Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great was the Roman emperor who legalised Christianity and moved the capital of the empire to the city of Constantinople. He is one of the most important figures in the history of the Western civilisation.

Early Life and Accession

Constantine was born in about 272 in Naissus in the province of Moesia. His father was the emperor Constantius Chlorus and his mother was Helena.

He served in the army of Diocletian and distinguished himself in the campaigns. He was at the court of Diocletian during the persecution of the Christians.

He was proclaimed the emperor by the troops in Eboracum, now York, in 306 after the death of his father. He defeated the rivals and became the sole ruler in 324.

The Conversion and the Edict

Constantine is said to have seen a vision of the cross before the battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. The vision promised him the victory in the sign.

He defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge and became the master of the West. He attributed the victory to the Christian God.

He issued the Edict of Milan in 313 with Licinius. The edict granted the freedom of the religion and the restitution of the property to the Christians.

He was baptised on his deathbed in 337. The conversion marked the beginning of the Christianisation of the Roman Empire.

The New Capital and the Reforms

Constantine founded the new capital of Constantinople on the site of Byzantium in 330. The city became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

He reformed the administration and the army of the empire. He introduced the solidus, the gold coin that remained stable for centuries.

He convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 to settle the dispute over the nature of Christ. The council produced the Nicene Creed.

He promoted the Christian church and granted it the privileges and the wealth. He built the churches and the basilicas in the empire.

The Legacy

Constantine died in 337 and was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. His sons divided the empire among them.

He is regarded as the first Christian emperor and the founder of the Byzantine Empire. The city of Constantinople became the centre of the Eastern Christianity.

The conversion of the empire had a profound effect on the history of the West. The Christian church became the dominant institution of the medieval period.

He is commemorated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The legacy of his rule is the subject of the continuing study and the debate.

The Reform of the Army

Constantine reformed the army of the Roman Empire. He increased the size and the mobility of the field army.

He introduced the comitatenses and the limitanei, the mobile and the border troops. The reform improved the defence of the frontiers.

He established the new capital at Constantinople. The city was well placed for the defence and the trade.

The Christianity and the Empire

Constantine promoted the Christian church and granted it the privileges. He built the churches and the basilicas throughout the empire.

He convened the Council of Nicaea to settle the doctrinal dispute. The council produced the Nicene Creed.

He patronised the church and the clergy and the councils. The alliance of the empire and the church shaped the medieval period.

The Early Career

Constantine served in the army of Diocletian. He distinguished himself in the campaigns against the Persians and the barbarians.

He was at the court of Diocletian during the persecution of the Christians. He witnessed the division of the empire into the two halves.

He was proclaimed the emperor by the troops in Eboracum in 306. He defeated the rivals and became the sole ruler in 324.

The Foundation of Constantinople

Constantine founded the new capital on the site of Byzantium in 330. The city was named Constantinople in his honour.

The city was well placed for the defence and the trade. It became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

The city was a Christian capital from the beginning. It contained the churches and the palaces and the forums.

The Baptism and the Death

Constantine was baptised on his deathbed in 337. He died in Nicomedia and was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles.

He was the first Christian emperor. He established the alliance of the empire and the church.

He is commemorated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The legacy of his rule is the subject of the continuing study.

The Legacy and the Influence

Constantine is regarded as one of the most influential of the Roman emperors. He legalised the Christianity and founded the new capital.

The Christian church became the dominant institution of the medieval period. The empire and the church were closely allied.

He is commemorated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Arch of Constantine in Rome celebrates his victory.

References

^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

↑ Eusebius. Life of Constantine. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
↑ Barnes, Timothy D. Constantine and Eusebius. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1981.
↑ Cameron, Averil. The Later Roman Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993.
↑ Lenski, Noel. The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

[r1-1] Eusebius. Life of Constantine. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.

[r2-2] Barnes, Timothy D. Constantine and Eusebius. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1981.

[r3-3] Cameron, Averil. The Later Roman Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993.

[r4-4] Lenski, Noel. The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

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