The Role of Christianity in the Victories of the Byzantine Empire in 476

The Byzantine period marked a significant transformation in the Roman Empire, beginning with intense persecution of Christians and culminating in Christianity becoming the state religion. Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, played a pivotal role in this transformation by supporting Christianity and issuing laws that granted the church and its clergy various privileges. This era saw the construction of significant Christian sites in Palestine, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The period also witnessed the establishment of numerous Christian monasteries, making Palestine a center for eremitic life. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 elevated Jerusalem to a patriarchate, enhancing the Palestinian church's international prestige. The Byzantine era was marked by prosperity and cultural flourishing in Palestine, with increased urbanization, new civic structures, and a population that may have exceeded one and a half million. Caesarea and Gaza emerged as important centers of learning, and the Roman provincial administration underwent reforms to improve efficiency and prevent revolts. The provinces of Palestine were reorganized into Palaestina Prima, Palaestina Secunda, and Palaestina Tertia, which became part of the Eastern Roman Empire after the split in 395. The Ghassanid Arabs, who migrated from South Arabia, became significant allies of the Byzantines. The Nabataeans, annexed by the Romans in 106, continued to prosper and gradually Hellenized. The late 5th and early 6th centuries saw several Samaritan revolts, which were suppressed by the Byzantines, leading to a decline in the Samaritan population and solidifying Christian dominance in Palestine.