An Alternate Theory of the History of Christianity
Article 60: Summary of events after the Council - Vlasis Rassias
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia

"Truth is the only merit that gives
dignity and worth to history".
--- Lord Acton (1834-1902)

What happened after the Council of Nicaea?

The following is an archive of a usenet post.

Original Source: Vlasis Rassias, Demolish Them!
Published in Greek, Athens 1994

314 Immediately after its full legalization, the Christian Church attacks 
non-Christians. The Council of Ancyra denounces the worship of Goddess 
Artemis.

324 The emperor Constantine declares Christianity as the only official 
religion of the Roman Empire. In Dydima, Minor Asia, he sacks the Oracle of 
the god Apollo and tortures the pagan priests to death. He also evicts all 
non-Christian peoples from Mount Athos and destroys all the local Hellenic 
temples.

325 Nicene Council. The god-man gets a promotion: 'Christ is Divine'

326 Constantine, following the instructions of his mother Helen, destroys 
the temple of the god Asclepius in Aigeai Cilicia and many temples of the 
goddess Aphrodite in Jerusalem, Aphaca, Mambre, Phoenicia, Baalbek, etc.

330 Constantine steals the treasures and statues of the pagan temples of 
Greece to decorate Constantinople, the new capital of his Empire.

335 Constantine sacks many pagan temples in Asia Minor and Palestine and 
orders the execution by crucifixion of "all magicians and soothsayers." 
Martyrdom of the neoplatonist philosopher Sopatrus.

341 Constantius II (Flavius Julius Constantius) persecutes "all the 
soothsayers and the Hellenists." Many gentile Hellenes are either imprisoned 
or executed.

346 New large scale persecutions against non-Christian peoples in 
Constantinople. Banishment of the famous orator Libanius accused as a 
"magician".

353 An edict of Constantius orders the death penalty for all kind of worship 
through sacrifice and "idols".

354 A new edict orders the closing of all the pagan temples. Some of them 
are profaned and turned into brothels or gambling rooms.

Execution of pagan priests begins.

A new edict of Constantius orders the destruction of the pagan temples and 
the execution of all "idolaters".

First burning of libraries in various cities of the empire.

The first lime factories are organized next to the closed pagan temples. A 
major part of the holy architecture of the pagans is turned into lime.

357 Constantius outlaws all methods of divination (astrology not excluded).

359 In Skythopolis, Syria, the Christians organize the first death camps for 
the torture and executions of the arrested non-Christians from all around 
the empire.

361 to 363 Religious tolerance and restoration of the pagan cults is 
declared in Constantinople (11th December 361) by the pagan emperor Julian 
(Flavius Claudius Julianus).

363 Assassination of Julian (26th June).

364 Emperor Jovian orders the burning of the Library of Antioch.

An Imperial edict (11th September) orders the death penalty for all those 
that worship their ancestral gods or practice divination ("sileat omnibus 
perpetuo divinandi curiositas").

Three different edicts (4th February, 9th September, 23rd December) order 
the confiscation of all properties of the pagan temples and the death 
penalty for participation in pagan rituals, even private ones.

The Church Council of Laodicea (Phrygia - western Asia Minor) orders that 
religious observances are to be conducted on Sunday and not on Saturday. 
Sunday becomes the new Sabbath. The practice of staying at home and resting 
on Saturday declared sinful and anathema to Christ.

365 An imperial edict from Emperor Valens, a zealous Arian Christian (17th 
November), forbids pagan officers of the army to command Christian soldiers.

370 Valens orders a tremendous persecution of non-Christian peoples in all 
the Eastern Empire. In Antioch, among many other non-Christians, the 
ex-governor Fidustius and the priests Hilarius and Patricius are executed. 
The philosopher Simonides is burned alive and the philosopher Maximus is 
decapitated. All the friends of Julian are persecuted (Orebasius, 
Sallustius, Pegasius etc.).

Tons of books are burnt in the squares of the cities of the Eastern Empire.

372 Valens orders the governor of Minor Asia to exterminate all the Hellenes 
and all documents of their wisdom.

373 New prohibition of all divination methods is issued. The term "pagan" 
(pagani, villagers, equivalent to the modern insult, "peasants") is 
introduced by the Christians to demean non-believers.

