Directory

313 CE

A transformative year for religious freedom in the Roman Empire as Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, granting legal toleration to Christianity and all other religions throughout the empire.

Geopolitics & Governance

  • Constantine and Licinius met at Milan in February and agreed upon a policy of religious toleration, producing what became known as the Edict of Milan, which granted freedom of worship to all religions in the Roman Empire.
  • The Edict of Milan went beyond mere toleration, ordering the return of confiscated Christian property including churches, cemeteries, and other assets seized during the Great Persecution under Diocletian.
  • Licinius defeated Maximinus Daia at the Battle of Tzirallum on April 30, eliminating the last persecutor of Christians and establishing himself as the sole ruler of the eastern Roman Empire.
  • The alliance between Constantine in the west and Licinius in the east created a period of relative stability across the Roman Empire, though their rivalry would eventually lead to open conflict.

Culture & Society

  • The Edict of Milan represented a dramatic reversal from the Great Persecution begun by Diocletian in 303, during which churches were destroyed, scriptures burned, clergy imprisoned, and Christians compelled to sacrifice to pagan gods.
  • Christians began to emerge openly throughout the empire, constructing new churches and establishing an increasingly visible presence in Roman public life.
  • The world population was approximately 236 million.

Climate & Environment

  • Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 278 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.