Constantine I
(27 February 272 ? 22 May 337 AD) was a
Roman emperor
from 306 until he
died
. He was emperor for longer than any other emperor since
Augustus
, the first emperor. He was the first ruler of the
Roman Empire
to be a
Christian
. He made the old city
Byzantium
into a new, larger city:
Constantinople
(now
Istanbul
,
Turkey
). The city's name means "City of Constantine" in
Greek
. He was the son of the emperor
Constantius I
, and members of their
Constantinian dynasty
controlled the empire until 364.
Six years after Constantine said that he was emperor, he was fighting for control of Rome with
Maxentius
at the Battle of
Milvian Bridge
, a bridge over the
Tiber River
. When he saw a
cross
in the sky with the words
Latin
:
in hoc signo vinces
,
lit.
'in this sign you shall conquer', he changed his
deity
from
Apollo
to
Jesus
and won the battle or war.
Constantine (Latin:
Gaius Flavius Valerius Constantinus
;
Ancient Greek
:
Κωνσταντ?νο?
,
romanized:
K?nstantinos
) was born in
Naissus
(
Ni?
,
Serbia
). He was
born
on 27 February.
[1]
The
Calendar of Philocalus
and the works of the Latin writer
Polemius Silvius
both say Constantine was born in 272 or 273. The Latin
historian
Eutropius
wrote the same information. However, the Greek historian and
bishop
Eusebius of Caesarea
wrote that Constantine was born around the year 285.
[1]
Constantine's father was
Constantius
, who later became
Roman emperor
. Constantine's mother was
Helena
. She was not from the
nobility
. The Greek historian
Procopius
wrote that Helena had come from
Drepanon
, a city in
Bithynia
. The Latin
theologian
Ambrose
wrote that Helena was a
stabularia
, '
stable
-girl'.
[1]
Helena and Constantius may not have
married
, and Helena may have been Constantius's
concubine
.
[1]
Constantine was a
military tribune
in the
Roman army
by 293,
[1]
the year his father became
caesar
(a junior Roman emperor) on 23 March.
[2]
Constantius and the other
caesar
Galerius
each became
augustus
(a more senior Roman emperor) on 1 May 305.
[3]
[2]
On that day, the emperors Diocletian and Maximian
retired
.
[4]
[5]
Maximinus Daza
and
Valerius Severus
each became
caesar
.
[6]
[7]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that Constantius I died on 25 July 306 in
Eboracum
(
York
,
England
).
[2]
There, on the same day, the army of Constantius made Constantine
augustus
. (Later, around August 306, the
augustus
Galerius agreed that Constantine was
caesar
, but not that he was
augustus
.)
[1]
Roman Egypt
accepted Constantine was an emperor.
[1]
In autumn 306 or early the next year, Constantine made a military
campaign
against the
Franks
. Constantine said that he was
Roman consul
for the first time in 307. However, the
Roman provinces
that other emperors controlled did not accept that Constantine was consul.
[1]
Constantine may have been in
Roman Britain
again in 307.
[1]
Maximian and Constantine may have met at Augusta Treverorum (
Trier
,
Germany
) in 307, possibly in late summer.
[1]
Maximian
made Constantine
augustus
. Constantine married Maximian's daughter
Fausta
. (This could have been in late summer, September, or as late as 25 December. Historians are not in agreement about the date.)
[1]
At the start of his
reign
, only the lands that Constantine controlled accepted Constantine as
augustus
. Then, the lands that Maximian's son
Maxentius
controlled also accepted that Constantine was an
augustus
.
[1]
In 308 Constantine fought a war against the
Bructeri
. In November 308, the emperors Diocletian, Maximian, and Galerius met at
Carnutum
(
Petronell-Carnuntum
,
Austria
) and agreed that Constantine was a
caesar
. Constantine himself continued to say that he was an
augustus
.
[1]
The Latin writer
Lactantius
wrote that in 309, Constantine got the
title
in Latin:
filius augustorum
,
lit.
'son of the
augusti
'.
[1]
The Roman provinces that Galerius controlled said that Constantine was Roman consul for the first time in 309, but the provinces Constantine and Maxentius controlled did not accept this.
[1]
In 310, probably on the 1 May, Galerius made Maximinus Daza
augustus
. From this time, the whole empire started to agree that Constantine was an
augustus
as well.
[1]
In summer 310, Constantine again fought a military campaign against the Franks.
[1]
A war between Constantine and Maximian began. Maximian was at
Massilia
(
Marseille
,
France
) when Constantine took control of the city, probably in around July 310. Then Maximian died, probably by
suicide
.
[1]
On 25 July 310, it was Constantine's fifth
anniversary
festival as emperor (his
quinquennalia
).
[1]
At that time, Constantine gave himself the name in Latin:
divi Claudi nepos
,
lit.
'
descendant
of the
god
Claudius'. Constantine said that his father Constantius had been part of the family of the emperor
Claudius Gothicus
.