375 The temple of Asclepius in Epidaurus, Greece, is closed down by the 
Christians.

380 On 27th February Christianity becomes the exclusive religion of the 
Roman Empire by an edict of the Emperor Flavius Theodosius, requiring that:

"All the various nations which are subject to our clemency and moderation 
should continue in the profession of that religion which was delivered to 
the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter."

The non-Christians are called "loathsome, heretics, stupid and blind".

In another edict, Theodosius calls "insane" those that do not believe to the 
Christian God and outlaws all disagreement with the Church dogmas.

Ambrosius, bishop of Milan, begins the destruction of pagan temples of his 
area. The Christian priests lead the hungry mob against the temple of 
goddess Demeter in Eleusis and try to lynch the hierophants Nestorius and 
Priskus. The 95 year old hierophant Nestorius ends the Eleusinian Mysteries 
and announces "the predominance of mental darkness over the human race."

381 At the Council of Constantinople the 'Holy Spirit' is declared 'Divine' 
(thus sanctioning a triune god). On 2nd May, Theodosius deprives of all 
their rights any Christians who return to the pagan religion. Throughout the 
Eastern Empire the pagan temples and libraries are looted or burned down. On 
21st December, Theodosius outlaws visits to Hellenic temples.

In Constantinople, the Temple of Aphrodite is turned into a brothel and the 
temples of the Sun and Artemis to stables.

382 "Hellelujah" ("Glory to Yahweh") is imposed in the Christian mass.

384 Theodosius orders the Praetorian Prefect Maternus Cynegius, a dedicated 
Christian, to cooperate with local bishops and destroy the temples of the 
pagans in Northern Greece and Minor Asia.

385 to 388 Prefect Maternus Cynegius, encouraged by his fanatic wife, and 
bishop 'Saint' Marcellus with his gangs, scour the countryside and sack and 
destroy hundreds of Hellenic temples, shrines and altars. Among others they 
destroy the temple of Edessa, the Cabeireion of Imbros, the temple of Zeus 
in Apamea, the temple of Apollo in Dydima and all the temples of Palmyra.

Thousands of innocent pagans from all sides of the empire suffer martyrdom 
in the notorious death camps of Skythopolis.

386 Theodosius outlaws the care of the sacked pagan temples.

388 Public talks on religious subjects are outlawed by Theodosius. The old 
orator Libanius sends his famous epistle "Pro Templis" to Theodosius with 
the hope that the few remaining Hellenic temples will be respected and 
spared.

389 to 390 All non-Christian calendars and dating-methods are outlawed. 
Hordes of fanatic hermits from the desert flood the cities of the Middle 
East and Egypt and destroy statues, altars, libraries and pagan temples, and 
lynch the pagans. Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, starts heavy 
persecutions against non-Christian peoples, turning the temple of Dionysius 
into a Christian church, burning down the Mithraeum of the city, destroying 
the temple of Zeus and burlesques the pagan priests before they are killed 
by stoning. The Christian mob profanes the cult images.

391 On 24th February, a new edict of Theodosius prohibits not only visits to 
pagan temples but also looking at the vandalized statues. New heavy 
persecutions occur all around the empire. In Alexandria, Egypt, pagans, led 
by the philosopher Olympius, revolt and after some street fights they lock 
themselves inside the fortified temple of the god Serapis (the Serapeion). 
After a violent siege, the Christians take over the building, demolish it, 
burn its famous library and profane the cult images.

392 On 8th November, Theodosius outlaws all the non-Christian rituals and 
names them "superstitions of the gentiles" (gentilicia superstitio). New 
full scale persecutions are ordered against pagans. The Mysteries of 
Samothrace are ended and the priests slaughtered. In Cyprus the local bishop 
"Saint" Epiphanius and "Saint" Tychon destroy almost all the temples of the 
island and exterminate thousands of non-Christians. The local Mysteries of 
goddess Aphrodite are ended. Theodosius's edict declares:

"The ones that won't obey pater Epiphanius have no right to keep living in 
that island."

