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

privilege and also to the types of persons who might wish to attack bishops in secular
courts: “an unrestrained opportunity for fanatical spirits to accuse them.” 190 An im is
furialibus is quite a mild form of abuse and therefore corresponds with most of
Constantius’ rhetorical invective against subverters of true religion.
CTh. 16.2.13 of 10 November 356 was issued jointly with Julian to Leontius,
Prefect of Rome. 191 It simply ordered that privileges given to the church in Rome
should be “firmly guarded.” This too may be related to the retaking of the west after
the defeat of Magnentius and we may speculate that as he apparently favoured
paganism, Magnentius may also, though not necessarily, have done something
detrimental to the Roman church.
CTh. 16.2.14 of 28 December 356 (also co-issued with Julian) was issued to
Bishop Felix, installed by Constantius as bishop of Rome after his dismissal of Liberius
from that see. It repeated much of Constantius’ earlier legislation on clerical
privileges: clerics were to be exempt from liturgies; they were immune from taxes as
tradesmen, since this would be used for the poor. Tradesmen-clerics were also
immune from extraordinary levies. These exemptions were to cover their wives,
children and “attendants, males and females equally, and their children, shall continue
to be exempt forever from tax payments and free from such compulsory public
services.” 192 As this law was addressed to the Arian bishop of Rome it could be
assumed that its provisions applied to Arian clergy alone, since presumably Felix
would have been responsible for its distribution.
CTh. 16.2.16 of 14 February 361 was addressed to the inhabitants of Antioch.
It may have been intended to protect clerics since its subject was to grant “perpetual
189 Severus 7, of unknown office PLRE I. 832
190 libera sit ad arguendos eos anim is furialibus copia
191 Flavius Leontius 22 PLRE 1.503
192 Om nibus clericis huiusm odi praerogativ a succurrat, ut coniugia clericorum ac liberi quoque et m in isteria,
id est m ares pariter ac fem in ae, eorum que etiam filii inm unes sem per a censibus et separati ab huiusm odi
m uneribus persev erent.
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