Constantine's Conversion and Christianity in the MIdddle Ages Essay

Christianity although it may sound like a topic limited to religion, has played an extremely important role pertaining to history, intellect, and even politics; beginning as a small cult-like denomination which became glamorized through martyrdom and persecutions, it evolved into one of the world’s most recognized powers during the first millennium. Within 300 years Christianity had managed to work its way up from being a small reclusive and outcast belief, into the official religion of Rome; and even ultimately began spreading to Germanic tribes. With this being said one can observe that:
"Christianity developed within the Roman Empire and within the intellectual framework of classical civilization.   From the one came the political power of the Church; from the other a built-in tension between classical humanism and Christian eschatology".   (Donald A. White)  
In the year of 284 CE, Diocletian had become the newly appointed Emperor of Rome; and to ensure his avoidance of assassination, in 285 CE changed the Roman structure of a principate empire into a dominate empire. Dominate meaning Diocletian established himself as a mortal-god. Along with Diocletian naming himself Dominus et Deus, "lord and god", he also split up Rome into two halves (each half was ruled by an Augustus and Cesar) with smaller provinces; thus creating smaller administrative units weakening the governors’ power and preventing rebellion. In doing this Diocletian had essentially given himself complete control over Eastern Rome. At the time of Diocletian’s rule Rome’s religious policy was to believe in whatever gods one wanted to, however it was required to throw incense on a shrine to reverence Diocletian. It is believed around 298 CE soothsayers consulted Diocletian saying that they could not read the livers of sacrifices because some of the officials present were Christian; with this complaint a small persecution began. Diocletian ordered that the Christian members of court be flogged, and...