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What Is The Similarities And Differences Of The Edict Of Milan?

Decent Essays

In February 313 AD, the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan. The edict proclaimed that people were free to practice any religion of their choosing within the Roman empire. Additionally, the edict had a provision specifically for Christians- they were to get back any and all property that was confiscated from them, including church property.
Constantine and Licinius believed that all religions should be permitted because it was better to have the favorability of all deities instead of only one. By allowing all religions, these emperors believed they would have at least some favorability from these deities. Additionally, the edict favored Christianity due to the apparent bias of Constantine. Constantine believed …show more content…

Firstly, the authors of the two documents are very different people. The edict was written by Constantine and Licinius, two Roman emperors who lived in the 200’s-300’s AD. These emperors led a very different life compared to the author of the essay, a man name John R. Knipfing, who lived in the 1800’s-1900’s AD. While the emperors ruled large areas of land, Knipfing studied history, wrote essays, and taught classes at Ohio State University, where he was an assistant history professor. Additionally, while the emperors were writing about how the Roman Empire should be run based on their experiences and beliefs, Knipfing was writing about something he did not personally experience. Therefore, Knipfing had to write his essay using evidence uncovered in his research, like the Edict of Milan that the emperors wrote. Knipfing’s essay was based on his understanding of the early 300’s under Constantine’s rule, which he learned about through many primary sources, like the edict. Since Knipfing’s writing was based off of other people’s writing, there is a possibility of double bias in this essay, as both Knipfing’s writing may be biased, as well as his sources. In addition, while Constantine and Licinius lived through what they were writing about, Knipfing’s writing took place over 1600 years afterwards. This time lapse could lead to both positive and

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