When the Roman Empire started, Christianity never existed. In the 1st century C.E., Herod executed their founder Jesus for treasonous behavior. It took his followers a few centuries to gain enough power that they were able to win over imperial support. This began in the early 4th century with the emperor Constantine, who was actively involved in Christian policy-making. When Constantine established a state-level religious tolerance in the Roman Empire, he took on the title of Pontiff. Although he was not necessarily a Christian himself (he wasn't baptized until he was on his deathbed), he gave Christians privileges and oversaw major Christian religious disputes. He may not have understood how the pagan cults, including those of the emperors,