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The First Millenium

Be it ever so arrogant, there's no place like Rome. We're still in the year 300.

The Emperor Diocletian completes his magnificent palace in modern Croatia. Eventually, the city of Split develops from this palace. But Diocletian has been listening to the Oracle at Delphi, the Tetrarch Galerius, and his personal advisers. They are all telling him that the gods are angry because he is not doing anything about the Christians.

At the same time, Tiridates the Great makes his kingdom of Armenia the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion.

A wild elephant does not eat seventy times as much food as a human, but it needs seventy times as much land to produce the kind of food that it needs. Spared from German invasions, and protected by the Sahara on the south, northern Africa has had a population increase, and the elephant is driven to extinction north of the Sahara.

About this time, the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus are written. These two copies of the Greek New Testament are filled with spelling errors, contradict each other, and contradict the great majority of Greek texts. Possibly wanting to save paper, the writers shortened phrases, left out the word "lord" when referring to Christ, and eliminated repetitive passages. Rejected by Christians for their poor copying, they are put into storage--and survive. They form the basis of many modern Biblical translations.

Peter of Alexandria becomes pope of Alexandria. He will later lead Egyptian Christians through severe persecution and suffer martyrdom.
 
Finally, we reach the year 301.

A stonecutter named Marinus founds an isolated church in Italy. From this church grows a city, and then a nation. Weighing in at 24 square miles, San Marino is the oldest constitutional republic in Europe.

About 10% of the Roman Empire is Christian, but it is not evenly spaced. In the East, it’s about 20%. In Africa, it is the majority religion. The entire population of the Roman Empire is about 60 million people.

The Emperor Diocletian attempts to stop rampant inflation and economic instability by setting price controls. It doesn't work, and the economy is harmed by the large number of coins he issues with base metal. Here's the problem: the early US issued dollars that contained $1 worth of silver, quarters that contained 25 cents worth of silver, etc. The coins literally were worth their face value. As a matter of convenience, the government issued paper currency, but there was enough silver in the vaults to cover them. But paper money doesn't last long and is easy to counterfeit. So the US began issuing coins with "base metals," such as copper and zinc, and the coins were not really worth their face value. Merchants therefor charged higher prices if a purchase were made with base coins, thus raising prices. So the government has to issue more money so the people can buy goods. Because coins are more plentiful, they are less valuable, so prices continue to rise. The same thing happened with Diocletian--and some people blame the Christians, claiming that the gods are punishing the Empire.
 
302 is a rough year for Christians.

Heavily influenced by the Tetrarch Galerius, the Emperor Diocletian begins the worst persecution against Christians in the history of the Roman Empire. He also orders the persecution of the Manicheans.

A deacon named Romanus so enrages Galerius with his courageous preaching that Galerius orders his tongue cut out. Executed the next year, Romanus became an inspiration to Christians not to give in to their persecutors.

Over a period of years, 20,000 martyrs are supposedly burned at Nicomedia. Located in Asia Minor, Nicomedia was the unofficial capital of the eastern part of the Empire. Scholars point out that if these executions had occurred during the reign of Diocletian, there would have been over 200 executions per week. There was some persecution, but the numbers are probably heavily exaggerated.

Hormizd II replaces his warlike father Narseh as ruler of the Persian Empire. Although he reigns for seven years, almost nothing is known about him.

Lamblichus of Chalcis writes a treatise on magic and the occult. A follower of the teachings of Plato, his various writings heavily influence the direction of western paganism.
 
Welcome to the year 303.

George, a high-ranking tribune and successful soldier, publicly announces his Christianity and refuses to offer sacrifices to the gods. Rejecting heavy gifts and bribes, he is tortured relentlessly, and finally beheaded, becoming one of Christianity’s best-loved legends. Seven centuries later, the Greek myth of Perseus and Andromeda is “Christianized†into the story of how St. George slew the dragon.

The Great Persecution (303-311), is the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In France and Britain, persecution is weak; in the East, it is severe. Probably, about 3,000 Christians were martyred, while a great many more had their property seized, were tortured, or fled. The majority of Christians simply offered the sacrifices to the gods to save themselves, and then returned to Christianity.

Although the two western Tetrarchs generally ignore the edict of persecution, Fermin, bishop of Pamplona in France, is beheaded for his successful preaching.
 
Vince said:
Welcome to the year 303.

George, a high-ranking tribune and successful soldier, publicly announces his Christianity and refuses to offer sacrifices to the gods. Rejecting heavy gifts and bribes, he is tortured relentlessly, and finally beheaded, becoming one of Christianity’s best-loved legends. Seven centuries later, the Greek myth of Perseus and Andromeda is “Christianized†into the story of how St. George slew the dragon.

