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Constantine I ("Constantine the Great") became emperor of the western half of the Roman empire after his father died in battle.

Constantine I ("Constantine the Great") became emperor of the western half of the Roman empire after his father died in battle.

Emperor Constantine promised that he would convert to Christianity (as his mother had) if God would make him victorious in the difficult battle in A.D. 306.  Constantine won and then converted.  In A.D. 312, Constantine began using Christian symbols for his military after seeing a vision of the sign of the cross in the rays of sunlight.  In 326, Constantine declared Sunday to be a religious holiday.  By the time of his death in A.D. 333, Constantine had declared Christianity as an official religion of the Roman empire, and the Eastern Orthodox Church adores him as a saint to this day.

Emperor Constantine promised that he would convert to Christianity (as his mother had) if God would make him victorious in the difficult battle in A.D. 306.  Constantine won and then converted.  In A.D. 312, Constantine began using Christian symbols for his military after seeing a vision of the sign of the cross in rays of sunlight.  In 326, Constantine declared Sunday to be a religious holiday.  By the time of his death in A.D. 333, Constantine had declared Christianity as an official religion of the Roman empire, and the Eastern Orthodox Church adores him as a saint to this day.

Establishing Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire is what made Constantine so important, but he was also brilliant in recognizing the significance of the eastern half of the Roman empire.  That happened as follows.  Constantine fought the ruler of the eastern half beginning in A.D. 314.  In 323, Constantine ultimately conquered the East and killed its emperor, Licinius, thereby uniting West and East into one mighty Roman empire.  Constantine founded a second capital in the East at Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople in his own honor (which is now Istanbul, Turkey).  

Establishing Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire is what made Constantine so important, but he was also brilliant in recognizing the significance of the eastern half of the Roman empire.  That happened as follows.  Constantine fought the ruler of the eastern half beginning in A.D. 314.  In 323, Constantine ultimately conquered the East and killed its emperor, Licinius, thereby uniting West and East into one mighty Roman empire.  Constantine founded a second capital in the East at Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople in his own honor (which is now Istanbul, Turkey).  

The eastern half was always richer and stronger, and it survived as the Byzantine Empire through the Middle Ages.  Constantine had placed his name on a city that would play an instrumental role in trade and military conflicts.  The eastern half split from the west in A.D. 395 and grew in power and wealth, surviving for nearly a thousand years after the fall of Rome.  

The eastern half was always richer and stronger, and it survived as the Byzantine Empire through the Middle Ages.  Constantine had placed his name on a city that would play an instrumental role in trade and military conflicts.  The eastern half split from the west in A.D. 395 and grew in power and wealth, surviving for nearly a thousand years after the fall of Rome.  

In A.D. 527, Justinian became a powerful emperor of this Byzantine empire and he recovered North Africa from the Vandals in 533, and Rome from the Ostrogoths in 535.  Ultimately he recaptured all of Italy and even parts of Spain in his attempt to reestablish the Roman empire.  Initially the primary language was Latin, as it had been in Rome, but eventually the Greek influence on the eastern half made it the primary language.

In A.D. 527, Justinian became a powerful emperor of this Byzantine empire.  He recovered North Africa from the Vandals in 533 and Rome from the Ostrogoths in 535.  Ultimately he recaptured all of Italy and even parts of Spain in his attempt to reestablish the Roman empire.  Initially the primary language was Latin, as it had been in Rome, but eventually the Greek influence on the eastern half made it the primary language.

Justinian is remembered best for revising and updating the Roman laws and establishing a new Justinian Code for laws and treaties.  This was so successful that it was used for the next 900 years.  He also rebuilt Constantinople, which had been destroyed by riots against high taxes.  He rebuilt the fabulous Hagia Sophia church, which features the Byzantine architecture of high domes.  His wife's name was Theodora, who advocated for modern women's rights at a time when most Byzantine women stayed in the home.

Justinian is remembered best for revising and updating the Roman laws and establishing a new Justinian Code for laws and treaties.  This was so successful that it was used for the next 900 years.  He also rebuilt Constantinople, which had been destroyed by riots against high taxes.  He rebuilt the fabulous Hagia Sophia church, which features the Byzantine architecture of high domes.  His wife's name was Theodora, who advocated for modern women's rights at a time when most Byzantine women stayed in the home.