The Constantinian «Dies Solis» Law in its Political and Legislative Context

Abstract

The so-called «Dies Solis» Law, enacted by Constantine in 321, established the Day of the Sun as a public feast (dies festus) in the Roman official calendar. This law can be studied in the political and legislative context between the first (314-315) and the second (324) civil war between Constantine and Licinius. This study reveals that its main purposes were the reinforcement of the imperial authority with administrative effects and the adoption, with propagandistic regards, of a religious policy on heathen cults different from the one developed by Licinius. The Dies Solis law is inscribed, in fact, in a joint of Constantinian norms that aim to make the imperial legislation an efficient instrument of government. Moreover, while Licinius promoted the hellenistic syncretic heathen cults, Constantine presented himself as a defender of the Roman religious traditions.

Keywords

• constantino
• licinio
• guerra civil
• política religiosa
• dies solis