The ‘drift into a respectable Christianity’ which followed the last great conflict between aristocratic pagan Romans and the Christian regime of Theodosius I in the 390s had been preceded by a long preparation. The attitude among Christians towards pagan secular culture was by no means uniform, and had had a chequered history. From the later second century Christians had been moving fast – and not only in Alexandria – towards an assimilation of secular culture. Even in the West, hostility towards it is easily exaggerated. Tertullian's rhetorical flourish must not be misunderstood: quid Athenae Hierosolymis? (‘what has Athens to do with Jerusalem?’) is evidence not so much of a tip of a submerged iceberg of hostility to secular culture as of a need felt to strengthen Christians' sense of their separate identity at a time of rapid assimilation which seemed to pose a threat to it. Since that time Christians had moved even further towards accepting the values and the culture of their pagan contemporaries. In the later third century they were beginning to penetrate every level of Roman society and to assimilate the culture, life-styles and education of Roman townsmen. The conversion of Constantine and the ensuing flow of imperial favour did nothing to reverse this, but brought growing respectability, prestige and wealth. Around 350 very little separated a Christian from his pagan counterpart in Roman society.