Crisis as Opportunity: Urban Renewal and Christianisation in Constantine's Gaul

Using the relationship between Constantine and Autun (Augustodunum) as a case study, this paper identifies a continuum of patronage which directly impacted the economic conditions of the town both before and after 310 CE. Constantine used the support of the bishops of Autun both as a way of fostering the spread of Gallic Christianity and as a means for consolidating his hold on the region. The restoration of economic prosperity is thus meaningful at both a political and religious level, and the study illustrates one process that aided the Christianisation of western Europe.