Modern historians are almost universal in their agreement that Constantine I was the first Christian emperor, but there are some who assert that Philip the Arab is more deserving of that title. In this episode, we look at the evidence pro/con and talk about what the debate itself says about the increasing importance of Christianity in the Roman Empire in the mid-3rd century.

Links:

Image of Bust of Philip the Arab by George Shuklin

A good summary of the debate over Philip’s Christianity as well as good bibliography can be found here

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#311 – A History of the Catholic Church – The First Christian Emperor?