[1]
This was
fiction
.
[2]
On 30 April 311, the
augustus
Galerius made a
edict
. The
Edict of Serdica
mostly ended the
persecution of Christianity
in the Roman Empire. At the start of May, Galerius died.
[3]
[1]
Constantine was Roman consul for the second time in 312.
[1]
Constantine was consul for the third time in 313.
[1]
Constantine fought a civil war with Maxentius. The
Calendar of Philocalus
says that the
Battle of the Milvian Bridge
happened on the 28 October 313. In this battle, Constantine's army overcame the army of
Maxentius
. Maxentius died in the battle. The Latin writer
Lactantius
wrote about these events.
[1]
After the battle, Constantine went across the
Tiber River
and took control of Rome itself. The
Calendar of Philocalus
says that Constantine went into the city on 29 October, and that there was a
festival
for two days.
[1]
After 18 January 313, Constantine was in
Mediolanum
(
Milan
,
Italy
). There Constantine met his co-emperor,
Licinius
, in January or February. Either in autumn 313 or during the first half of 314, Constantine travelled to Britain. On 1 August 314 in the city of
Arelate
(
Arles
,
France
), the
Council of Arles
started (a meeting of
bishops
.
[1]
Constantine was consul for the fourth time in 315.
[1]
In the first half of 315, Constantine probably had success in a military campaign he fought against the
Goths
and
Sarmatians
.
[1]
The
Calendar of Philocalus
says that Constantine came again to Rome in July 315. There was a
ceremony
(an
adventus
) when Constantine came to the city. The
Calendar
says that there was a festival for two days. Constantine got the Latin titles:
maximus Augustus, triumphator ominum gentium, resitutor libertas, restitutor totius orbis
,
lit.
'Greatest
augustus
,
triumphator
over all peoples, repairer of freedom, repairer of the whole
Earth
'. On 25 July 315, it was Constantine's tenth anniversary as emperor (his
decennalia
).
[1]
On 27 September 315 Constantine went away from Rome. There was another ceremony (a
profectio
) when Constantine went out of the city.
[1]
At some time, Constantine fought a civil war with his co-emperor Licinius. The
Calendar of Philocalus
says that Constantine's army overcame Licinius's army at the
Battle of Cibalae
on 8 October 314, but historians are not in agreement about the date. It may have been in 316. After this civil war, Constantine and Licinius made
peace
. This was either at the end of 314 or in January 317. As part of the agreement, Constantine got from Licinius the
Roman provinces
next to the
Danube
. (Licinius kept
Thracia
however.)
[1]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
and the
Chronicon Paschale
both say Constantine and Licinius chose co-emperors on 1 March 317. Constantine and his co-emperor made their three sons their junior co-emperors (their
caesares
).
Crispus
and
Constantine II
(Constantine's sons) and
Licinius II
(Licinius's son) were each made
caesar
at
Serdica
(
Sofia
,
Bulgaria
).
[1]
Constantine was Roman consul for the fifth time in 319.
[1]
He was consul for the sixth time in 320.
[1]
On the 25 July 320, it was Constantine's fifteenth anniversary as emperor (his
quindecennalia
).
[1]
In 321, it was the fifth anniversary of Crispus, Constantine II, and Licinius II as emperors (each
caesar
's
quinquennalia
). In summer 322, Constantine won a military
victory
against the Sarmatians. At the start of 323, Constantine fought a war against the Goths.
[1]
In 324, Constantine and Crispus fought another war against their co-emperor Licinius. The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that Constantine's army overcame the army of Licinius in a battle near
Hadrianopolis
(
Edirne
,
European Turkey
) on 3 July 324. Constantine's armies again overcame Licinius's soldiers at the
Battle of Chrysopolis
. The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that this battle was on the 18 September 324. Licinius and Licinius II both
retired
from being emperors. On 8 November that year, Constantine made his son Constantius II
caesar
. At that time, all Constantine's co-emperors were Constantine's own children (the
caesares
Crispus, Constantine II, and Constantius II).
[1]
On 20 May 324 at
Nicaea
(
?znik
,
Turkey
) the
Council of Nicaea
started. This meeting of bishops ended on 19 July 325. The Greek historian
Socrates Scholasticus
wrote about these events. The
Chronicle
of the Latin theologian
Jerome
and the
Chronicon Paschale
both say that on 25 July 325, it was Constantine's twentieth anniversary festival as emperor (his
vicennalia
) at
Nicomedia
(
?zmit
,
Turkey
).
[1]
Constantine was Roman consul for the seventh time in 326.
[1]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that in around March 326, Constantine
executed
his oldest son, the
caesar
Crispus. The
Calendar of Philocalus
says that on 18 July 326 (or the 21 July) Constantine again came to Rome. When he came to the city there was another
adventus
ceremony.
