Constantine

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Constantine was a Roman Emperor famous for being the first Christian Emperor of Rome, and increasing the legalizing of Christianity. He lived AD February 27, 272 - May 22, 337.

Although he is often held up by the Church as the ideal religious King, ruling at the will of the just God, Constantine's character is in fact much more complicated. Constantine is well-known to have considered many different religions, resorting to Christianity only in the run-up to his climactic victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, after which Constantine became the sole "Augustus" - in Diocletian's tetrarchy system - of Rome (the west). Lucinius was still Augustus of the east. At this battle, Constantine is said to have seen in the sky the Chi Ro, an early Christian symbol, which the Latin words "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES," or, "under this sign shall you conquer." Constantine allegedly then ordered all of his troops to paint the Chi Ro on their shields. He won a crushing victory ending his civil war with Maxentius when Maxentius drowned trying to escape. He attributed his victory to Christianity.

In the next year Constantine put forth the Edict of Milan guaranteeing religious freedom to Christians after almost 300 years of persecution. Constantine was engaged in a smoldering conflict with Lucinius, still Augustus of the east starting in 314. Tensions became worse when Lucinius again started persecuting Christians in 320 and led to all out civil war in 324, which ended with Lucinius' surrender and execution. Constantine was then sole ruler of the Roman empire, and remained so until his death. Constantinople was named after him, a city he spent many years in building to be the new Capital in the East.

After years of never being able to all meet together openly, Constantine encouraged Christian leaders from all over the Empire to come together and draw up common understandings of their beliefs. With his victory over Lucinius and in control of the whole empire, Constantine brought together the first Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.

It is worth noting that much of Constantine's earlier religiosity remains in the archaeological record. For example, Roman coins from the time period of Constantine I can be found, emblazoned with the legend,

"IMP CONSTANT AUG, SOL INV.," expanded as, "Imperator Constantine Augustus, to Sol Invictus," and translated as, "Commander Constantine, Augustus, dedicated to the God of the Unconquered Sun."