For the rest of Constantine's reign, the Donatists gained ground. Around 320 they established their own episcopal see at Rome Opt., II,4; R.B. Eno, The Significance of the Lists of Roman Bishops in the Anti-Donatist Polemic: VChr 47 1993 158-169, in February 330 they took over the main church at Constantine Opt., app. 10: CTh XVI, 2,7 and in 336 Donatus gathered a council of 270 bishops at Carthage Aug., Ep. 93,43. At this time, Jerome admits De vir. ill. 93: PL 23, 734 that Donatus had made his the religion of nearly all of Africa. Vancouver Map Tourist Attractions The situation stayed like this for the next sixty years. Vancouver Map Tourist Attractions Despite Donatus's exile in 347, the severe repression of the Donatists by the imperial commissioners Paul and Macarius and the consequent Catholic influence from 347 361 Opt., III, 3 and 12; VII, 6; cf. Frend, Donatist Church, 176-187, support for the Donatists hardly wavered. The Donatist leaders returned in triumph under Julian Opt., II, 16-18. Donatus's successor Parmenian provided firm government and ensured the stability of the Donatist church.
On his death in 391392, however, a major schism broke out. Vancouver Map Tourist Attractions His successor Primian was a rough, ignorant man who represented the Numidians and the more extreme elements of the church; his opponent Maximian was a relative of Donatus and reflected the more moderate opinions of the Donatists of Proconsular Africa and Byzacena. The advantage was initially with the Maximianists: 100 bishops, mainly from Byzacena, condemned Primian for various disciplinary infractions at the Council of Cebarsussa 24 June 393; Aug., Ep. 43,9,26 and Enarr. 2 in Ps. 36 19-20; cf. Frend, Donatist Church, 213-220. But it was at the Council of Bagai, in S Numidia 24 April 394, attended by 310 Primianist bishops, Vancouver Map Tourist Attractions that the schism was consummated Aug., C. Cresc. III, 56,62 and IV, 4,5; 7,9. In the next three years, Primian's supporters won a series of legal actions against the Maximianists and were at the same time able to reduce the antiheretical legislation of Theodosius C. Cresc. III, 56,62; IV, 47,57; 48,58, which might have been applied against them. Despite the Maximianist schism, the year 390 saw the Donatist church at the height of its power and prosperity.