Abstract
On the basis of passages from Eusebios, Hieronymus, Orosius, and other chroniclers, it is generally believed that Gallienus put an end to Valerianus' policy of persecution in 259 or 260, after his father's capture by the Persians. Two questions must be answered. The first is what the measure of Gallienus actually consisted of and the second is why he took it. Did Gallienus make Christianity what is called religio licita or not? Some authors, like Gorres, McGiffert, Keresztes and etc., believe that he issued an edict of toleration and recognized Christianity as a religio licita. They maintain that, after putting an end to persecutions, Gallienus issued the rescripts by which he authorized the re-possession by the Christian Church of their confiscated places of worship and cemeteries; all this means an explicit recognition of the corporate Church and Christian assemblies as collegia licita, and of the Christian worhsip. But others, like Hulle, Frend, De Blois and etc., claim that the legal position of the Christians did not change, but that what Gallienus granted was only implicit or tacit, and that he recognized the existence of the Christian Church as a group, at least de facto. For this latter group the main evidence seems to be the martyrdom of the Christian soldier Marinos in Caesarea Palestina, which took place during the "universal peace of the Church under Gallienus". Moreau and Molthagen regard this event as a proof of the fact that Gallienus did not issue an edict of toleration. But, their opinion evokes opposition in many respects. For example, the Marinos case must have taken place either at a time when Gallienus did not yet control the East, or even when Gallienus was only a co-emperor with his son Saloninus. It is important for our theme to make a careful analysis of all the factors of Eusebios, HE VII. xiii. As the result, the conclusion is that strictly speaking Eusebios refers to five documents. Namely : (1) edicta (προγραμματα) by which Gallienus, immediately after his accession, put an end to Valerianus' persecutions. (2) a rescriptum(αντιγραφη) by which he made Christianity what is called religio licita. (3) a rescriptum in which he ordered the return of confiscated Christian places of worship to the Church. (4) a rescriptum sent to Bishop Dionysios of Alexandria and others by which he authorized the contents of rescriptum(3). (5) an imperial constitutio (διαταζι&b.sigmav;) giving another bishops the permission to recover the sites of Christian cemeteries. Why did Gallienus issue a rescriptum instead of an edictum? Probably, he gave his special consideration to the position of the Roman Senate as a political-religious body. The great proof, however, of the footing gained by the Church through Gallienus' edict lies in the action of his successor Aurelianus in the matter of Paulos of Samosata(Eus., HE VII. xxx. 19). What were Gallienus' motives in putting an end to the persecution of Christians? There is no doubt that the interpretation of Gallienus' measure as a political act contains an element of truth. First, Gallienus wanted to allay a source of trouble in the empire, because he had won over the large group of Christians in the eastern provinces to his side in the struggle against the persecutor and usurper Macrianus. Secondly, he may have been afraid that the Christians in the East might decide to defect from him to the tolerant Sapor I, if the persecution continued.
