Thus, it is obvious that the decree of Septimius, by that aspect of it by which Christians were equal in religious and political rights with the Jews, could and did have a favorable effect on the position of Christians. But at the same time, it should be noted that the side of the decree that was intended to exert some pressure on Christianity was not particularly dangerous for Christians. The aspiration, so to speak, to localize Christianity, to enclose it in a narrow framework, forbidding proselytism, is a chimerical and senseless aspiration: ideas by their nature do not lend themselves to the limitation of space, especially when the hearth on which they are created burns unhindered, and so it was with Christianity, which, in the person of already existing members of the Church, remained inviolable by the decree of Septimius. The decree, moreover, prescribing severity exclusively against new converts, in practice could encounter a very important difficulty, for for it was only in rare cases that the question of whether a well-known Christian was a recent Christian or a Christian of old. What are the signs of recent Christianity? Who would be able to see to it that some pagan does not accept Christianity, since it is not forbidden? It is well known that the more indefinite a law is, the more indefinite is its effect, and the law of Septimius, as far as we know it, is not definite.

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* However, it must be confessed that the direct effect of the decree in this direction remains insufficiently attested in history. It does not appear that the Christians ever converted it, as Aubé remarks, in their defense, for example, during their trial (Aube, op. cit., p. 114). Theoretically, it was useful to Christians, but in practice its significance was noticeably obscured, As a result, the later pagan sovereigns, who issued laws in favor of Christians, did not repeat this decree, but issued new decrees.

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In saying this about the attitude of Septimius Severus to Christianity and his decree of 202, however, we do not think to say that the reign of this Roman emperor was a happy time for Christians. Persecution on the part of the pagans often disturbed the peace of Christians during the reign of Septimius, but it did not take place everywhere: undoubtedly it took place in Egypt and Africa, but whether it took place in other countries is difficult to say, and if it did occur anywhere (for example, in Asia Minor), it was very weak, and it is not clear from anything that the persecution took place according to the determination of the central authority. by the will of Septimius himself or as a result of the strictness of his well-known decree; it took place, most likely, for accidental reasons, by the will and order of the proconsuls, who could act according to the former laws, which declared the persecution of Christians and did not repeal. The supreme power and legislation were more favorable than the Roman society itself to the Christians in the reign of Septimius Severus — this is the result to which, by all rights, the historian can arrive when studying the reign of the first of the Severans.

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* The facts concerning the persecution of Christians in the time of Septimius have been painstakingly collected and elucidated by both Gerres (Op. cit., S. 301 u.s.w.) and Aubet (Op. cit. Chap. III-V).

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The entire first half of the third century proved that pagan Rome was already close to a sad solution to the question that Christianity posed to it: to be or not to be? The first half of this century is the time of the elevation of Christianity both in the consciousness of its followers and in the consciousness of the pagans themselves.

He is no longer so much persecuted as accustomed to peaceful communication with him. About the middle of the third century there were two emperors so sympathetic to Christianity that there is even a tradition that they were Christians: we speak of Alexander Severus (222-235) and Philip the Arabian (244-249). In the person of Alexander Severus, paganism became friends with Christianity. In the character, in the religious and intellectual direction of this sovereign, there was much that made him very favorable to Christianity. He was not a Roman by birth, he was born in Syria, and therefore he was one of those emperors who cared very little about the preservation and consolidation of the Roman religious-political order, and did not think of using force to defend the religious ideals of ancient Rome. By his nature he was gentle, kind, and was "the friend of all men," as Aube puts it. These qualities of the sovereign were useful for Christians as well. Alexander's religious-intellectual trend is described in interesting information by his biographer Lampridius. He makes it clear that Alexander was brought up on the famous idealist Plato, whom Alexander positively read, and that, on the contrary, he remained more than indifferent to everything Roman. The same biographer attests to his character from the best side, points to his "exemplary life and good morals"; He was called "pious and even holy"****. His soul was not entirely devoted to any cult, he is a religious eclectic, of which there were many at that time. He was, as Aube put it, "the friend of all the gods"*****." The friend of all the gods "knew Christ and revered Him on an equal footing with other various heroes. The same biographer Lampridius says that Alexander offered sacrifices every morning to the divine persons, whose images were placed in his chapel; among these images we meet Christ, Abraham, Apollonius, Orpheus******. There was even a rumor that he wanted to build a temple to Christ, i.e. to rank him among the gods of the Capitol, but refrained from doing so due to the opposition of conservative Roman trends*******. After this, it is not surprising that Alexander was favorable to Christians and did not hide it. His biographer notes that he showed tolerance towards Christians********. But, in all likelihood, Alexander did not fix this favorable attitude towards Christians by any legislative act, but manifested it only in actions and policies, and therefore Christians derived only relative benefit from it. Among the private actions in which his favor to the Christians was expressed is the following: when the Christians in Rome took possession of some empty land and wanted to build a house of prayer on it, some keepers of a drinking house (ropinarii) decided to take this place away from them; the matter came to the emperor; The emperor, having examined it, said: "It is better to worship the Christian God in a disputed place than to build a drinking house*********. From the history of Alexander's reign it is evident that he was quite well acquainted with Christianity, its institutions and rules, and that he liked other things so much that he held them up as a model both for society and for individuals in their activities. It is said of him that he recommended to the pagan society that certain officials should be elected by public vote, and that the merits and demerits of the persons elected should be openly stated, in the manner in which priests were elected among the Christians***********.

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* Les Chretiens dans l'empire Rom. P. 284.

** Lampridius. Alex. Severus, cap. 30 (B Histor. Augusta).

*** Ibid., cap. 3.