446:. Eusebius says that it stated that "it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever." The edict further demanded that individual Romans right any wrongs towards Christians: "...the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception." The exhortation to right historic wrongs may also reflect the leaders' desires to avoid unfavourable consequences such as social unrest and further conquests. Koszarycz says that Constantine was superstitious and believed in the existence of the non-Christian gods enough that they did not want to offset the balance of good and evil. It was believed that the sooner that balance was restored by the Romans establishing a state of justice with the Christians, the sooner the state would become stable.
421:
the strongest deity. At that time, he was concerned about social stability and the protection of the empire from the wrath of the
Christian God: in this view, the edict could be a pragmatic political decision rather than a religious shift. However, the majority of historians believe that Constantine's adoption of Christianity was genuine, and that the Edict of Milan was merely the first official act of Constantine as a dedicated Christian. This view is supported by Constantine's ongoing favors on behalf of Christianity during the rest of his reign.
29:
711:, "What is significant is that the document, once wrongly known as the Edict of Milan (there was never such a thing) and attributed to Constantine, is the product of a pagan emperor who had decided that Constantine's approach to the "Christian question" was correct. Although the 'Edict of Milan' is really a letter of Licinius to the governors of the eastern provinces, it still represents an important sea change in the direction of imperial policy." Potter p. 149
269:
439:
the state. For
Christians, the immunities and guaranties contained in the act had most important results. For the first time, it became possible to observe publicly the liturgy in its fullness and to attempt seriously and earnestly to mould the life of the empire according to Christian ideals and standards. The joy of the Christians at this change in their public status is expressed by Eusebius in his "Church History" (X, ii).
377:, the Caesar in the East who styled himself as Augustus. Having received Emperor Galerius's instruction to repeal the persecution in 311, Maximinus had instructed his subordinates to desist, but he had not released Christians from prisons or virtual death sentences in the mines, as Constantine and Licinius had both done in the West.
392:
When you see that this has been granted to by us, your
Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation
438:
It directed the provincial magistrates to execute the order at once with all energy so that public order may be restored and the continuance of divine favour may "preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state." Constantine ordered for the restitution to be at the expense of
420:
Although the Edict of Milan is commonly presented as
Constantine's first great act as a Christian emperor, it is disputed whether the Edict of Milan was an act of genuine faith. The document could be seen as Constantine's first step in creating an alliance with the Christian God, whom he considered
338:
When we, Constantine
Augustus and Licinius Augustus, met so happily at Milan, and considered together all that concerned the interest and security of the State, we decided ... to grant to Christians and to everybody the free power to follow the religion of their choice, in order that all that is
380:
After
Galerius's death, Maximinus was no longer constrained and enthusiastically took up renewed persecutions in the eastern territories under his control, encouraging petitions against Christians. One of those petitions, addressed not only to Maximinus but also to Constantine and Licinius, is
411:
Since
Licinius composed the edict with the intent of publishing it in the east upon his hoped-for victory over Maximinus, it expresses the religious policy accepted by Licinius, a pagan, rather than that of Constantine, who was already a Christian. Constantine's own policy went beyond merely
381:
preserved in a stone inscription at
Arycanda in Lycia, and is a "request that the Christians, who have long been disloyal and still persist in the same mischievous intent, should at last be put down and not be suffered by any absurd novelty to offend against the honour due to the gods."
429:
Galerius's earlier edict did nothing to restore the confiscated property of
Christians. That was left to the Edict of Milan. Instructions were given for Christians' meeting places and other properties to be returned and compensation to be paid by the state to the current owners:
334:), which gives the Latin text of both Galerius's edict of toleration as posted at Nicomedia on 30 April 311 and of Licinius's letter of toleration and restitution addressed to the governor of Bithynia and posted at Nicomedia on 13 June 313. The latter states:
720:
For an overview of the representation of Roman religion in early
Christian authors, see R.P.C. Hanson, "The Christian Attitude to Pagan Religions up to the Time of Constantine the Great" and Carlos A. Contreras, "Christian Views of Paganism" in
312:
Wherefore, for this our indulgence, they ought to pray to their God for our safety, for that of the republic, and for their own, that the commonwealth may continue uninjured on every side, and that they may be able to live securely in their
364:) in the late summer or early autumn of 313, but the origin of his copy of Galerius's edict of 311 is unknown since that does not seem to have been promulgated in Caesarea. In his description of the events in Milan in his
131:
with marked divergences between the two. Whether or not there was a formal 'Edict of Milan' is no longer really debated among scholars, who generally reject the story as it has come down in church history.