The Great Persecution (303-311), is the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In France and Britain, persecution is weak; in the East, it is severe. Probably, about 3,000 Christians were martyred, while a great many more had their property seized, were tortured, or fled. The majority of Christians simply offered the sacrifices to the gods to save themselves, and then returned to Christianity.

Although the two western Tetrarchs generally ignore the edict of persecution, Fermin, bishop of Pamplona in France, is beheaded for his successful preaching.
compromise even then like today. interesting.
 
304 is another rough year. There is a long list of martyrs, but I noticed "Vincent the Deacon." Having converted his jailer, Vincent, with his bishop, was brought before the authorities in Lisbon, which is the capital of modern Portugal. Since the bishop had a speech impediment, Vincent did all the talking. His powerful preaching so enraged the authorities that they had him tortured, then offered to release him if he would burn copies of Scripture. He refused and was executed.

Thirteen-year-old Agnes and twenty-one -year old Lucy, wealthy members of the Roman nobility, are martyred for refusing to marry pagan husbands.

The Emperor Diocletian issues four more edicts against the Christians. And then he becomes ill.

The Wu Hu, meaning "difficult to understand" were a large group of non-Chinese nomads in northern China. They successfully rebel and establish "The Sixteen Kingdoms," which lasts for 135 years.

There's more trouble for China. Sichuan is a large province in central China. It has abundant water and minerals and controls the trade routes from the Pacific to India. Sichuan successfully rebels and becomes an independent kingdom.

Having offered sacrifices to the gods to save his life, Pope Marcellinus dies.
 
Technical problems with the new set-up have erased the years 305 to 319. Too bad.

And now it is 320 AD.



Hillel II becomes “Nasi,†the leader of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Tracing them backwards, this is the same organization that had sentenced Jesus to death. The Sanhedrin sets feast days, because the Jewish calendar required the occasional addition of extra days and even months.

Crispus, the son of the Emperor Constantine, defeats the Franks so badly that the Rhine area is stabilized for the next two decades.

The Huns, a large nomadic tribe from somewhere in Asia, enter the Persian Empire. Hated by everyone else, the Huns seem to be a combination of peoples who migrated westward. Attempts to trace their origins show a variety of places. They excel in mounted cavalry and vicious warfare.

About this time, the Emperor Constantine begins constructing the Old Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Standing for over 1,000 years before being replaced with the current Saint Peter's Basilica, it gradually developed into the most important church building in the world.

Wishing to get rid of the worship of the Sun God, some Christians begin celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25. No one believed that Jesus was actually born on that day, and the Catholic Church has always taught that it is not His actual birthday.
 
Welcome to the year 321 AD.

The Emperor Constantine declares Sunday to be a holiday in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. Farming is permitted, but shops must be closed.

The Catholic Church is permitted to own property again.

The pope of Alexandria is fighting Arianism. Having chased Arius into exile, he holds a synod that condemns Arianism.

Tuoba Yulü, a successful general, had recaptured parts of northern China from the Xiongnu. Promoted to prince, he had continued to recapture Chinese territory from various warlords. But he is assassinated by his cousin, who seizes his power.
 
322 is a pretty slow year.

Around this time, the Chinese start using stirrups to ride horses (I told you it was a slow year).

Knowing that he is near death, the Emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty appoints Sima Yue as the new Emperor. Sima Yu had been Emperor before, but had been demoted, while retaining the real power.
 
And now it is 323.

Licinius, ruler of part of the Empire, had begun persecuting Christians again. He hires pagan German mercenaries, intending to restore paganism as the official religion.

Despite this, the Emperor Constantine is having a good year. To the east, he defeats the Iranians.
 
324 is a good year for the Emperor Constantine.

He marches east to battle Lucinius, defeating him and becoming undisputed ruler of the entire Empire.
He prefers the more Christianized eastern half of the empire and founds a new capital in the east called New Rome, eventually to be known as Constantinople (in the 1900s to be changed to Istanbul).

The Labarum with the "Chi-Rho" Christogram became the official standard of the Roman Empire. It looks like a large letter "P" with an X through the center. The X is actually the letter K, and the P is actually an R, the first two letters of "Kristos" in Greek.

A tough-hitting competent military commander since his teen-age years, 25-year-old Ming becomes emperor of China. He generally straightens things out, but sickens in the second year of his reign, declaring his four-year-old son to be the next emperor. The stability he had established collapses quickly after his death.

St. Peter's Church is founded in Rome. It is eventually built up to the largest church building in the world, seating 60,000 people.

Eustathius of Antioch becomes bishjop of Antioch. He is a vehement foe of Ariansim and demands a literal interpretation of Scripture. His enemies eventually have him deposed for adultery, although he might have been innocent.
 
Welcome to 325.

The Emperor Constantine outlaws gladiatorial combat. Then , heading into Germany, he wins enough battles to secure the entire area around the Danube.

Work begins on the colossal statue "Constantine the Great." It is kept in a museum today.

