I was thinking of a post about Paganism and was very inspired this morning by Varg Vikernes new post in his YT channel thuleanperspective.
Firstly because of the content, which shows how the original religions were fought by christians and secondly, because its source (the content).
The source is the book "Demolish Them", written by Vlasis Rassias and published in greek in 2000.
Mr. Rassias is a very knowledgeable proponent of a return to the original religions and philosophies. In his case, as a greek, to Hellenic Polytheism.
I recommend for whoever is interested in Paganism both Varg's channel and the work of Vlasis Rassias.
So without further due, let's get into it by chronological time
314 - Immediatly after its full legalisation, the christian church attacks the Gentiles: The Council of Ancyra denounces the worship of Goddess Artemis.
324 - Emperor Constantine declares Christianity as the only official religion of the Roman Empire. At Dydima, Asia Minor, he sacks the Oracle of God Apollo and torture its Pagan priests to death. He also evicts the Gentiles from Mt. Athos and destroys all local Hellenic Temples.
326 - Emperor Constantine, following the instructions of his mother Helen, destroys the Temple of God Asclepius in Aigeai of Cilicia and many Temples of Goddess Aphrodite in Jerusalem, Aphaca, Mambre, Phoenice, Baalbek, etc.
330 - Constantine steals the treasures and statues of the Pagan Temples in Greece to decorate Nova Roma (Constantinople), the new capital of his Empire.
335 - Constantine sacks many Pagan Temples of Asia Minor and Palestine and orders the execution by crucifixion of "all magicians and soothsayers". Martyrdom of the naoplatonist philosopher Sopratos
354 - A new edict of Constantius order the closing of all Pagan Temples. Some of them are profaned and turned into brothels or gambling rooms. Execution of Pagan priests. First burning of libraries in various cities of the Empire. The first lime factories are built next to closed Pagan Temples. A large part of Sacred Gentile architecture is turned into lime.
356 - A new edict of Constantius orders the destruction of the Pagan Temples and the execution of all "idolaters".
357 - Constantius outlaws all methods of Divination (Astrology not excluded).
359 - In Skythopolis, Syria, Christians organise the first death camps for the torture and execution of arrested Gentiles from all around the Empire.
361 to 363 - Religious tolerance and restoration of Pagan Cults declared in Constantinople (11th December 361) by the Pagan Emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus.
364 - Emperor Flavius Jovianus orders the burning of the Library of AntiochAn Imperial edict (11th September) orders the death penalty for all Gentiles that worship their ancestral Gods or practice Divination ("sileat omnibus perpetuo divinandi uriositas")
Three different edicts (4th February, 9th September and 23rd December) order the confiscation of all properties of Pagan Temples and the death penalty for participation in Pagan rituals, even private ones.
365 - An Imperial edict (17th November) forbids Gentile officers of the army to command christian soldiers.
370 - Emperor Valens orders a tremendous persecution of Gentiles throughout the eastern Empire. In Antioch, among many other Pagans, the ex-governor Fidustius and the priests Hilarius and Patricius are executed.
Tons of books are burnt in the squares of cities of the eastern Empire. All friends of Julianus are persecuted (Orebasius, Sallustius, Pegasius, etc.), the philosopher Simonides is burned alive and the philosopher Maximus is decapitated.
372 - Emperor Valens orders the governor of Asia Minor to exterminate the Hellenes and all documents of their wisdom.
373 - New prohibition of all methods of Divination. The term "Pagan" (pagani, villagers) is intorduced by the Christians to lessen the Gentiles.
375 - The Temple of God Asclepius in Epidaurus, Greece, is closed down.
380 - On 27th February, Christianity becomes the exclusive religion of the Roamn Empire by an edict of Emperor Flavius Theodosius, requiring that "all the various nations, which are subject to our clemency and moderation should continue with the profession of that religion, which was delivered to the romans by the divine Apostle Peter". Non-christians are called "loathsome, heretics, stupid and blind". In another edict Theodosius calls "insane" those that do not believe in the christian god and outlaws all disagreements with the church dogmas. Ambrosius, bishop of Milan, starts destroying all the Pagan Temples of his area. Christians priests lead the mob against the Temple of Goddess Demeter in Eleusis and try to lynch the hierophants Nestorius and Priskus. The 95 year-old hierophant Nestorius ends the Eleusinian Mysteries and announces the predomionance of mental darkness over the human species.
