Changes

==Victory and embracing of Christianity==

==Victory and embracing of Christianity==

While preparing for battle against Maxentius, Constantine is said to have seen in the sky the ''[[Greek alphabet|Chi Rho]]'' '''ΧΡ''' [ '''<big><big>⳩</big></big>''' ] an early Christian symbol<ref>There is also the speculative possibility that he may instead have seen the ''Chi Iota'' '''ΧΙ''' with the Greek letters superimposed together, like a sunburst with six brilliant rays. This ''chi iota'' was also used as an early Christian symbol.</ref>, with the Latin words "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES," or, "under this sign shall you conquer."  He ordered his troops to paint the Chi Rho on their shields and won a crushing victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge the next day (Oct 28th, 312) as recorded by the historian and bishop of Caesarea [[Eusebius]].  Maxentius drowned while trying to escape.  Constantine met with Licinius in Milan in early 313 and together they signed the Edict of Milan which gave equal rights for all religions<ref>An Encyclopedia of World History, Kingsport Press, 1948</ref> and made Christianity legal in Rome for the first time and after almost 300 years of persecution.  Property that had been confiscated from Christians was restored.  An effort by Maximinus Daia to attack Licinius later that year met in failure and he fled and died soon after.  Constantine was now the sole leader of the West while Licinius was the sole leader of the East.  After a brief war in 314 AD, the two made peace agreeing on the boundaries between them.  In 316, at the invitation of the newly legalized Christian church, Constantine tried to settle the Donatist schism.  Tensions between Constantine and Licinius grew when Licinius again started persecuting Christians in 320 and led to all out civil war in 324, which ended with Licinius' surrender and imprisonment.  Later that year, Constantine accused Licinius of conspiracy and had him killed.  Constantine had become sole Emperor and would remain so until his death in 337 AD

While preparing for battle against Maxentius, Constantine is said to have seen in the sky the ''[[Greek alphabet|Chi Rho]]'' '''ΧΡ''' [ '''<big><big>⳩</big></big>''' ] an early Christian symbol<ref>There is also the speculative possibility that he may instead have seen the ''Chi Iota'' '''ΧΙ''' <big><big><big><big><big><big><big>⧆</big></big></big></big></big></big></big> with the Greek letters similarly superimposed together, like a sunburst with six brilliant rays. The ''chi iota'' was also used in the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine east]] as an early Christian symbol.</ref>, with the Latin words "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES," or, "under this sign shall you conquer."  He ordered his troops to paint the Chi Rho on their shields and won a crushing victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge the next day (Oct 28th, 312) as recorded by the historian and bishop of Caesarea [[Eusebius]].  Maxentius drowned while trying to escape.  Constantine met with Licinius in Milan in early 313 and together they signed the Edict of Milan which gave equal rights for all religions<ref>An Encyclopedia of World History, Kingsport Press, 1948</ref> and made Christianity legal in Rome for the first time and after almost 300 years of persecution.  Property that had been confiscated from Christians was restored.  An effort by Maximinus Daia to attack Licinius later that year met in failure and he fled and died soon after.  Constantine was now the sole leader of the West while Licinius was the sole leader of the East.  After a brief war in 314 AD, the two made peace agreeing on the boundaries between them.  In 316, at the invitation of the newly legalized Christian church, Constantine tried to settle the Donatist schism.  Tensions between Constantine and Licinius grew when Licinius again started persecuting Christians in 320 and led to all out civil war in 324, which ended with Licinius' surrender and imprisonment.  Later that year, Constantine accused Licinius of conspiracy and had him killed.  Constantine had become sole Emperor and would remain so until his death in 337 AD

==Constantine as sole Emperor==

==Constantine as sole Emperor==