622:
This Edict is the first which definitely introduces Catholic orthodoxy as the established religion of the Roman world. Acknowledgment of the true doctrine of the Trinity is made the test of State recognition.
224:
insistence on their god being the only God and in believing all other gods were false gods could not be fitted into the system. Their scruples prevented them swearing loyalty oaths directed at the
388:
in 380). Indeed, the edict expressly grants religious liberty to Christians, who had been the object of special persecution, but also goes even further and grants liberty to all other religions:
308:
on 30 April 311. By its provisions, Christians who had "followed such a caprice and had fallen into such a folly that they would not obey the institutes of antiquity" were granted an indulgence.
135:
The version found in Lactantius is not in the form of an edict. It is a letter from Licinius to the governors of the provinces in the Eastern Empire that he had just conquered by defeating
543:
280:) was a large complex with several buildings, gardens, and courtyards, used for the Emperor's private and public activities, and for his court, family, and imperial bureaucracy.
581:
In the most common sense, "mainstream" refers to Nicene Christianity, or rather the traditions which continue to claim adherence to the Nicene Creed.
384:
The edict is popularly thought to concern only Christianity and even to make it the official religion of the Empire (which did not occur until the
1044:
1024:
873:
289:
240:(r. 249–251) issued edicts that imposed hard restrictions on Christians, a policy continued by his successor Valerian. With the accession of
233:
609:
969:
434:
the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception.
478:
576:
151:
The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious and attributed their success as a world power to their collective piety
559:. Quote: "...Emperor Theodosius I (reigned 379–395), who made Catholic Christianity the official religion of the empire..."
546:: "Christianity did not become the official religion of the empire under Constantine, as is often mistakenly claimed..."
556:
361:
1099:
1094:
1054:
788:
767:
755:
603:
64:) was the February, AD 313 agreement to treat Christians benevolently within the Roman Empire. Western Roman Emperor
97:
244:(r. 253–268), the Church enjoyed a period of nearly 40 years with no official sanctions against Christians, which
1059:
685:
2013 p. 148. He refers to the "Edict of Milan" as the so-called Edict of Milan in note 10 at the top of p. 329.
1049:
96:. The Edict of Milan gave Christianity legal status and a reprieve from persecution but did not make it the
1084:
225:
1104:
758:, pp. 33–34.; Boatwright, Mary Taliaferro & Gargola, Daniel J & Talbert, Richard John Alexander,
370:, Eusebius eliminated the role of Licinius, whom he portrayed as the evil foil to his hero Constantine.
841:
412:
tolerating Christianity. He tolerated paganism and other religions but actively promoted Christianity.
249:
1064:
1012:
352:
339:
divine in the heavens may be favorable and propitious towards all who are placed under our authority.
126:
735:
493:
117:
272:
Remains of the Imperial palace of Mediolanum (Milan). The imperial palace (built in large part by
197:, "the way of the ancestors" or simply "tradition", viewed as central to Roman identity. Through
175:. The Romans looked for common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks, adapting
1079:
1074:
954:"Paul Halsall, "Galerius and Constantine: Edicts of Toleration 311/313", Fordham University;
458:
385:
164:
101:
65:
33:
634:
Lenski, Noel (2017). "The Significance of the Edict of Milan". In Siecienski, Edward (ed.).
595:
Church and State Through the Centuries: A Collection of Historic Documents with Commentaries
593:
977:
356:). His version of the letter of Licinius must derive from a copy posted in the province of
208:
200:
122:
892:
232:
was perceived as a threat not just to the state cult but to the state itself. That led to
8:
1002:
483:
366:
105:
955:
746:
in 96. From then on, practicing Jews but not Christians paid the tax. Dunn, James D.G.,
1069:
784:
763:
751:
599:
572:
288:
in AD 235, rivals for the imperial throne had bid for support by either favouring or
322:
The actual letters have never been retrieved. However, they are quoted at length in
357:
293:
188:
85:
84:) and, among other things, agreed to change policies towards Christians following
28:
743:
285:
229:
221:
176:
519:
374:
53:
45:
1038:
450:
168:
734:
Historians debate whether or not the Roman government distinguished between
1089:
488:
214:
136:
20:
909:
466:
393:
is made that we may not seem to detract from any dignity of any religion.
