Final answer:
Empires throughout history have varied in their religious practices, from polytheism to monotheism, with examples of both religious tolerance and forced conversion, though often pragmatic considerations influenced policies on religion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The religious landscape within empires has historically been quite diverse and subject to change over time. For instance, the early Roman Empire practiced polytheism, worshiping a pantheon of gods. However, after Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, monotheism gained ground and imperial sponsorship linked secular power to the Christian identity, leading many Roman elites to convert in order to maintain their status.
The Ottoman Empire demonstrated significant religious tolerance, particularly with the Islamic expansion where converting occupied populations to Islam was a gradual process that often did not result in forceful conversions. Non-Muslims were allowed to practice their own religions and were known as dhimmi. They had to pay the jizya tax, which was higher for non-Muslims, thus making conversion to Islam a potential financial disadvantage for the authorities.
In summary, throughout history, various empires have demonstrated a mix of religious tolerance and gradual shifts from polytheistic to monotheistic practices. Forced conversion was neither a universal norm nor consistently applied, with pragmatism often outweighing zealotry when it came to religious matters within empires.