It is debatable that Christianity spread by winning the hearts and minds of the people of the Roman Empire. Whilst the emperor Constantine certainly legitimized it, official sanction did not guarantee that it would be embraced by the general populace. Indeed, close analysis shows that politics and the pursuit of power are the real explanations for the rise of Christianity.

By 400AD, Christianity had only really established itself in the major urban centres of the empire. However, Paganism still maintained a convincing hold. According to Macmullen, Milan, one of the centres of the Imperial court was half pagan, whilst Rome continued to be predominantly pagan up until the 390's AD. Pagan religions and philosophies still continued to thrive: Neo-Platonism, Theurgy and Mithraism. The Cult of Sol Invictus, of which the Emperor Constantine remained a devotee until his death, was was one of the pre-eminent cults of the late empire. Paganism also continued in many local forms with the resident populations continuing to honour the gods of their lands, as well as imports from across the empire.

At the same time, the third and fourth century saw an increase in legislation against paganism, suggesting that those in power saw no other way to curb it. The codex Theodosianus advocated the tearing down of temples so that the material basis for all superstition will be destroyed.' The same codex specifically advocated punishing pagan officials who did not enforce laws prohibiting worship in the temples (9.16.12). The necessity of these laws indicate that the freedom to practice Christianity was no incentive to take it up.

The legalization of the practice of Christianity did open up opportunities for Christians within the Imperial court. Many who had previously been persecuted now achieved positions of prominence, as religious mentors and tutors to imperial children. However, the old pagan elite still stood in the way of real, direct political power for new men. The retention of this power and influence by the old pagan elite is demonstrated by an example from the reign of Valentinian in the 4th century AD. Vettius Agorius Praetextanus, a pagan and prefect of Rome, was able to restore the portico of the twelve Olympians. The emperors would also still appoint Pagans on the basis of merit. Paganism still equaled elitism in terms of standing, position and learning. Christianity simply did not have the social standing to ensure power for its adherents, who were so often lacking in the education and learning of their established opponents. In the third century, Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage expelled the pagan philosopher Demetrian, after the philosopher demolished the Bishop's arguments for conversion.

So the only way to get on was to destroy the opposition. During the fourth century, a series of trials for treason and magic occurred. Most often elite pagans and pagan intellectuals were targeted by Christian new men. For instance, Ammianus Marcellinus mentions one Maximinus who in the late 360s AD drove a number of the trials. He is described as of humble origins and with a limited education and up until that point his career had been undistinguished. His reward after the trails was his promotion to the vicarate of Rome.

In short, clearing the ground of pagan opposition by discrediting paganism left the field clear for new Christian men to climb the ladder to prominence.In doing so,they were free to impose Christianity on a wider society.The persecuted had now turned the tables and become the persecutors, not from any religious idealism but the desire for profit.

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