Isn't the Vatican just Rome's last ditch effort to hold influence over the empire, basically the gilded "tax" haven to continue to rule the world? The empire might have fizzled out, but that church they built to try and convert the pagans and make it easier to control the empire sure held power for nearly 1700 more years.
can confirm... High school coach, who's wife also taught at the school, caught messin with the children.