Final answer:
The contest with Gnostic philosophies was waged during the period of Late Antiquity, after the fall of the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church played a significant role during this time, and philosophers like Augustine and Boethius reflected the social turmoil and uncertainty of the period in their work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The contest with Gnostic philosophies was waged during the period of Late Antiquity. This period occurred after the gradual demise of the Roman Empire in the West and was characterized by great social turmoil and uncertainty. The Catholic Church gradually filled the political and cultural void, and philosophers of late antiquity such as Augustine and Boethius reflected the uncertainty and turmoil of the period in their work.