Barely Historical16 Des 2025

336 CE Rome: Constantine, Arius, and the First Dec 25 Christmas

Welcome back to Barely Historical, the comedy history podcast where we ruin the past one year at a time. This episode drops us into 336 CE Rome and the chaos of the late Roman Empire, when Christianity is less “faith” and more “power play.”

We unpack the Arian controversy and the priest Arius, whose theology split the early church and sparked a years long political and religious meltdown. Emperor Constantine tries to force a reconciliation, bishops start praying for their enemies to die (normal behavior, apparently), and then 336 delivers one of history’s most infamous public deaths that may or may not have been poison.

Also in this year: Constantine preps a massive holy war against Persia that never even happens, commissions a literal mobile church tent for the battlefield, and we hit the first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25 (yes, layered right on top of existing pagan festivals). Then we wrap with a “day in the life” in 336, comparing a wealthy Christian woman in Rome to a pagan farmer who has no clue any of this is happening.

If you love Roman history, Constantine, early Christianity drama, weird deaths, and two women reacting to it with sarcasm and facts, this one’s for you.

Follow, rate, and review Barely Historical and share this episode with your friend who thinks about the Roman Empire every day.

Hosts: JoLynne & Amanda

Produced by Barely Historical

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BarelyHistorical

Contact: ⁠oops@barelyhistorical.com⁠

Tagline: Let’s ruin history.

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