Constantine did not make Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, nor did he ban paganism. That came later. Constantine's "favour" was his decision to divert to Christians the massive state funding on which the pagan temples had always depended. Overnight, Christianity became "the most favoured recipient of the near limitless resources of imperial power" [consequently] the "privileges and exemptions granted the Christian clergy precipitated a stampede into the priesthood" [quoting Richard Fletcher].
Stark p62
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