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After the 313–314 African hearings Constantine’s government moves from arbitration to coercion against Donatists

From 316, after failing to close the Donatist schism by hearing and council, Constantine’s government used confiscation and force against Donatist churches in Africa. In the causal graph this event strengthens Political Polarization, a driver that weakens Having a say in government — a worsening welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

From 316, after failing to close the Donatist schism by hearing and council, Constantine’s government used confiscation and force against Donatist churches in Africa.

Context

A Christian emperor policing other Christians polarises a province for decades. Later Augustine is reception, not this year’s edict.

Constantine the Great’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.

Arles 314 is a council he backed. Later fines, exile, and troop use in Africa are received. Augustine’s later anti-Donatist file is not 316.

Why it matters

Using imperial force inside a church dispute is a polarisation path.

Donatism is not Nicaea’s Arian file. Split 325.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactAfter the 313–314 African hearings Constantine’s government moves from arbitration to coercion against Donatists
    2. strengthensDriverPolitical Polarization
    3. weakensIndicators (2)Having a say in government
    Worsening path

    impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 1 January 316 · verified

    Using imperial force inside a church dispute is a polarisation path.

    • Having a say in government

      via Political Polarization

      Worse

      Weakens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      Two readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).

      20212023

      Above normal = better

    • Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score

      via Political Polarization

      Worse

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.

      Normal is zero · any amount = worse

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Catholic Encyclopedia — Constantine the GreatNew Advent · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Cambridge Ancient History — later Roman / Hun chaptersCambridge University Press · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Catholic Encyclopedia / New Advent Constantine pages and Cambridge independently narrate the Donatist turn; Eusebius underplays African coercion.

Established: received 316+ coercive measures against Donatists.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorConstantine the Great
  2. contributed toFactAfter the 313–314 African hearings Constantine’s government moves from arbitration to coercion against Donatists
  3. strengthensDriverPolitical Polarization
  4. weakensIndicatorHaving a say in government

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). After the 313–314 African hearings Constantine’s government moves from arbitration to coercion against Donatists. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/co-donatist-coercion

https://factrail.ai/facts/co-donatist-coercion

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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