Expert: Irulan Serena - 7/19/2004

Question
I'm doing a paper on the fall of Rome and want to explore Rome's population and demogrphic changes which might have contributd to it as well as the history of the Catholic Church and what influence the Pope had.  I'm trying to find a different approach, maybe downplaying its importance.
Any ideas would be welcome.  I'm reading Bury, Gibbon, and Ferrill.  What other authors should I include?
Thank you in advance.
Catherine

Answer
Hello Catherine,


Those three authors are really the best.  The RCC history can br found at the following links. I also suggest you research the Frist Eumenical Council with will give you more or less, the true history of the beginnings of the RRC and its influence.

Look at the following sites:

http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/godsreligion/p/aa082499.htm
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This is a rather comprehensive site  - a bit too much information but worthwhile reading.

http://www.newmanreader.org/works/arians/index.html
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This explains why the first Ecumenical Council was convened by Constantine.

http://www2.evansville.edu/ecoleweb/arians/arianchr.htm
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This one also contains some primary sources which might prove of some  interest  to you and might give you more fuel for your paper.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook1b.html -  
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The conflicts over religion were very important since Constantine called the first ecumenical council to divert these very problems and to try to establish some peace among his people…. Paganism as well as the RCC were destroying the peace at home and Constantine had enough problems fighting his enemies without having to deal with internal strife.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook1e.html
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Origins of the RCC



http://www.iub.edu/~histweb/fall2003/ddeliyan/b204/readings/constantine.htm#nice...
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 biography of Constantine….not all just these parts on the Nicean Council ….

Hope all this is of some help,

Irulan