The First Ecumenical Council of Nicea is convened by emperor Constantine: it establishes the Nicene Creed as the fundamental statement of Christian faith.

Christianity is receiving state support, new churches, more wealth and more elaborate rituals. Christianity's bishops defer to the authority of Constantine, who wants to heal divisions within the Church. Constantine personally presides over the Church's first ecumenical (general) council, at Nicea, to decide the nature of Jesus Christ. Bishop Arius and Arian Christianity lose. The doctrine of the Trinity is accepted.

And things are going well for Ethiopia. During this time, Ethiopia reaches its height under the leadership of Ezana, actually extending into Asia. He converts to Christianity which from then on was the main religion of the Ethiopic state. He appoints Frumentius, his former tutor, as head of the Ethiopian church, and ignores demands that an Arian be appointed instead. Frumentius spreads Christianity throughout Ethiopia, ignoring demands that he report to the Arian bishop of Alexandria to be examined for doctrinal error.

Four-year-old Jin Cheng Di becomes Emperor of China. The nation is ruled by a series of regents, but trouble is brewing. Some generals are unhappy that they aren't included in the list of regents.
 
The Emperor Constantine has a great year in 326.

He founds the city of Constantinople, incorporating Byzantium. He bans the use of maidservants as prostitutes and makes the prisons more humane.

And then he executes his son Crispus. A loyal, competent son, Crispus has won a series of battles for his father and was next in line to be Emperor. Apparently, his stepmother, who was married to the Emperor, falsely accused him, and Constantine was deceived. A few months later, learning the truth, he executed his wife.

Helena, the mother of the Emperor, had been in Jerusalem, building churches and collecting alleged relics. Claiming to have found the remains of the "True Cross," she brings wood and nails back with her.
 
327 is a rough year for China.



The Su Jun Disturbance begins in China. When a political attempt to demote him fails, General Su forms a rebel government and attacks the capital, capturing the child emperor. He had not been chosen as one of the regents when the four-year-old had become Emperor two years earlier. Although eventually defeated, his battles weaken government control, and various other rebel groups seize territory.

China had already lost much of its northern territory, but had gained better control of the rest of the nation. Now, a variety of rebellions break out, thanks to General Su's disruption of the government.

The Roman provinces are having a labor shortage, so Emperor Constantine decrees that slaves cannot be sold outside of the area where they reside.

Georgia, an independent kingdom on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, adopts Christianity as the state religion.
 
Welcome to 328!

It's a quiet year, I'm afraid. Athanasius is elected pope of Alexandria. Considered a doctor of the church, he was already known as a strong opponent of Arianism. He travels throughout Libya and Egypt, locating monks and putting them under his control.

The Emperor Constantine has things pretty well under control in Rome, while China struggles to regain stability. Constantine allows commoners to hold high offices, making many of them senators. He stabilizes the currency by exacting strict standards for minting large gold coins, but allows large quantities of smaller silver coins. This causes inflation among the poor, however, while strengthening the finances of the rich.
 
Welcome to 329.

China is still going through the time of the Sixteen Kingdoms. Shi Li, a brilliant general, had formed his own state in northern China. He defeats Han Zhao, a large state that controlled much of western China, and adds it to his empire.

Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, dies.

Rome is now firmly in control of the Catholic Church and begins putting restrictions on who can join the clergy.
 
And now we've reached 330.

It's official: Constantine moves the capital of the Empire to Byzantium.

Meroe, a kingdom located between Egypt and Ethiopia, collapses and is absorbed by Ethiopia. What is left of the ancient Kingdom of Nubia is also absorbed, as Ethiopia expands to the west.

Eustathius, Patriarch of Antioch, is banished to Trajanopolis. His Arian opponents had had enough of him.

Ulfilas, a Goth who had grown up inside the Roman Empire, returns to his people to spread Arianism.
 
We have now reached the year 331.

Throughout the Empire there are a variety of abandoned and little-used temples to the gods. The Emperor Constantine starts confiscating them, selling some, tearing down others, and giving some to the Christians. Constantine begins publishing a degree limiting divorce.

Constantine continues to protect Eusebius of Caesarea, the noted Arian bishop and father of church history. While outwardly supporting the Council of Nicea's decision in favor of the Trinity, is is becoming increasingly clear that the Emperor is an Arian. About this time, Eusebius completes the "Onomasticon." It is a Bible geography book. listing the current names and locations of Old Testament cities and other areas in Israel.
 
Welcome to 332 A.D.

The Germans are at it again. The Emperor Constantine takes his son, Constantine II with him into Germany where he beats the Goths and the Visigoths. The Goths then form an alliance with Rome, a decision which the Empire will later greatly regret.

Rome begins trading with the Visigoths, in the long-term hope of making allies and/or tributaries out of them.
 
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