Edict of Toleration by Galerius

E98641

The Edict of Toleration by Galerius was a 311 CE imperial decree that officially ended the Roman Empire’s persecution of Christians and granted them legal permission to practice their faith.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Roman legal decree
imperial edict
appliesTo Christians
linked to: Christianity

Roman Empire
associatedWithRuler Roman emperor Galerius
linked to: Galerius
category 4th-century Christianity
Christianity in the Roman Empire
Roman law
coIssuedBy Constantine I
linked to: Constantinus Magnus

Licinius
Maximinus Daia
date 30 April 311
311
doesNotProvide full religious equality with pagan cults
return of all confiscated Christian property
geographicalScope Balkan provinces of the Roman Empire
Eastern Roman Empire
linked to: Byzantine Empire
hasType edict of toleration
historicalSignificance first official Roman imperial decree granting legal toleration to Christianity
important step toward eventual Christianization of the Roman Empire
marked transition from persecution to toleration of Christianity in the Roman Empire
issuedBy Galerius
Roman imperial college of tetrarchs
language Latin
legalEffect ended attempts to force Christians to sacrifice to Roman gods
ended criminal penalties solely for being Christian
legalStatusGranted permission to practice Christianity
toleration of Christian worship
mainProvision Christians allowed to assemble
Christians allowed to rebuild places of worship
Christians required to obey the laws of the state
Christians required to pray for the health of the emperors
motivationStated desire to restore public peace
recognition that persecution failed to make Christians abandon their faith
placeOfIssue Sardica
linked to: Serdica

Serdica
policyChange end of official persecution of Christians
legalization of Christian worship
politicalContext Tetrarchy
predecessor Diocletianic Persecution
relatedEvent Great Persecution
religiousGroupMentioned Christians
requires Christians to maintain public order
Christians to pray to their God for the welfare of the emperors
successor 313 Edict of Milan
linked to: Edict of Milan

Edict of Milan
survivesAs inscriptional copies
literary transmission
timePeriod early 4th century

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Diocletianic Persecution endedBy Edict of Toleration by Galerius
Galerius knownFor Edict of Toleration of 311
linked to: Edict of Toleration by Galerius
Galerius issued Edict of Toleration in Nicomedia
linked to: Edict of Toleration by Galerius