This article is from the soc.history.what-if FAQ, by Anthony Mayer anthonyemayer@yahoo.co.uk with numerous contributions by others.
Opinions differ about whether Christianity was a contributing factor to
the decline of the Roman Empire, but it is agreed that there were, at
least, many other factors of greater importance -- after all, the
Christian Roman Empire (Byzantium) lasted longer than the pagan Empire
and Republic put together. Christianity definitely did not destroy the
classical scientific tradition, which was moribund by the 1st century
BC and long dead by the time Christianity was significant enough for
anyone important to notice it.
 
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