A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 58. The Empire under Constantine and His Sons 305II; Constantius (337-361), taking the East, including Egypt. Ofthese three the ablest was Constantius who, after the renewedPersian war (337-350), became, on the death of Constans, soleEmperor. Although the imperial authority was divided and theecclesiastical policy of each Emperor followed the religious conditionand theological complexion of his respective portion ofthe Empire, the social conditions were everywhere much thesame. There were under Constantine and also under his sonsthe continuation of that centralization which had already beencarried far by Diocletian, the same court ceremonial and all thatwent with it, and the development of the bureaucratic systemof administration. The economic conditions steadily declinedas the imperial system became constantly more burdensome (v.supra, § 55), and the changes in the distribution of wealth andthe administration of landed property affected disastrously largesections of the populace. A characteristic feature of Romansociety, which affected the position of the Church not a little,was the tendency to regard callings and trades as hereditary, andby the fourth century this was enforced by law. The aim of thislegislation was to provide workmen to care for the great publicundertakings for the support of the populace of the cities and forthe maintenance of the public business. This policy affected boththe humble artisan and the citizen of curial rank. The former,although given various privileges, was crushed down by beingobliged to continue in what was often an unprofitable occupation;the latter was made responsible for the taxes and variouspublic burdens which custom, gradually becoming law, laid uponhim. Constant attempt was made by great numbers to escapethese burdens and disabilities by recourse to other occupations,and especially to the Christian ministry with its immunities (see§ 59, c). Constant legislation endeavored to prevent this andrestore men to their hereditary places. The following extractsfrom the Theodosian Code are enactments of Constantine, andare intended to illustrate the condition, under that Emperor, of [279]