It is possible that all of the popular Roman games (except for the naumachiae, because of their tremendous expense) might have maintained their popularity and continued to be held right up till the last gasps of Roman civilization. However, something momentous occurred in the fourth century that changed the face of the public shows. This was the amazingly swift rise and political (as well as religious) triumph of Christianity. Despite periodic persecutions from the first century on, the faith had persisted and slowly grown in popularity. Then, in the early fourth century, the Christians received two major boosts: the first in 313 when the emperor Constantine (reigned 307-337) issued an edict granting them religious freedom, and the second in 337 when he converted to Christianity on his deathbed. Thereafter, all but one of Rome's emperors were Christians, and an increasing number of Roman pagans...