Emperor THEODOSIUS: First to order entire Roman Empire to be Christian (in 380 AD)
Ruled 379[East]-, 392[East & West]-395 AD
Platter: 388 AD
http://www.cwo.com/~pentrack/catholic/chron.html, Chronology of Christianity (1AD-Present):
380 Feb 27, Christianity declared official state religion by Theodosius
Medieval Art, Stokstad, 1986, p. 22, chapter 2, “The Art of the Triumphant Christian Church | Theodosius and Official Art in the Later Fourth Century”:
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_379/Theodosius.html, Theodosius, Theodosius As Emperor:
A devout orthodox Christian (i.e., he subscribed without hesitation to the creed of Nicaea)
http://www.bibleorigins.net/VictoryNikeCherubimAngels.html (Bible Origins), Angel Illustrations, The Evolution of Christianty's Pictorial Representation of Cherubim and Angels From Hellenistic Roman Victory and Greek Nike Exemplars, Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld y de la Torre, M.A. Ed.:
Below, a silver platter showing the Emperor Theodosius I (the platter is dated ca. 388 CE/AD) with a halo about his head, holding court. Note the two Cupids (also called Erotii or Putii), nude children with wings bearing gifts to either side of the Emeror's head. (cf. p. 71. Christa Schug-Wille. Art of the Byzantine World. New York. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publisher. 1969).
That’s laying down the iron fist with the symbol of Eros.
The Oxford History of Classical Art, Boardman, 1993, p. 322, “(illustration) 322”:
P. 323, illustration 322:
Early Christian Art, W. F. Volbach, 1961, plate 118, “Paris, Petit Palais. Part of Esquiline Treasure. C. 380. Dish with Venus’ toilet”:
P. 333, “Notes to the Plates”:
Plate 53, “Madrid, Academy. Missorium of Emperor Theodosius I. 388”:
Early Christian and Byzantine Art, Beckwith, 1979, p. 77, illustration 60, “Early Christian Art: The Eastern Provinces of the Empire and the Foundation of Constantinople”:
http://www.gospelcom.net/chi/DAILYF/2001/02/daily-02-27-2001.shtml (Christian History Institute), February 27, 380 • Theodosius Issued an Edict:
Emperor Theodosius who changed the face of Christendom.
There are many turning points in church history. One of the most significant is little known by the Christian in the pew. … Shortly after he came to the Imperial throne, Theodosius ended the Arian dispute by the simple expedient of issuing an edict. On this day February 27, 380 (some authorities say 381) this edict commanded everyone to be a Christian. But not just any kind of Christian. A Catholic Christian, it said, was one who held the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to be one Godhead and equal in majesty. … The following year, Theodosius issued another edict specifically requiring worship of the one God according to the Nicene Creed.
Now, that’s a guy who was well familiar with the pagan gods (because he lived during the mythological times), a definite Christian / Catholic; but, it appears that he did retain / adopt one pagan god: the pagan symbol for sexual love (Eros). It’s like how the Romans adopted the Greeks’ Eros, and called him Cupid, the Christians adopted the same Eros / Cupid character and called him an angel / Cherub. Theodosius finished what Constantine started 67 years before, causing Christianity to be as large as it is today. Don’t underestimate the power and influence of a Roman emperor, who had at that time about 2 ½ times the world influential power than the United States has today..
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth212/late_antiquity_imp_image.html, Missorium of Theodosius:
This silver plate was produced to commemorate in January 388 the decennalia or tenth anniversary of Theodosius's accession to the Imperial Office.
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth109/arth109_sl16.html, Late Antique and Early Christian Art:
Missorium of the Emperor Theodosius (silver plate), 388 A.D. …
http://arts-sciences.cua.edu/gl/images/safran_slides/Medieval_Art/5thCentury/MissoriumTheodosius.jpg (via http://arts-sciences.cua.edu/gl/department/Western_Medieval.html), “Missorium of Theodosius, 388”:
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~huma103/D2E26.GIF (via http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~huma103/dis2III.html), “Missorium of Theodosius”:
http://www.answers.com/topic/theodosius-I, Theodoseus I:
Born of Christian parents (born 346? AD)
Imperial Rome and Christian Triumph, Elsner, 1998, p. 68, “Art and Imperial Power”:
P. 69, illustration 38, “The column of Arcadius, Constantinople, between AD 402 and 421”:
http://www.coins.msk.ru/mk/ch3/3_159.jpg (via http://www.coins.msk.ru/mk/main3.shtml), “Theodosius I”:
Theodosius I, AD 379-395.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14577d.htm (Catholic Encyclopedia), Theodosius I:
… died at Milan, 17 January, 395. … He stamped out the last vestiges of paganism, put an end to the Arian heresy in the empire, pacified the Goths, left a famous example of penitence for a crime, and reigned as a just and mighty Catholic emperor.