WI: A Pagan Emperor during the final revival after Theodosius

Dorozhand

Banned
What if, during the final revival of Paganism that started to take place during the crises and invasions after the end of Theodosius I's reign, a strong pagan emperor came to power in Rome and reversed the ban instituted by previous emperors? Could paganism have been revived?
 
Marcellinus, uncle of Julius Nepos was pagan. Though I highly doubt any form of pagan revival could occur in the Roman Empire this late.
 
What about the pagan Eugenius?

He wasn't Pagan and neither was Arbogast. They were both Christians (especially Arbogast, otherwhise Theodosius would not have given him such a high position and put so much trust in him) who were making a political move: They needed the support of the Pagan aristocracy in Italy and specifically Rome to be able to successfully fend off Theodosius.
 

Dorozhand

Banned
Marcellinus, uncle of Julius Nepos was pagan. Though I highly doubt any form of pagan revival could occur in the Roman Empire this late.

From what I've read Paganism remained prevalent in the countryside well into the fifth century, and the central government had a hell of a time trying to stamp the pagans out to little success. Theodosius and his successors constantly issued hilariously redundant decrees, banning it in different terms over and over again. Honorius talks about a significant population of Christians at the time who were going back to the old gods out of disillusionment and a lingering sense of Roman nationalism.
 

katchen

Banned
By the 3rd Century, except in India, Pagainism seemed to be missing something all through the Ecumene. We're not just talking about Western paganism but Confucianism and Taoism in China and paganism in Tibet and Southeast Asia as well. Which is why Buddhism made such headway in those places.
So an emperor who set out to revive paganism by suppressing Christianity in the Eastern Roman Empire might succeed at first. But he would very likely wind up bringing in something else to replace Christianity. Be it Manichaenism, Mandaenism or Buddhism.
Buddhism would be the best from that emperor's point of view. Because Buddhism does not demand esclusivity. Buddhism supplements paganism. It does not replace the indigenous faiths where it comes in. And that is where it differs markedly from Christianity.
And that is where an Eastern Empire that went Buddhist might eventually drive the Catholic West to crusade against it even if such an empire butterflied away Islam and it's "no God but God" theology, which would by no means be certain. We could get several interesting TLs out of a Buddhist Rhomanion.:D
 

E.Ransom

Banned
What if, during the final revival of Paganism that started to take place during the crises and invasions after the end of Theodosius I's reign, a strong pagan emperor came to power in Rome and reversed the ban instituted by previous emperors? Could paganism have been revived?

After Theodosius the Great, it's too late. Heck, even Julian Apostata had his work cut out for him, and I'm not entirely sure it wasn't too late entirely for him, either.
I think in order to see a pagan revival, you're going to need to remove Constantine the Great from the picture, or, at least, make sure that all of his successors are de facto pagans. Constantine's importance cannot be overstated. No, he did not root out paganism, though he turned the tables on paganism towards the end of his reign. But his legalization of Christianity gave the already vibrant Church such a boost, and such a patron, that in the 20+ years he sat on the Roman throne, he pretty much tied up his successors' hands.

A pagan emperor as strong and forceful as Constantine immediately succeeding him might have pulled off revoking Constantine's privileges for the Church, and given the old ways favor again. But it would take something I cannot imagine at the moment, for a full-scale pagan revival.
No, Rome wasn't thoroughly evangelized by Constantine's death. Heck, even at the time of Augustine 100 years later, there were still pagans around.
But you'd need to remove Constantine and his successors in order to make paganism revive and thrive in the Empire. Post-Theodosius is entirely too late.
 
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