The pagans revolt against the Emperor and the Church in Petra, Aeropolis, 
Rafia, Gaza, Baalbek and other cities of the Middle East.

393 The Pythian Games, the Aktia Games and the Olympic Games are outlawed as 
part of the Hellenic "idolatry". The Christians sack the temples of Olympia.

395 Two new edicts (22nd July and 7th August) cause new persecutions against 
pagans. Rufinus, the eunuch Prime Minister of Emperor Flavius Arcadius 
directs the hordes of baptized Goths (led by Alaric) to the country of the 
Hellenes. Encouraged by Christian monks the barbarians sack and burn many 
cities (Dion, Delphi, Megara, Corinth, Pheneos, Argos, Nemea, Lycosoura, 
Sparta, Messene, Phigaleia, Olympia, etc.), slaughter or enslave innumerable 
gentile Hellenes and burn down all the temples. Among others, they burn down 
the Eleusinian Sanctuary and burn alive all its priests (including the 
hierophant of Mithras Hilarius).

396 On 7th December, a new edict by Arcadius orders that paganism be treated 
as high treason. Imprisonment of the few remaining pagan priests and 
hierophants.

397 "Demolish them!" Flavius Arcadius orders that all the still standing 
pagan temples be demolished.

398 The 4th Church Council of Carthage prohibits everybody, including 
Christian bishops, from studying pagan books. Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza, 
demolishes almost all the pagan temples of his city (except nine of them 
that remain active).

399 With a new edict (13th July) Flavius Arcadius orders all remaining pagan 
temples, mainly in the countryside, be immediately demolished.

400 Bishop Nicetas destroys the Oracle of Dionysus in Vesai and baptizes all 
the non-Christians of this area.

401 The Christian mob of Carthage lynches non-Christians and destroys 
temples and "idols". In Gaza too, the local bishop "Saint" Porphyrius sends 
his followers to lynch pagans and to demolish the remaining nine still 
active temples of the city.

The 15th Council of Chalcedon orders all the Christians that still keep good 
relations with their non-Christian relatives to be excommunicated (even 
after their death).

405 John Chrysostom sends hordes of grey-dressed monks armed with clubs and 
iron bars to destroy the "idols" in all the cities of Palestine.

406 John Chrysostom collects funds from rich Christian women to financially 
support the demolition of the Hellenic temples. In Ephesus he orders the 
destruction of the famous temple of Artemis. In Salamis, Cyprus, "Saints" 
Epiphanius and Eutychius continue the persecutions of the pagans and the 
total destruction of their temples and sanctuaries.

407 A new edict outlaws once more all the non-Christian acts of worship.

408 The emperor of the Western Empire, Honorius, and the emperor of the 
Eastern Empire, Arcadius, order all the sculptures of the pagan temples to 
be either destroyed or to be taken away. Private ownership of pagan 
sculpture is also outlawed. The local bishops lead new heavy persecutions 
against the pagans and new book burning. The judges that have pity for the 
pagans are also persecuted. "Saint" Augustine massacres hundreds of 
protesting pagans in Calama, Algeria.

409 Another edict orders all methods of divination including astrology to be 
punished by death.

415 In Alexandria, the Christian mob, urged by the bishop Cyril, attacks a 
few days before the Judeo-Christian Pascha (Easter) and cuts to pieces the 
famous and beautiful philosopher Hypatia. The pieces of her body, carried 
around by the Christian mob through the streets of Alexandria, are finally 
burned together with her books in a place called Cynaron.

On 30th August, new persecutions start against all the pagan priests of 
North Africa who end their lives either crucified or burned alive. Emperor 
Theodosius II expels the Jews from Alexandria.

416 The inquisitor Hypatius, alias "The Sword of God", exterminates the last 
pagans of Bithynia. In Constantinople (7th December) all non-Christian army 
officers, public employees and judges are dismissed.

423 Emperor Theodosius II declares (8th June) that the religion of the 
pagans is nothing more than "demon worship" and orders all those who persist 
in practicing it to be punished by imprisonment and torture.

