I'd like to discuss an alternate History timeline in which the religion of Antinous founded by the Emperor Hadrian sweeps the Roman Empire,becomeing the Offical State religion of the Empire,and it's affects on the world there after.
The Year is 130 A.D.(October 30th by Modern Calenders),Antinous the boyfreind of the Roman Emperor Hadrian has drowned and the Emperor hadrian has founded the Holy City of Antinopolis on the banks of the Nile River where Antionus had drowned,tracing out the major streets with his own sceptor in the sand.
He then prceeded to do the unthinkable based on Egyptian Religous beliefs that anyone who drowns in the Nile becomes a God,as Pontifex Maximus,High Priest of the Roman Religion,he declared that Antinous was a God,that he had conquered death,and risen up to dwell among the never ending stars.Proclamations were sent out to every corner of the world,inaugurating the religion of the New God Antinous.
The Emperor Hadrian promoted the religion as a religion of peace,and accepted all regardless.
It wasa very popular religion ,a religion which swept the empire,and was offically reconigized as the State religion of the Roman Empire,pushing aside without force or violence other religions whose leaders where plotting and striving to make their perticular religions the one religion of the Empire.