History of the First Council of Nice applies original sources to describe the emergence of Rome?s doctrinal and militaristic rule over the Christian faith. Central to the conflict was Arius, a Christian leader of Berber African origins, who challenged the belief that Jesus the Son was inseparable from God Almighty the Father. Nearly all of Arius? writings were destroyed by Emperor Constantine of Rome, an unscrupulous monarch that exploited the church to solidify his rule. This text provides a balanced, well-researched account of Christianity?s decline from self-realization and reason to blind faith in religious doctrine, the state, and church leaders. “If the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: and from this it is evident, that there was a time when the Son was not. It therefore necessarily follows, that he [the Son] had his substance from nothing.” Arius “In addition, if any writing composed by Arius should be found, it should be handed over to the flames, so that not only will the wickedness of his teaching be obliterated, but nothing will be left even to remind anyone of him?if someone should be discovered to have hidden a writing composed by Arius, and not to have immediately brought it forward and destroyed it by fire, his penalty shall be death. As soon as he is discovered in this offense, he shall be submitted for capital punishment…..” Edict by Emperor Constantine against the Arians