History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume 1 - Chapter II Part 1

In which the internal prosperity of the Roman Empire under the Antonines is portrayed as the fruit of wise laws, religious toleration, and a prudent inclusion of diverse peoples into the civic body, fostering unity and cultural harmony amid manifold superstitions and philosophies. The narrative observes the benign spirit of pagan polytheism and the enlightened indifference of philosophers, all under the careful administration of emperors who valued religion as a social bond without permitting sectarian rancour to disturb the peace.