the Great who recognized the Christianity as official religion. The methodology used in this study is significantly narrative approaches of primary sources namely manuscripts, historical records and related documents. From this study, it is concluded that the tolerance policy of the Romanian Empire used with Christians at their first days did not last for long; soon after, that policy was converted to persecutions against Christians. Also, it is highlighted that the victory of Christianity was achieved in the era of Constantine the great, and that was not only professing and confessing Christianity's right to be existing, but also placing it under protection of the Byzantine Empire.