Aspects of worship in Nicomedia of the Fourth Century AD

Year 2025, Volume: 1, 23 - 24, 15.04.2025

Zoe Tsiami

Abstract

The Bithynian city, Nicomedia (known today as Izmit or Iznikmid), composes a rich ground for historical research, as it consisted of the main city for several distinguished people, like the emperor Diocletian, who declared the city as the capital of his empire. The residency of Diocletian in Nicomedia brought over the years a variety of changes that affected the profile of the city, both politically and socially.
The view and the prosperity of Nicomedia as far as we know constructed an ideal city model, but as it comes to religious subjects, the situation was different. Nicomedia was chosen as a residence from several Roman and Byzantine emperors and seemed to assimilate the political and social reforms that they settled. However, as it comes to religion and worship practices, the situation was more complicated. Religion becomes a magnet of infighting, changes, and reforms between the people of Nicomedia.
This paper discusses these parameters above, which were at their outbreak during the 4th century AD. Together, we shall see the traditions of the Roman influence that were settled in Nicomedia, as well as the changes and conflicts that Christianity brought over the centuries.

Keywords

Nicomedia, Bithynia, Late antiquity

References

• The similar national religious faith predicts that in the eastern regions, there was not a single religious pattern (something similar to present-day Christian doctrines), but there were variations in the religious figures or the way they were worshipped.
• Pliny the Younger, Letter 96 (10.96). Pliny mentions the process of arrest and the subsequent course of action of the Christians regarding the refusal or acceptance of a sacrifice in honour of the emperor in his 96th (Book 10) Letter to Trajan. Eusebius mentions all the above actions mainly in his Life of Constantine the Great, a work in praise of the emperor's person and inextricably linked to the Christian faith. Eusebius, however, writes his text from a subjective perspective, wishing to impose or justify the emperor's strategy and violent actions. For more, see. Polymnia Athanasiadis, Η άνοδος της μονοδοξίας στην Ύστερη Αρχαιότητα, Βιβλιοπωλείον της Εστίας, Athens 2017, pp. 122-130, esp. 123
• The information of the writers Ammianus Marcellinus and Livanius which preceded the chapter on pagan Roman temples refers (if we judge from the dating of the lives of the two writers) to the middle of the fourth century, so we are again led to the conclusion that Christianity was still largely competing with Roman religious ideals.
• Gregory of Nyssa, Τοίς ἐν Νικομηδεῖα Πρεσβυτέροις. A valuable source of information on the heresy of Arius, in particular, are the writings of Athanasius the Great, who wrote four extensive speeches purely on the issue and fighting for Arianism [See. Athanasius of Alexandria, Κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν (Orations Α΄-Δ΄)].