Dr. David Gwynn

The great change, of course, is that now Christianity is receiving imperial patronage and the church begins playing a role as well.

The great change, of course, is that now Christianity is receiving imperial patronage and the church begins playing a role as well.

The great change, of course, is that now Christianity is receiving imperial patronage and the church begins playing a role as well.

This is the great difficulty. Constantine left a well-organized, relatively secure empire. The only major change he's introducing is Christianity. Christianity is both a strength and a weakness. It adds great emphasis to charity, to community. Christian bishops are very important in the later administration.

This is the great difficulty. Constantine left a well-organized, relatively secure empire. The only major change he's introducing is Christianity. Christianity is both a strength and a weakness. It adds great emphasis to charity, to community. Christian bishops are very important in the later administration.

This is the great difficulty. Constantine left a well-organized, relatively secure empire. The only major change he's introducing is Christianity. Christianity is both a strength and a weakness. It adds great emphasis to charity, to community. Christian bishops are very important in the later administration.

On the other hand, Christians are divided amongst themselves, so there's an ongoing conflict over how to define Christianity, who should be included. But overall, the empire that Constantine left in 337 is not about to collapse. Indeed, my own emphasis would be the Roman Empire of the fourth century was not about to collapse. It had definite flaws. In many ways, it always had had flaws.

On the other hand, Christians are divided amongst themselves, so there's an ongoing conflict over how to define Christianity, who should be included. But overall, the empire that Constantine left in 337 is not about to collapse. Indeed, my own emphasis would be the Roman Empire of the fourth century was not about to collapse. It had definite flaws. In many ways, it always had had flaws.

On the other hand, Christians are divided amongst themselves, so there's an ongoing conflict over how to define Christianity, who should be included. But overall, the empire that Constantine left in 337 is not about to collapse. Indeed, my own emphasis would be the Roman Empire of the fourth century was not about to collapse. It had definite flaws. In many ways, it always had had flaws.

But it's not on some path to decline. It's got the structures in place. It can manage its frontiers. They can have an emperor, Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor, who can find an army of 65,000 men marched into Persia and lose it And yet the Roman Empire manages to basically recover. It certainly didn't help.

But it's not on some path to decline. It's got the structures in place. It can manage its frontiers. They can have an emperor, Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor, who can find an army of 65,000 men marched into Persia and lose it And yet the Roman Empire manages to basically recover. It certainly didn't help.

But it's not on some path to decline. It's got the structures in place. It can manage its frontiers. They can have an emperor, Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor, who can find an army of 65,000 men marched into Persia and lose it And yet the Roman Empire manages to basically recover. It certainly didn't help.

But the very fact Julian could do that and the empire could then restore stability over the next decade suggests that 360s, 370s, the Roman Empire is not going to fall. Not unless it gets hit and hit very hard.

But the very fact Julian could do that and the empire could then restore stability over the next decade suggests that 360s, 370s, the Roman Empire is not going to fall. Not unless it gets hit and hit very hard.

But the very fact Julian could do that and the empire could then restore stability over the next decade suggests that 360s, 370s, the Roman Empire is not going to fall. Not unless it gets hit and hit very hard.

And the Roman Empire has always been vulnerable to civil war and usurpation, not least because technically it was never a dynastic empire. Succession was always a problem. In Constantine's case, having fought so hard to reunite the empire, what does he do when he dies? splits it between three sons very unhelpfully named Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans.

And the Roman Empire has always been vulnerable to civil war and usurpation, not least because technically it was never a dynastic empire. Succession was always a problem. In Constantine's case, having fought so hard to reunite the empire, what does he do when he dies? splits it between three sons very unhelpfully named Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans.

And the Roman Empire has always been vulnerable to civil war and usurpation, not least because technically it was never a dynastic empire. Succession was always a problem. In Constantine's case, having fought so hard to reunite the empire, what does he do when he dies? splits it between three sons very unhelpfully named Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans.

And it is perhaps helpful that both Constantine II and Constans die quite early, partly in a civil war between the brothers. Constans is murdered in a usurpation. Constantius, who's Constans' longest surviving son, is an interesting figure simply because all our sources hate him. He actually seems to have been a solid, if not particularly imaginative, emperor.

And it is perhaps helpful that both Constantine II and Constans die quite early, partly in a civil war between the brothers. Constans is murdered in a usurpation. Constantius, who's Constans' longest surviving son, is an interesting figure simply because all our sources hate him. He actually seems to have been a solid, if not particularly imaginative, emperor.