193:
323:
277:
160:
112:
77:
846:. New York: G. Braziller. p. 11 – via the Internet Archive.
268:
641:
305:
257:
241:
180:
140:
635:
343:
297:
273:
253:
245:
89:
69:
462:
454:
301:
93:
73:
976:. The Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies. Archived from
237:
187:, most of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its
184:
172:
154:
739:
449:
The term "Peace of the Church" has sometimes been applied in
81:
748:
Jews and Christians: The Parting of the Ways, A.D. 70 to 135
1003:
Galerius and Constantine's Edicts of Toleration 311 and 313
527:
400:
On the Deaths of the Persecutors (De Mortibus Persecutorum)
1020:, from The Roman Law Library at the University of Grenoble
569:
World Encyclopaedia of Interfaith Studies: World religions
228:. More particularly, the refusal of Christians to pay the
346:
of Caesarea translated both documents into Greek in his
171:
introduced some religious practices such as the cult of
213:, the religions of other peoples incorporated into the
557:"Christianity: The Alliance Between Church and Empire"
402:, ch. 48. opera, ed. 0. F. Fritzsche, II, p 288 sq. (
16:
Legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire, 313
533:
916:
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1994. p. 134.
442:This period of Church history is also known as the
217:co-existed within the Roman theological hierarchy.
373:The Edict of Milan was in effect directed against
263:
191:; this archaic religion was the foundation of the
929:. Grand Rapids: Kegel Publications, 1999. p. 374.
1036:
637:Constantine: Religious Faith and Imperial Policy
592:Ehler, Sidney Zdeneck; Morrall, John B. (1967).
855:
853:
781:The Jews in the Time of Jesus: An Introduction
670:The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
850:
843:Early Christian & Byzantine architecture
591:
457:to the ending of persecution that followed
206:
198:
967:
950:
948:
723:Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt
664:
662:
839:
627:
549:
179:and iconography for Latin literature and
707:As David Potter states in his 2013 book
267:
260:that officially ended the persecutions.
27:
945:
659:
515:
513:
511:
509:
1045:Constantine the Great and Christianity
1037:
890:
633:
585:
479:Constantine the Great and Christianity
424:
415:
958:; Internet, accessed 13 October 2014.
886:
884:
882:
859:Inscription printed in Stevenson, J.
750:, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (1999),
540:The Cambridge History of Christianity
914:The Christians and the Roman Empire.
506:
100:, which occurred in AD 380 with the
1009:(Lactantius's version of the Edict)
167:that they honored. The presence of
139:later that same year and issued in
13:
879:
762:, Oxford University Press (2004),
760:The Romans: From Village to Empire
654:Differences tabulated on pp. 39–40
14:
1116:
996:
840:MacDonald, William Lloyd (1962).
688:
465:, it can refer to life after the
612:from the original on 15 May 2016
328:On the Deaths of the Persecutors
163:. The Romans were known for the
98:state church of the Roman Empire
1025:Imperial Decrees of Constantine
961:
932:
919:
903:
891:Ollero, Marisa (15 June 2018).
866:
833:
820:
807:
794:
773:
728:
714:
701:
296:had been issued by the emperor
294:Edict of Toleration by Galerius
264:Edict of Toleration by Galerius
169:Greeks on the Italian peninsula
675:
562:
542:. Cambridge University Press.
398:"Edict of Milan", Lactantius,
1:
499:
146:
970:"Constantinian Christianity"
927:Eusebius: The Church History
672:1974 art. "Milan, Edict of."
250:"little" peace of the Church
234:various forms of persecution
161:good relations with the gods
7:
571:. Jnanada Prakashan. 2009.
472:
108:received normative status.
10:
1121:
461:between 1778 and 1926. In
360:(probably at its capital,
18:
555:Encyclopedia Britannica.
111:The document is found in
57:
1100:4th-century Christianity
1095:310s in the Roman Empire
1055:Diocletianic Persecution
1018:De mortibus persecutorum
828:De mortibus persecutorum
783:, Paulist Press (1995),
725:II.23.1 (1980) 871–1022.
