Constantine is credited with the erection of many churches?] in and around Constantinople, but, with the exception of St. Irene,[1] the Holy Cross,[2] and the Twelve Apostles,[3] their identification rests with late and untrustworthy writers. One, St. Mocius,[4] is said to have been built with the materials of a temple of Zeus, which previously stood in the same place, the summit of the Xerolophos, outside the walls. Another, St. Mena, occupied the site of the temple of Poseidon founded by Byzas.[5] Paganism was tolerated as a religion of the Empire until the last decade of the fourth century, when it was finally overthrown by the preponderance of Christianity. Laws for its total suppression were enacted by Theodosius I, destruction of temples was legalized, and at the beginning of the fifth century it is probable that few
- [Footnote: abdicated in 476, but long before that date the Empire had been
gradually falling to pieces. In 410 Alaric sacked Rome; by 419 the Goths had settled in the south of France and the Vandals had appropriated Spain; in 439 Genseric took possession of Africa; in 446 Britain was abandoned; in 455 Rome was again sacked (by Genseric), etc.]
