Like other official correspondence, however, it was written in the name of both emperors and its content reflects the hand of Constantine. The letter is noteworthy in several respects. For one thing it deals not only with Christianity but with all forms of religious worship practiced in the empire. To assure “reverence for the divinity,” Licinius wrote, “we grant both to Christians and to all men the freedom to follow whatever religion each one wished.” Second, it goes beyond toleration and adumbrates in a few phrases a new understanding of religious freedom. Each person should be granted the
...more
