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Period: 303 to 311
303-311 - Diocletian Persecutions
Also known as the Great Persecution, this was a period of time in which Roman Christian citizens experienced violent attempts by the government to bring them in line with traditional Roman worship. This period of oppression ended with an edict of religious toleration passed in 311 by Galerius, the same man that for years had carried on the persecutions with great fervor. -
312
312 - Constantine Openly Supports Christianity
After winning a decisive battle that effectively granted Constantine control of the western half of the empire, evidence shows that he openly and passionately promoted and supported a monotheistic Christian tradition as opposed to the "traditional Roman" paganistic religions. -
313
313 - Edict of Milan
This decree officially legalized Christianity and made provisions for reparations for those who had suffered loss of property during the Diocletian Persecutions. -
31 BC - Battle of Actium
For a time Antony's armies had been unhappy with the decisions he had been making. They defected and left him. So, where the combined forces of Antony and Cleopatra were supposed to meet those of Octavian advancing from the East, Octavian encountered no resistance. This allowed Octavian to solidify his control over the empire. -
449 BC - The Roman Senate Promulgates the Twelve Tables
The Twelve Tables, which formed the basis of Roman law and constituted the basis for the Roman Constitution, created three separate branches of government each with its own purpose and style of administration. This was a deviation from the norm: most governments adopted a purely aristocratic, monarchic, or democratic; but the Roman government combined these and other approaches in the adminsitration of the empire. -
509 BC - Roman Kingdom Falls; Republic Founded
This marks the end of the official ancient Roman monarchy, and the beginning of the Republic.