Above All the Emperors Before Him

He stood alone and preeminent among the Roman emperors as a worshiper of God. He alone boldly proclaimed the teaching of Christ to all people. He alone honored his church as no one before him had ever done. He alone did away entirely with the error of worshiping many gods, and set himself against idolatry in every form. So, alone among them, both in life and after death, he was counted worthy of honors such as no one can say any other has ever attained, so that no one, whether Greek or barbarian, or even among the ancient Romans themselves, has ever been held up to us as worthy of comparison with him. [a]