A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

304 A Source Book for Ancient Church Historysons, and with increasing severity the burden pressed upon thepeople. But the Church, which had been fiercely persecutedby Diocletian and Galerius, became the object of imperial favorunder Constantine. At the same time in many parts of the Empire,especially in the West, the heathen religion was rooted in theaffections of the people and everywhere it was bound up with theforms of state. The new problems that confronted Constantineon his accession to sole authority in the West, and still morewhen he became sole Emperor, were of an ecclesiastical ratherthan a civil character. In the administration of the Empire hefollowed the lines laid down by Diocletian (§ 58). But in favoringthe Church he had to avoid alienating the heathen majority.This he did by gradually and cautiously extending to the Churchprivileges which the heathen religion had enjoyed (§ 59), andwith the utmost caution repressing those elements in heathenismwhich might be plausibly construed as inimical to the new orderin the state (§ 60). At the same time, Constantine found in theapplication of his policy to actual conditions that he could notfavor every religious sect that assumed the name of Christian. Hemust distinguish between claimants of his bounty. He must alsobring about a unity in the Church where it had been threatened(§ 61), and repress what might lead to schism. Accordingly hefound himself, immediately after his accession to sole authority,engaged in ecclesiastical discussions and adjudicating bycouncils ecclesiastical cases (§ 62).§ 58. The Empire under Constantine and His Sons[278]Constantine became sole Emperor of the West, 312, and bythe defeat of Licinius, July 23, 324, sole ruler of the entireRoman Empire. On his death, May 22, 337, his three sonsdivided between them the imperial dignity: Constantine II (337-340), taking Gaul, Spain, and Britain; Constans (337-350), Italy,Africa, and Illyria, and in 340 receiving the share of Constantine