[1]
Jerome wrote that on 25 July 326, it was Constantine's twentieth anniversary festival as emperor (his
vicennalia
) in Rome. (326 was the second year in which Constantine had a festival for the same twentieth anniversary.)
[1]
Jerome's
Chronicle
and the
Chronicon Paschale
both say that Constantine set up the city of Helenopolis on 7 January 327. Constantine was consul for the eighth time in 329. The year was the last time Constantine was consul.
[1]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that on 11 May 330, Constantine was in
Byzantium
. On that day, Constantine
dedicated
again the city.
[1]
After that, Byzantium had the name
Constantinople
(
Latin
:
Constantinopolis
;
Ancient Greek
:
Κωνσταντινο?πολι?
,
romanized:
K?nstantinoupolis
,
lit.
'Constantine's
city
').
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that on 25 December 333, Constantine made his youngest son, Constans, his
caesar
. They were probably at Constantinople then.
[1]
In 333 or 334,
Calocaerus
started a rebellion in
Cyprus
.
[1]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
says that the Romans forced the Sarmatians out of the
Banat
area around the
Danube
in 334.
[1]
Around 335,
Shapur II
's armies attacked
Armenia
, as part of the
Roman?Persian Wars
. Shapur's
Sasanian Empire
sent Narses to
invade
Armenia, but the attack did not have success and Narses died.
[1]
The
Consularia Constantinopolitana
and the
Chronicon Paschale
both say that on 25 July 335, it was Constantine's thirtieth anniversary festival as emperor (his
tricennalia
) at Constantinople. Eusebius of Caesarea gave a
speech
at the festival.
[1]
On the 18 September 335, Constantine made
Dalmatius
caesar
. Constantine probably made
Hannibalianus
"
King of Kings
and of the
Pontic people
" (Latin:
rex regum et Ponticarum gentium
) on the same day.
[1]
Eusebius of Caesarea's
Life of Constantine
says that a Persian embassy from the Sasanian Empire came to Constantine at Constantinople not long after the festival of
Easter
. Constantine had been at Constantinople on Easter (3 April 337).
[1]
Eusebius of Caesarea's
Life of Constantine
says that Constantine died at Ancyrona, near
Nicomedia
(
?zmit
,
Turkey
). He died on 22 May 337.
[1]
Constantine the Great
|
---|
|
|
Resting place
| |
---|
Venerated in
| |
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Feast
| 21 May
|
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Major works
| |
---|
Constantine was the first Christian Roman emperor. His rule changed the
Christian Church
greatly. In February 313, Constantine met with Licinius in Milan where they made the
Edict of Milan
. The edict said that Christians could believe what they wanted.
[8]
This stopped people from punishing Christians, who had often been
martyred,
or killed for their faith. It also returned the property which had been taken away from them. In 311,
Galerius
had made a similar edict, though it did not return any property to them.
[9]
In
pagan
Rome before this, it had been against the
law
to practise
Christianity
, and Christians had often been
tortured
or
killed
. Constantine protected them. He went on to organize the whole
Christian Church
at the
First Council of Nicea
, even though he himself did not get
baptized
until near the end of his life.
Constantine did not support Christianity alone. After winning the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, he built the
Arch of Constantine
) to celebrate, but the arch was decorated with pictures of sacrifices to gods like
Apollo
,
Diana
, or
Hercules
. It had no Christian symbolism. In 321, Constantine said that Christians and non-Christians should all join the "day of the sun" (the
eastern sun-worship
which
Aurelian
had helped him introduce). His coins also had symbols of the sun-cult until 324. Even after pagan gods disappeared from the coins, Christians symbols never appeared on the coin, either.
[10]
Even when Constantine dedicated the new city of Constantinople, he was wearing the Apollonian sun-rayed
Diadem
.
- ↑
1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
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1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.37
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1.40
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1.50
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Constantin I. (25. Juli 306? 22. Mai 337)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 286?295.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Constantius I. (1. Marz 293? 25. Juli 306)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 269?271.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
3.0
3.1
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Galerius (21. Mai [?] 293? Anf. Mai 311)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 272?275.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Diocletian (20. Nov. 284? 1. Mai 305)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 257?261.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Maximian (Okt./Dez. 285 ? ca. Juli 310)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 262?266.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Maximinus Daia (1. Mai 305? Spatsommer 313)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). pp. 275?277.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
Kienast, Dietmar; Eck, Werner; Heil, Matthaus (2017) [1990]. "Severus II. (1. Mai 305? Marz/April 307)".
Romische Kaisertabelle: Grundzuge einer romischen Kaiserchronologie
(in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). p. 278.
ISBN
978-3-534-26724-8
.
- ↑
Bowder, Diana.
The Age of Constantine and Julian
. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1978
- ↑
See Lactantius,
De Mortibus Persecutorum
34?35.
- ↑
Cf. Paul Veyne,
Quand notre monde est devenu chretien
, 163.