In 289, Constantine's father left Helena to marry the stepdaughter of Maximian, the Western Roman emperor. Alexander the Great served as king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. He issued an edict that protected Christians in the empire and converted to Christianity on his deathbed in 337. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterranea (now Niš, Serbia), he was the son of Flavius Constantius, an Illyrian army officer who became one of the four emperors of the Tetrarchy. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! The Fall of Rome: How, When, and Why Did It Happen? He likely also witnessed the persecution of Christians. N.S. He was buried in Constantinople at the church of the Apostles. He was the first Christian emperor and saw the empire begin to become a Christian state. Constantine. The Roman Emperor Constantine (c 280 - 337 A.D.) was one of the most influential personages in ancient history. Constantine was the son of a Roman official and his Christian concubine. Constantine’s decision to cease the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire was a turning point for early Christianity, sometimes referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church, or the Constantinian Shift. The Fifty Bibles of Constantine were Bibles in the original Greek language commissioned in 331 by Constantine I and prepared by Eusebius of Caesarea.They were made for the use of the Bishop of Constantinople in the growing number of churches in that very new city. He became the Western emperor in 312 and the sole Roman emperor in 324. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. 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. Unlike other Angels, Lucifer can manifest on Earth. Maxentius. Licinius was routed and Constantine became sole Emperor of Rome. In 325 AD Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea, the first empire-wide meeting of church leaders to discuss various controversies. Constantine’s Bible Despite the fact that the process of establishing the canon of the Bible began long before Constantine was born and continued after he died and despite him playing no part in it at the Council of Nicaea or anywhere else, the myth continues. Some historians argue that he was never a Christian, but rather an opportunist; others maintain that he was a Christian before the death of his father. Emperors Nero, Domitian, Marcus Aurelius (of Gladiator movie fame), Diocletian and others succeeded one another with bloody persecutions of Christians. When Constantinus died suddenly in 306, the loyalty of the Army would pass to his son Constantine. After this triumph, Constantine founded the city of Constantinople on the site of Byzantium. Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. The idea that the book of Corinthians actually has more chapters and verses in Hell than on Earth is not too far off. In 316, Licinius, who had been sharing power with Maximinus, became the only Eastern emperor. Constantine was a … Kōnstantînos; 27 February c. 272 – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from 306 to 337. The King James Bible is written in English -- a language that only began to appear in A.D. 449 and was totally unlike the 1600's style of speaking the language. Charles I was a king of England, Scotland and Ireland, whose conflicts with parliament and his subjects led to civil war and his execution. He set out to return to Constantinople, but grew worse and was forced to halt his journey. He had ruled for 31 years, longer than any emperor since Augustus. After Maxentius' defeat, Constantine and his brother-in-law, Licinius, split the empire between them. Flavius Valerius Constantinus, who would become Roman emperor Constantine I, was born on February 27, circa 280 (sources range from 272 to 284), in Naissus, Moesia (now Niš, Serbia). And by establishing a capital at Byzantium, which became Constantinople and then Istanbul, he set into motion events that would break the empire, split the Christian church, and influence European history for a millennium. His father would rise to become the Emperor Constantius I and Constantine's mother would be canonized as St. Helena, who was thought to have found a portion of Jesus' cross. During his time of leadership, he united Greece, reestablished the Corinthian League and conquered the Persian Empire. Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, was Prussia's king from 1740 to 1786. He soon used his power to address the status of Christians, issuing the Edict of Milan in 313. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Eastern Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, and Byzantine Catholics venerate him as a saint. A famous proponent of this practice was Pope Gregory the Great, who, in a letter written in 601 C.E. Maxentius raised an army of 170,000 foot soldiers and 18,000 horsemen. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Not wanting questions about the divine nature of Christ to sow discord, Constantine summoned church officials to the Council of Nicaea in 325. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was built on his orders and became the holiest site in Christendom. Constantine's faith was still imprecise, but few questioned its authenticity. Emperor Constantine (ca A.D. 280– 337) reigned over a major transition in the Roman Empire—and much more. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. On October 28, 312, Constantine marched on Rome and met Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. By winning wars and expanding territories, he established Prussia as a strong military power. Wearing a sign of a cross, Constantine won, and the following year he made Christianity legal throughout the Empire with the Edict of Milan. His convocation of the First Council at Nicea produced the Nicene Creed, an article of faith among Christians worldwide. Known For: An accomplished historian as well as the Bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius created, cataloged, and preserved historical accounts and documentation of the first three centuries of Christianity. Constantine was the most dominating figure of his lifetime, towering over his contemporaries, including Pope Sylvester I. Of course, there is the problem that Constantine spoke Latin since he ruled the Roman Empire. Many credit Emperor Constantine for the spread of Christianity. 123 Street Avenue, City Town, 99999 (123) 555-6789. email@address.com . Constantinople: Capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Timelines and Chronologies of Roman Emperors, Roman Empire: Battle of the Milvian Bridge, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. After his father's death, Constantine fought to take power. Constantine's father was elevated to deputy emperor under Maximian in 293. While not shooting for accuracy, some parallels and interpretations are spot-on. In 305, following Maximian's abdication, Constantine's father became Emperor Constantius I. Constantine then joined his father on a military campaign and fought alongside him in Britain. https://www.biography.com/political-figure/constantine-i. Constantine's mother, Helena, was a barmaid and his father a military officer named Constantius. Answer: It is very important to clarify exactly what role the Emperor Constantine played in the Council of Nicea, what the purpose for the council was, what happened at Nicea, and briefly how the canon—the Bible as we know it—was formed. Constantius had been one of the senior emperors. Constantine's most powerful rivals for his father's position were Maximian and his son, Maxentius, who had assumed power in Italy, controlling Africa, Sardinia, and Corsica as well. Constantine I's father became the Western Roman emperor in 305. GENTLE REBUKE. Constantine now became the Western Roman emperor. Constantine I, byname Constantine the Great, Latin in full Flavius Valerius Constantinus, (born February 27, after 280 ce ?, Naissus, Moesia [now Niš, Serbia]—died May 22, 337, Ancyrona, near Nicomedia, Bithynia [now İzmit, Turkey]), first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. The story goes that Constantine had a vision of the words in hoc signo vinces ("in this sign you will conquer") upon a cross, and he swore that, should he triumph against great odds, he would pledge himself to Christianity. For a time, Constantine stood by as others ruled the Eastern Roman Empire. Constantine and Helena were shuffled off to the eastern emperor, Diocletian, in Nicomedia. Constantine wasn't the only claimant. Born: The exact date of his birth is unknown; most … From the mid-fourth century on, we do find Christians deliberately adapting and Christianizing pagan festivals. Edward Gibbon . Constantine's mother, Helena, was from humble beginnings; it is unknown whether she was the wife or concubine of Constantius. Our resident Bible scholar Erin Moon offers a gentle rebuke at the end of every episode. His bias for Emperor Constantine is transparent in his eulogy, and he appears to lack discretion when it comes to selecting his sources. Much controversy exists over the relationship between Constantine and Christianity. In 285, Emperor Diocletian had established the Tetrarchy, which gave four men rule over a quadrant each of the Roman Empire, with two senior emperors and two non-hereditary juniors. For centuries, Catholic popes traced their power to a decree called the Donation of Constantine (later proved a forgery). A defense of the Textus Receptus Constantine became emperor of Rome in 312 A.D. supposedly embraced the Christian faith for himself and for his empire, in an attempt to bring about the amalgamation of PAGANISM and Erin is a Bible study editor and COO of The Popcast Media Group from Birmingham. The two remained rivals over a decade of uneasy truces before their animosity culminated in the Battle of Chrysopolis, in 324. He also established a second Senate. People often wonder if the gospels were changed or corrupted, or even selected (in some back-room conspiracy) for inclusion in the Bible at this time. 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