494:Papacy in late antiquity
332:De mortibus persecutorum
256:published an edict from
118:De mortibus persecutorum
19:Not to be confused with
742:'s modification of the
709:Constantine the Emperor
683:Constantine the Emperor
668:Cross and Livingstone.
317:
165:great number of deities
86:the edict of toleration
62:Diatagma tōn Mediolanōn
58:Διάταγμα τῶν Μεδιολάνων
1029:Ecclesiastical History
940:Ecclesiastical History
436:
409:
353:Historia Ecclesiastica
341:
315:
290:persecuting Christians
284:Since the fall of the
281:
207:
199:
49:
37:
1060:Christian terminology
459:Catholic emancipation
444:"Peace of the Church"
432:
390:
386:Edict of Thessalonica
348:History of the Church
336:
310:
271:
128:History of the Church
102:Edict of Thessalonica
92:two years earlier in
72:, who controlled the
31:
1050:Edicts of toleration
1016:, as in Lactantius,
1014:Edictum Mediolanense
404:Bibl Patr. Ecc. Lat.
209:interpretatio romana
201:interpretatio graeca
123:Eusebius of Caesarea
50:Edictum Mediolanense
36:, Roman, 4th century
1085:Freedom of religion
1007:Medieval Sourcebook
980:on 15 February 2015
779:Wylen, Stephen M.,
736:Christians and Jews
484:Constantinian shift
425:Peace of the Church
416:Religious statement
367:Life of Constantine
106:Nicene Christianity
1105:4th century in law
830:34.1–35.1, 48.1–12
304:and was posted at
282:
226:emperor's divinity
88:issued by Emperor
38:
893:"The Milan Edict"
872:And similarly in
863:SPCK 1965, p. 297
817:SPCK 1965, p. 296
804:SPCK 1965, p. 135
698:SPCK 1965, p. 302
577:978-81-7139-280-3
248:described as the
1112:
1065:History of Milan
1027:from Eusebius's
990:
989:
987:
985:
968:Yuri Koszarycz.
965:
959:
952:
943:
936:
930:
923:
917:
907:
901:
900:
888:
877:
870:
864:
857:
848:
847:
837:
831:
824:
818:
811:
805:
802:The Early Church
798:
792:
777:
771:
732:
726:
718:
712:
705:
699:
692:
686:
679:
673:
666:
657:
656:
651:
649:
644:. pp. 27–56
631:
625:
624:
619:
617:
589:
583:
566:
560:
553:
547:
537:
531:
524:The Early Church
517:
407:
358:Palaestina Prima
212:
204:
59:
32:Bust of Emperor
1120:
1119:
1115:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1110:
1109:
1035:
1034:
999:
994:
993:
983:
981:
966:
962:
953:
946:
937:
933:
925:Maier, Paul L.
924:
920:
908:
904:
897:Vcoin Community
889:
880:
871:
867:
858:
851:
838:
834:
825:
821:
812:
808:
799:
795:
778:
774:
744:Fiscus Judaicus
733:
729:
719:
715:
706:
702:
693:
689:
680:
676:
667:
660:
647:
645:
632:
628:
615:
613:
606:
598:. p. 6-7.
590:
586:
567:
563:
554:
550:
538:
534:
520:Frend, W. H. C.
518:
507:
502:
475:
427:
418:
408:
397:
320:
286:Severan dynasty
276:, colleague of
266:
222:Judeo-Christian
183:. According to
159:in maintaining
149:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1118:
1108:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1033:
1032:
1022:
1010:
998:
997:External links
995:
992:
991:
960:
944:
931:
918:
902:
878:
865:
861:A New Eusebius
849:
832:
819:
815:A New Eusebius
813:Stevenson, J.
806:
800:Frend, W.H.C.
793:
791:, pp. 190–192.
772:
727:
713:
700:
696:A New Eusebius
694:Stevenson, J.
