Writings · early church · 5th century · 106 / 856
NPNF1-02. St. Augustine's City of God and Christian Doctrine
St. Augustine · early-church-fathers
That empire was given to Rome not by the gods, but by the One True God.
Book IV.
Argument—In this book it is proved that the extent and long duration of the Roman empire is to be ascribed, not to Jove or the gods of the heathen, to whom individually scarce even single things and the very basest functions were believed to be entrusted, but to the one true God, the author of felicity, by whose power and judgment earthly kingdoms are founded and maintained.
Source: npnf102.xml