The Roman Empire and the Emperors

From the time of the Republic it was accepted that the gods must be appeased, honoured and sacrificed to in order to secure the safety of the state. Military victory and the expansion of the Empire were seen naturally as extensions of divine favour. It was now vital that God be worshipped by all on the same basis to secure his favour for the Empire. To allow the monophysites or some other belief system to exist amongst God's people was not just a pious concern but a national security issue. Of course the influence of Christianity did have another effect on the emperors - they were now to be seen as pious Christians themselves.