Christianization of the Roman Empire

E19368

cultural transformation historical process political transformation religious transformation

The Christianization of the Roman Empire was the historical process by which Christianity transformed from a persecuted sect into the dominant state religion, reshaping the empire’s religious, cultural, and political landscape.

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All labels observed (9)

Label	Occurrences
Christianization of the Roman Empire canonical	21
Constantinian shift	3
Christianity in the Roman Empire	2
Constantinian Christianity	2
Christian Roman Empire	1
Christianization in Late Antiquity	1
Christianization of Asia Minor	1
Christianization of festivals and calendar	1
Roman–Christian relations	1

Statements (54)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	cultural transformation ⓘ historical process ⓘ political transformation ⓘ religious transformation ⓘ
appliesToJurisdiction	Roman Empire ⓘ
describedBySource	Eusebius of Caesarea ⓘ church historians of Late Antiquity ⓘ
endTime	late 4th century ⓘ
followedBy	Christianization of Europe ⓘ Christianization of Europe ⓘ surface form: Christianization of Germanic kingdoms
hasCause	imperial conversion to Christianity ⓘ imperial support for the Christian Church ⓘ legalization of Christianity ⓘ spread of early Christian communities ⓘ
hasEffect	Christianization of Roman law and imperial ideology ⓘ Christianization of Europe ⓘ surface form: Christianization of urban spaces codification of Christian orthodoxy ⓘ construction of churches and basilicas ⓘ decline of traditional Roman polytheism ⓘ establishment of Christianity as state religion ⓘ growth of ecclesiastical hierarchy ⓘ increased power of bishops ⓘ integration of Church and imperial administration ⓘ persecution of some non-Christian religious groups ⓘ redefinition of Roman identity ⓘ rise of Christian art and architecture ⓘ suppression of some pagan cults ⓘ transformation of Roman religious institutions ⓘ
hasMainSubject	Christianity ⓘ Roman Empire ⓘ
hasPart	Christianization of cities ⓘ Christianization of the Roman Empire self-linksurface differs ⓘ surface form: Christianization of festivals and calendar Christianization of imperial law ⓘ Christianization of rural areas ⓘ Christianization of the army ⓘ Christianization of the imperial court ⓘ imperial conversion ⓘ legalization of Christianity ⓘ
location	Byzantine Empire ⓘ surface form: Eastern Roman Empire Mediterranean Basin ⓘ Western Roman Empire ⓘ
mainParticipant	Christian bishops ⓘ Christian communities ⓘ Roman emperors ⓘ pagan elites ⓘ
significantEvent	Constantine’s conversion to Christianity ⓘ First Council of Nicaea ⓘ surface form: Council of Nicaea Edict of Milan ⓘ Edict of Thessalonica ⓘ Theodosius I’s anti-pagan legislation ⓘ closure of pagan temples ⓘ imperial patronage of the Church ⓘ
startTime	1st century ⓘ
timePeriod	Late Antiquity ⓘ

Referenced by (33)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ancient Greek religion → declinedUnder → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Edict of Milan → category → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christianity in the Roman Empire

Hellenistic Jews → declineCause → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Christianization of Europe → hasPart → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Late Antiquity → characterizedBy → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Diocletianic Persecution → partOf → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Roman–Christian relations

Christianization of the Roman Empire → hasPart → Christianization of the Roman Empire self-linksurface differs ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christianization of festivals and calendar

Eleusis → declineCause → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Theodosian Code → religiousContext → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christian Roman Empire

Helena → roleIn → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Constantinian dynasty → knownFor → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Constantinus Magnus → legalized → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christianity in the Roman Empire

Constantinus Magnus → associatedWith → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Serapis → declineCause → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

sanctuary of Olympia → declineCause → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

subject surface form: Sanctuary of Olympia

Christianization of rural areas → isRelatedTo → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Edict of Thessalonica → historicalContext → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Donation of Constantine → relatedTo → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Constantinian shift

Metropolitan of Cappadocia → historicalContext → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christianization of Asia Minor

Church of the Roman Empire → experiencedEvent → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Constantinian shift

Mithras → declineCause → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Resident Aliens → critiques → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Constantinian Christianity

After Christendom? → critiques → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Constantinian Christianity

House of Constantine → knownFor → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Historia Nea → criticalOf → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Saint Helena → associatedWith → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Lycaonians → religiousChange → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Christianization in Late Antiquity

House of Theodosius → significantEvent → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Book I → historicalContext → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

subject surface form: Book I (Divine Institutes)

late Roman Christianity → associatedWith → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

Arian controversy → historicalContext → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

this entity surface form: Constantinian shift

statue of Constantine the Great → significantEvent → Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ

subject surface form: Statue of Constantine the Great