Alexandrian power struggles: The political and ecclesiastical implications of the Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E.

摘要

The Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E. is perceived in history as primarily ecumenical in nature, but its decision also significantly impacted the local political dynamics of Alexandria, Egypt, which was an extremely powerful city during Constantine's reign. Like pagan Rome, political and religious institutions remained highly ambiguous in late antiquity, and therefore reconciliation of the Arian controversy at Nicaea was obviously more than a synodal debate that determined orthodox Christology between two Christian sects. It was also a clash between influential institutions with political agendas both in Egypt and throughout the empire. This idea is mentioned in history, but rarely pursued in depth. Thus, this study expounds upon the roles Alexandria's Christian communities played in the Roman Empire not only theologically but also economically and governmentally. Furthermore, it examines the potential political motivations that drove the council's three leading figures, Athanasius, Arius, and Constantine.