By adopting Christianity as the religion of the vast Roman Empire, he elevated a once illegal cult to the law of the land. Constantius had been one of the senior emperors. (Constantine actually resisted baptism until he was on his deathbed.) See: "Religion and Politics at the Council at Nicaea," by Robert M. Grant. Historians remain uncertain about Constantine's reasons for favoring Christianity, and theologians and historians have argued about which form of Early Christianity he subscribed to. Constantine —also known as Emperor Constantine I or Constantine the Great—decreed tolerance for Christians in the Edict of Milan, convened an ecumenical council to discuss Christian dogma and heresy, and constructed Christian edifices in his new capital city (Byzantium/ Constantinople, now Istanbul) Flavius Constantius was an army officer, and in 289 he divorced Constantine's mother to marry Theodora, the daughter of his commanding officer. Constantine's legacy was seismic: by the time of his death, an estimated 40% of the population were Christians. Please add your opinion to the forum thread. He ruled during the 4th century, and some of his important accomplishments include his support of Christianity, construction of the city of Constantinople, and the continuance of the reforms of Diocletian. How much Christianity Constantine adopted at this point is difficult to discern, but his accession was a turning point for the Christian Church. N.S. By the time Constantius became governor of Dalmatia, he required a wife of pedigree and found one in Theodora, a daughter of Emperor Maximian. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. How Old Is 'the Dream of the Rood' and What Does It Mean? He did so after witnessing the sight of a cross in the sky along with his entire army. In 344 came the martyrdom of Catholicos Shimun bar Sabbae, with five bishops and 100 priests. Constantine served with distinction under emperors Diocletian and Galeriuscampaigning in the … For centuries, Catholic popes traced their power to a decree called the Donation of Constantine (later proved a forgery). Constantine raised an army from Britain that included Germans and Celts, which the Byzantine historian Zosimus said included 90,000 foot soldiers and 8,000 cavalry. Who Was Constantine the Great? He had ruled for 31 years, longer than any emperor since Augustus. In many areas of the state, being a Christian was not only beneficial, but also essential to the membership. Maxentius raised an army of 170,000 foot soldiers and 18,000 horsemen. He enlarged the city, adding fortifications, a vast hippodrome for chariot racing, and a number of temples. A contemporary of Constantine and a Christian, who became bishop of Caesarea in 314, Eusebius describes the series of events: The fifth-century historian Zosimus writes about the pragmatic reasons for Constantine seeming to embrace the newish faith: Constantine may not have been a Christian until his deathbed baptism. Wearing a sign of a cross, Constantine won, and the following year he made Christianity legal throughout the Empire with the Edict of Milan. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. The Fall of Rome: How, When, and Why Did It Happen? He ended the persecutions of Christians and legalised Christianity. Constantine the Great Constantine (February 27, 272 — May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I or Constantine the Great, was proclaimed Augustus by his troops on July 25, 306 and ruled an ever-growing portion of the Roman Empire until his death. By 336, Constantine the Great had reclaimed most of the province of Dacia, lost to Rome in 271. Constantine's mother, Helena, was a barmaid and his father a military officer named Constantius. Most people consider Constantine a Christian from the Milvian Bridge in 312, but he wasn't baptized until a quarter century later. His mother, Helena, was Greek and of low birth. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Borrow it Toggle Dropdown Albert D. Cohen Management Library; Architecture/Fine Arts Library; Archives and Special Collections; Bibliothèque Alfred-Monnin (Université de Saint-Boniface) The next day the army of Constantine inflicted a great defeat on Maxentius and he marched into Rome, the first Christian emperor. Regarding Eusebius of Nicomedia’s confession of faith prior to the baptism of Constantine and during the First Ecumenical Council of 325, John Karmiris writes: Why Did Constantine Wait Until He Was Dying to Be Baptized? 4 (Winter, 1987), pp. N.S. 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