381 - On 2nd May, Theodosius deprives all rights of Christians that return to the Pagan religion. Throughout the eastern Empire, Pagan Temples and libraries are lotted or burned down. On 21st December, Theodosius outlaws even simple visits to the Temples of Hellenes. In Constantinople, the Temple of Goddess Aphrodite is turned into a brothel and the Temples of Sun and Artemis into stables.
382 - "Hellelu-jah" (Glory to Yahweh) is imposed in the christian mass.
384 - Emperor Theodosius orders the Praetorian Prefect, Maternus Cynegius, a dedicated christian, to cooperate with the local bishops and destroy the Temples of the Gentiles in Northern Greece and Asia Minor.
385 to 388 - Maternus Cynegius, encouraged by his fanatic wife, and Bishop "saint" Marcellus with his gangs scour the countryside, sack and destory hundreds of Hellenic Temples, shrines and altars. Amongst others they destroy the Temple of Edessa, the Cabeireion of Imbros, the Temple of Zeus in Apamea, the Temple of Apollo in dydima and all the Temples of Palmyra. Thousands of innocent Gentiles from all sides of the Empire suffer martyrdom in the notorious death camps of Skythopolis.
386 - Emperor Theodosius outlaws (16th June) the care of sacked Pagan Temples.
388 - Public talks on religious subjects are also outlawed by Theodosius. The old orator Libanius sends his famous Epistle "Pro Templis" to Theodosius, with a hope that the few remaining Hellenic Temples will be respected and spared.
389 to 390 - All non-christian calendars are outlawed. Hordes of fanatic hermits from the desert flood into middle eastern and Egyptian cities, destroying statues, altars, libraries and Pagan Temples, whilst Gentiles are lynched. Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, starts heavy persecutions against Gentiles, turns the Temple of Dionysius into a church, burns down the Mithraeum of the city, destroys the Temple of Zeus and burlesques the Pagan priests before they are killed by stoning. The christian mob profanes the cult images.
391 - On 24th February, a new edict of Theodosius prohibits not only visits to Pagan Temples but also looking to vandalised statues. New heavy persecutions all around the Empire. In Alexandria, Egypt, the Gentiles, led by the philosopher Olympius, revolt and after some street fights, finally lock themselves inside the fortified Temple of God Serapis (The Serapeion). After a violent siege, the christians occupy the building, demolish it, burn its famous library and profane the cult images.
392 - On 8th November, the Emperor Theodosius outlaws all non-christian rituals and names them "supertitions of the Gentiles" (gentilicia supertitio). New full scale persecutions against the Gentiles.The mysteries of Samothrace are ended and priests slaughtered. In Cyprus the local bishop, "saints" Epiphanius and Tychon destory almost all the Temples of the island and exterminate thousands of Gentiles. The local Mysteries of Goddess Aphrodite are ended. Theodosius' edict declares: "the ones that won't obey pater Epiphanius have no right to keep living on the island". The Gentiles revolt against the Emperor and the church in Petra, Aorpolis, Rafia, Gaza, Baalbek and other cities of the middle east.
393 - The Pythian, Aktia and Olympic Games are outlawed as part of the Hellenic "idolatry". Christians sack the Temples of Olympia.
395 - Two new edicts (22nd July and 7th August) lead to new persecutions against the Gentiles. Rufinus, the eunuch Prime Minister of Emperor Flavius Arcadius directs the hordes of the baptised Goths (led by Alaric) to the country of the Hellenes. Encouraged by christian monks, the barbarian sack and burn many cities (Dion, Delphi, Megara, Corinth, Pheneos, Argos, Nemea, Lycosoura, Sparta, Messene, Phigaleia, Olympia, etc), slaughter or enslave innumerable Hellenes and burn the Temples. Among others, they burn alive all of its priests (including the hierophant of Mithras Hilarius).
396 - On 7th December, a new edict by Emperor Arcadius orders that Paganism be treated as high treason. Imprisonment of the few remaining Pagan priests and hierophants.
397 - "Demolish Them!" Emperor Flavius Arcadius orders all the still erect Pagan Temples demolished.
398 - The fourth Church Council of Carthage prohibits to all, including its bishops, the study of Gentile books. Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza, demolishes almost all Pagan Temples of his city (except nine of them that remain active).
399 - With a new edict (13th July) Emperor Flavius Arcadius orders all remaining Temples, mainly in the countryside, to be immediately demolished.
400 - Bishop Nicetas destroys the Oracle of God Dionysius in Vesai.
That concludes the first part.