FREE ESSAY ON CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

Constantine
Constantine was one of the best known of the Roman emperors. Some important events of his
reign include the Edict of Milan, which ended the persecution of Christians and made
their worship legal, the battle of the Milvian Bridge, and the completion of the
political and economic reforms that begun under Diocletian. Constantine was born in
Naissus in Serbia. The date of his birth is not certain, being giving as early as 274 and
as late as 288. His father Constantius was a member of an important Roman family. His
mother, Helena, was the daughter of an innkeeper. When his father had become Casear of
Gaul and Britain, he sent his son to the Eastern Emperor Galerius as a hostage. There he
was kept at the court of Galerius. But Constantine returned soon after that to his dying
father's side in Britain. Soon after his father's death, Constantine was immediately
proclaimed Caesar by his troops. For five years Constantine was content with ruling Gaul
and Britain. 
On of the famous stories about Constantine is of his vision from God on the night before
the battle of the Milvian Bridge. Maxentius, the Roman emperor in Italy, had gathered a
great number of legions against Constantine. Galerius had decided to tax the citizens of
Italy, who had been exempt from taxes ever since Republican days. The Italian citizens
resented this and proclaimed Maxentius emperor in an effort to get the taxes removed.
According to the legend, Constantine saw the symbol of Jesus Christ's power in the clouds
and a message written in Latin, that read "In this sign thou shalt conquer." Immediately,
Constantine ordered artisans to place the sign of Christ on his soldier's shields.
Constantine won that day with a great victory. Maxentius, was thrown from the Milvian
Bridge into the Tiber River, making Constantine sole emperor of the Western half of the
empire. After his victory he gave gratitude to the God of the Christians. About a year
later, he announced the end to the persecution of Christians. From Milan, he granted
"both to the Christians and to all men freedom to follow the religion that they choose."
By this famous Edict of Milan, Christianity became a religion approved by the emperor and
in 395 Theodosious made Christianity the empire's official religion. 
Eventually Constantine became sole emperor of the entire empire. He was also the
president over the Council of Nicaea. His role at the Council of Nicaea, were important
points in the early catholic church where the Holy Trinity was worked out. He also
increased the role of the Catholic Bishops in high political office. In 325, Bishops from
all over the Roman world gathered together to have Constantine help them decide on the
nature of God. They worked out a doctrine of the Holy Trinity, in which Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost were found to be equal persons in one God. The Arian heresy was denounced at
the Council of Nicaea. The Arians believed that Jesus Christ was somehow of lesser
importance, and had been created by, God the Father. 
The personalities for the most power of Constantine and Licinius caused trouble between
the two. War broke out soon between the two over an incident in which Licinius chased
some raiding barbarians into territory ruled by Constantine. Constantine defeated
Licinius in two battles at Hadrianopolis and Chrysopolis. 
Next, Constantine moved the capital from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium in what is
now Turkey. He enlarged and enriched the city at enormous expense. They built massive
walls and stately buildings to protect their new capital. Six years later the new city
was finished and it was called Constantinople or city of Constantine. Coins that have
Constantine with a helmet on were made for the new city. 
Two years later, tragedy struck the house of Constantine. Constantine's wife, Fausta, had
accused Constantine's eldest son, Crispus of adultery with her and plotting to seize the
throne. Without checking the truth of these accusations, Constantine had his son
murdered. When Constantine discovered Fausta lied to him, he had her suffocated or boiled
alive in her bath by slowing running up the temperature of the water.
Constantine died at Nicomedia in 337 on his way to fight the Persians. Constantine was
baptized on his deathbed, and was the 1st Roman Emperor to receive the Christian Faith.