We may say, in conclusion, that the economic and political position of the Jews in the empire was unique in one sense. There were no other groups that had exactly the same rights, or were subject to exactly the same demands as the Jews. But in another sense that position was not at all unique. Many other groups of men had rights somewhat like those of the Jewish synagogues, and played a part in the social economy similar to theirs; and, as individuals, there was probably nothing to mark out the Jew from his fellows in the community. We cannot tell how far and how long the Jews would have been able to maintain their position. There seems however to have been nothing in the conditions of the Diocletianic empire that threatened the stability of the synagogues in the form in which they were then found. The religious basis of the state—the maintenance of a common cult for the whole empire—had practically been abandoned. At one time, under Aurelian,[404] the emperor’s devotion to the solar cult had almost made of that the state religion. But in general it may be said that the absolutism of Diocletian rendered such bonds unnecessary. Where all men were born subjects or slaves (“slaves of their duties,” _servi functionum_, the guild-men are called explicitly[405]) of the same master, it could be considered indifferent whether they all maintained the same theology. But whether the Jews might have maintained their position or not, if the conditions had remained the same, is a purely hypothetical question. When Christianity became the state religion, under Theodosius,[406] a step was taken that Jews must perforce regard as retrogressive. In ancient times participation in the common _sacra_ was of the essence of membership in a state.[407] That principle was, however, tolerantly enforced. In the first place the mere existence of private _sacra_ was not deemed to imperil the public _sacra_. Secondly, exceptions and exemptions that did not take offensive forms were freely allowed. But when Theodosius established Christianity, he consciously strove to make the ecclesia coterminous with the empire. “As well could those be saved who were not in the ark with Noah,” Cyprian[408] had cried, “as they be saved who are not in the church.” What was originally a group of elect, a company of saints (ἅγιοι), “the salt of the earth,”[409] had been expanded into a world-filling community.