687:
674:
658:
626:
604:
584:
561:
548:
532:
504:
503:
501:
498:
497:
496:
491:
486:
481:
474:
471:
426:
423:
417:
414:
395:
375:Maximinus Daza
319:
316:
265:
262:
148:
145:
42:Edict of Milan
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1117:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1011:
1008:
1004:
1001:
1000:
979:
975:
971:
964:
957:
951:
949:
941:
935:
928:
922:
915:
911:
906:
898:
894:
887:
885:
883:
875:
869:
862:
856:
854:
845:
844:
836:
829:
823:
816:
810:
803:
797:
790:
789:0-8091-3610-4
786:
782:
776:
769:
768:0-19-511875-8
765:
761:
757:
756:0-8028-4498-7
753:
749:
745:
741:
737:
731:
724:
717:
710:
704:
697:
691:
684:
678:
671:
665:
663:
655:
643:
639:
638:
630:
623:
611:
607:
605:9780819601896
601:
597:
596:
588:
582:
578:
574:
570:
565:
558:
552:
545:
541:
536:
529:
525:
521:
516:
514:
512:
510:
505:
495:
492:
490:
487:
485:
482:
480:
477:
476:
470:
468:
464:
460:
456:
452:
451:Great Britain
447:
445:
440:
435:
431:
422:
413:
405:
401:
394:
389:
387:
382:
378:
376:
371:
369:
368:
363:
359:
355:
354:
349:
345:
340:
335:
333:
329:
325:
314:
309:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
279:
275:
270:
261:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
218:
216:
211:
210:
203:
202:
196:
195:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
156:
144:
142:
138:
133:
130:
129:
124:
120:
119:
114:
109:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
66:Constantine I
63:
55:
51:
47:
43:
35:
34:Constantine I
30:
26:
22:
1080:Human rights
1075:Religion law
1028:
1017:
1013:
1006:
982:. Retrieved
978:the original
973:
963:
939:
934:
926:
921:
913:
910:Sordi, Marta
905:
896:
868:
860:
842:
835:
827:
826:Lactantius,
822:
814:
809:
801:
796:
780:
775:
759:
747:
730:
722:
716:
708:
703:
695:
690:
682:
677:
669:
653:
646:. Retrieved
636:
629:
621:
616:28 September
614:. Retrieved
594:
587:
580:
568:
564:
551:
539:
535:
523:
489:Peace of God
448:
443:
441:
437:
433:
428:
419:
410:
403:
399:
391:
383:
379:
372:
365:
351:
347:
342:
337:
331:
327:
321:
311:
283:
219:
215:Roman Empire
192:
152:
150:
134:
127:
116:
110:
80:(modern-day
68:and Emperor
61:
41:
39:
25:
21:Milan Decree
1005:, from the
974:The-orb.net
956:Fordham.edu
681:Potter, D.
467:Kulturkampf
194:mos maiorum
177:Greek myths
1039:Categories
984:14 October
938:Eusebius,
640:. London:
500:References
324:Lactantius
278:Diocletian
252:. In 311,
236:. Emperor
230:Jewish tax
147:Background
113:Lactantius
78:Mediolanum
1070:Roman law
738:prior to
642:Routledge
530:, p. 137.
306:Nicomedia
258:Nicomedia
242:Gallienus
181:Roman art
141:Nicomedia
137:Maximinus
76:, met in
874:Eusebius
770:, p. 426
610:Archived
522:(1965).
473:See also
396:—
362:Caesarea
344:Eusebius
298:Galerius
274:Maximian
254:Galerius
246:Eusebius
189:founders
90:Galerius
70:Licinius
942:5.15–17
463:Germany
455:Ireland
302:Serdica
185:legends
121:and in
104:, when
94:Serdica
74:Balkans
787:
766:
754:
648:21 May
602:
575:
313:homes.
292:. The
238:Decius
173:Apollo
155:pietas
740:Nerva
544:Quote
300:from
82:Milan
54:Greek
46:Latin
986:2014
785:ISBN
764:ISBN
752:ISBN
650:2021
618:2016
600:ISBN
573:ISBN
528:SPCK
453:and
406:XI).
318:Text
220:The
205:and
40:The
1090:313
326:'s
125:'s
115:'s
1041::
972:.
947:^
912:.
895:.
881:^
852:^
661:^
652:.
620:.
608:.
579:.
526:.
508:^
469:.
143:.
60:,
56::
52:;
48::
1031:.
988:.
899:.
876:.
350:(
330:(
157:)
153:(
44:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
