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The anti-paganism policy of Constantius II lasted from 337 till 361. It was marked by laws and edicts that punished pagan practices.〔〔 Laws dating from the 350s prescribed the death penalty for those who performed or attended pagan sacrifices, and for the worshipping of idols;〔〔〔 temples were shut down,〔〔 and the Altar of Victory was removed from the Senate meeting house.〔 There were also frequent episodes of ordinary Christians destroying, pillaging, desecrating, vandalizing many of the ancient pagan temples, tombs and monuments.〔〔〔〔 Paganism was still popluar among the population at the time. The emperor's policies were passively resisted of many governors and magistrates.〔"A History of the Church", Philip Hughes, Sheed & Ward, rev ed 1949, vol I chapter 6.()〕〔〔〔 Herbermann contends that the anti-paganism legislation had an unfavourable influence on the Middle Ages and become the basis of the Inquisition.〔 ==Beginning of anti-Pagan laws== Constantius II's legislation began with the banning of the pagan practice of sacrifice.〔Kirsch, J. (2004) ''God against the Gods'', pp.200-1, Viking Compass〕〔〔〔''The Codex Theodosianus On Religion'', 16.10.2〕〔 This was in keeping with his personal maxim was: ''"Cesset superstitio; sacrificiorum aboleatur insania"'' (Let superstition cease; let the folly of sacrifices be abolished).〔C. G. Herbermann & Georg Grupp, "Constantine the Great", Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911, New Advent web site.〕 According to Libanius, Constantius was effectively under the control of others who inspired him to end pagan sacrifices.〔("Libanius Oration" 30.7, For the Temples )〕〔"Libanius Oration" 30.7, For the Temples, ()〕 With the collapse of official government sanctioned pagan rites, private cults attempted to infiltrate the temples. In the year 353 Constantius prohibited pagan sacrifice under the penalty of death. He also shut down some temples, forbade access to them, and ended their subsidies of public taxes.〔("The Codex Theodosianus On Religion", XVI.x.4, 4 CE )〕〔 Consistent with Christian theology, Constantius carried out on an active campaign against magicians, astrologers and other diviners. This may also be due to his becoming fearful that others might use these means to make someone else emperor.〔Theodosian Code 9.16.4, 9.16.5, 9.16.6〕 Herbermann contends that the anti-paganism policies, beginning with Constantius, would in time have an unfavourable influence on the Middle Ages and become the basis of the Inquisition.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Anti-paganism policy of Constantius II」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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