Religious Intolerance in the Later Roman Empire - Bad request ...

state. Again, evidence from his prolific religious legislation should be sought to verify
this persistent image of the last emperor to rule both halves of the empire. 12
Theodosius and the Church
The law which has been taken to epitomise Theodosius' religious standing is
his first law on Christianity (although not his first law on religion), the famous
Cun ctos populos law (CTh. 16.1.2) of 28 February 380 addressed to “The People of
Constantinople.” 13 The law was straightforward in its terms and because of that all
the more dramatic. It clearly prescribed the belief that “all peoples” should now
follow and sought to define that belief in what was doubtless the simplest and most
accessible means for ordinary citizens: Theodosius' subjects should follow that belief as
practised and preached by St. Peter and his successor Damasus and his (recently
deceased) colleague Peter of Alexandria. The law also avoided technical and
theological terms and stated, “we shall believe in the single Deity of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit, under the concept of equal majesty and of the Holy
Trinity.” 14 The law ordered that such people were to be called Catholics “the rest
however, whom we adjudge demented and insane, shall sustain the infamy of heretical
dogmas” their meeting places were not to be termed churches and they would be
12 For conspicuous treatment of Theodosius as a zealous Christian see, for example, Trevor-Roper (1966)
36 terming him the “first of the Spanish Inquisitors;” Coleman Norton (1966) who dedicates his three
volume compendium to Theodosius (as well as to Constantine and Justinian); Hanson (1988) 152 accuses
him of “ferocious coercion;” Williams and Friell (1994) 53 has him as a “zealous son of the Catholic
Church” (albeit after his baptism in late 380); Liebeschuetz is only a little more restrained describing
him (and Gratian) as “insisting on being Christian emperors” as opposed to emperors who happened to
be Christians; Honoré (1998) 33-38 has a more sympathetic image of Theodosius, depicting him as
cautious. Errington (1997b) examines Theodosius' religious legislation within the context of the period
by examining its impact, and lack of, in the narratives of contemporary historians and writers. His
contribution is crucial and vital in understanding Theodosius' religious policy.
13 King (1961) 28-30 refers to it as a “magnificent trumpet blast” with which Theodosius “opened his
campaign against all the heresies” (quotes at 28).
14 patris et filii et spiritus san cti unam deitatem sub parili m aiestate et sub pia trinitate credam us
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