 In the year 320 , Licinius allegedly reneged on the religious freedom promised by the Edict of Milan in 313 and began to oppress Christians anew , generally without bloodshed , but resorting to confiscations and sacking of Christian office @-@ holders . Although this characterization of Licinius as anti @-@ Christian is somewhat doubtful , the fact is that he seems to have been far less open in his support of Christianity than Constantine . Therefore , Licinius was prone to see the Church as a force more loyal to Constantine than to the Imperial system in general – the explanation offered by the Church historian Sozomen . 
