Perfect example of revolution/evolution, Roman elite & soldiers were always experimenting & dabbling in many foreign customs & religions one was bound to win out. Not the first time there was a cultural shift in human thinking, the oppressed & persecuted rise up in apocalyptic times. There were philosphical elements already present in place that later would figure into that final conversion & lend their weight, there is a psychological dimension of change to all this.
Look at later upheavals & revolts in Christian thinking since, once the books were translated more into common language, the Protestant revolt, English and the Rennaissance etc. We've seen as much happen here in the US from the transcendentalists & theosophical movements 19th century into the present. One religion was bound to win out, what helps this is the written word & canon, lots of fantastic stories, though 4th century was far different form than the 1rst in many great ways
.In the end we still see that same symbiotic relationship between rulers & religion, that was to carry on down for centuries without change. Emperor Constantine was still definitely the boss, not the other way around. |