429 The temple of goddess Athena (Parthenon) on the Acropolis of Athens is 
sacked. The Athenian pagans are persecuted.

431 Council of Ephesus ("Robber Synod"). Promotion for the god-man - "Christ 
is complete God and complete man."

435 On 14th November, a new edict by Theodosius II orders the death penalty 
for all "heretics" and pagans of the empire. Only Judaism is considered a 
legal non-Christian religion.

438 Theodosius II issues an new edict (31st January) against the pagans, 
incriminating their "idolatry" as the reason of a recent plague!

440 to 450 The Christians demolish all the monuments, altars and temples of 
Athens, Olympia, and other Greek cities.
book burning
448 Theodosius II orders all non-Christian books to be burned.

450 All the temples of Aphrodisias (the City of the Goddess Aphrodite) are 
demolished and all its libraries burned down. The city is renamed 
Stavroupolis (City of the Cross).

451 Council of Chalcedon. New edict by Theodosius II (4th November) 
emphasizes that "idolatry" is punished by death. Assertion of orthodox 
doctrine over the 'Monophysites' - 'JC has single, divine nature.'

457 to 491 Sporadic persecutions against the pagans of the Eastern Empire. 
Among others, the physician Jacobus and the philosopher Gessius are 
executed. Severianus, Herestios, Zosimus, Isidorus and others are tortured 
and imprisoned. The proselytizer Conon and his followers exterminate the 
last non-Christians of Imbros Island, Northeast Aegean Sea. The last 
worshippers of Lavranius Zeus are exterminated in Cyprus.

482 to 488 The majority of the pagans of Minor Asia are exterminated after a 
desperate revolt against the emperor and the Church.

486 More "underground" pagan priests are discovered, arrested, burlesqued, 
tortured and executed in Alexandria, Egypt.
full body baptism  515 Baptism becomes obligatory even for those that 
already say they are Christians.

The emperor of Constantinople, Anastasius, orders the massacre of the pagans 
in the Arabian city Zoara and the demolition of the temple of local god 
Theandrites.

523 Emperor Justin I outlaws the Arian heresy and campaigns to suppress 
Arianism everywhere.

528 Emperor Justinian outlaws the "alternative" Olympian Games of Antioch. 
He also orders the execution-by fire, crucifixion, tearing to pieces by wild 
beasts or cutting to pieces by iron nails-of all who practice "sorcery, 
divination, magic or idolatry" and prohibits all teachings by the pagans 
("the ones suffering from the blasphemous insanity of the Hellenes").

529 Justinian outlaws the Athenian Philosophical Academy and has its 
property confiscated.

532 The inquisitor Ioannis Asiacus, a fanatical monk, leads a crusade 
against the pagans of Minor Asia.

542 Justinian allows the inquisitor Ioannis Asiacus to forcibly convert the 
pagans of Phrygia, Caria and Lydia in Asia Minor. Within 35 years of this 
crusade, 99 churches and 12 monasteries are built on the sites of demolished 
pagan temples.

546 Hundreds of pagans are put to death in Constantinople by the inquisitor 
Ioannis Asiacus.

556 Justinian orders the notorious inquisitor Amantius to go to Antioch, to 
find, arrest, torture and exterminate the last non-Christians of the city 
and burn all the private libraries down.

562 Mass arrests, burlesquing, tortures, imprisonments and executions of 
gentile Hellenes in Athens, Antioch, Palmyra and Constantinople.

578 to 582 The Christians torture and crucify Hellenes all around the 
Eastern Empire, and exterminate the last non-Christians of Heliopolis 
(Baalbek).

580 The Christian inquisitors attack a secret temple of Zeus in Antioch. The 
priest commits suicide, but the rest of the pagans are arrested. All the 
prisoners, the Vice Governor Anatolius included, are tortured and sent to 
Constantinople to face trial. Sentenced to death they are thrown to the 
lions. The wild animals being unwilling to tear them to pieces, they end up 
crucified. Their dead bodies are dragged in the streets by the Christian mob 
and afterwards thrown unburied in the dump.

583 New persecutions against the gentile Hellenes by Emperor Maurice.

590 In all the Eastern Empire the Christian accusers "discover" pagan 
conspiracies. New storm of torture and executions.

Original Source: Vlasis Rassias, Demolish Them!
Published in Greek, Athens 1994

--
Bear



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