
Contents
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Christianity, Violence and the State Christianity, Violence and the State
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Gazan Long-Distance Trade Gazan Long-Distance Trade
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The Destruction of the Gazan Marneion The Destruction of the Gazan Marneion
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Alexandria and the Serapis Cult Alexandria and the Serapis Cult
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The Destruction of the Alexandrian Serapeum The Destruction of the Alexandrian Serapeum
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The Syrian Temple in Rome The Syrian Temple in Rome
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Concluding Remarks Concluding Remarks
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5 Economic Trust and Religious Violence
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Published:April 2019
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Abstract
This chapter explores the changing world of the fourth century CE, a time of social ferment heightened by the Roman emperors' adoption of Christianity as a religion of state. Although this shift followed a turn toward forced religious centralization initiated by the emperors during the crisis of the third century, the choice for Christianity represented a momentous departure from Roman tradition. The intolerance and violence it engendered upset the equilibrium of Mediterranean diaspora trade, producing an institutional shock. Indeed, religion played a prominent role in how diaspora groups operated. Through the worship of their native gods, group members remained distinct from their hosts and connected to their place of origin, both necessary ingredients for successful intercommunity trade. Equally important, acts of religious devotion signaled commitment and loyalty to the group, encouraged collective action against defectors, and fostered economic trust and collaborative behavior. However, this complex system of socioeconomic interaction came under pressure when emperors began legislating against pagan cults.
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