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Constantine I (emperor)

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[[Image:Constantine I.jpg|thumb|250px|'''Constantine the Great''' (mosaic in [[Hagia Sophia]], c. 1000 AD)]]
'''Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus''' ([[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. Constantine is famed for his refounding of [[Byzantium]] as "New Rome", which was popularly known in his time as "Constantine's City"— (ConstantinopolisConstantinoupolis, [[Constantinople]]). Constantine is best remembered in modern times for the [[Edict of Milan]] in [[313]] and the [[First Council of Nicaea|Council of Nicaea]] in [[325]], which fully legalized and then legitimized Christianity in the Empire for the first time. These actions are considered major factors in that religion's spread, and his reputation as the "first Christian Emperor" has been promulgated by historians from Lactantius and [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] to the present day.
==Early life==
==Constantine's Life and Actions after The Edict of Milan==
Coins struck for emperors often reveal details of their personal iconography. During the early part of Constantine's rule, representations first of Mars and then (from [[310]]) of [[Apollo]] as Sun god consistently appear on the reverse of the coinage. Mars had been associated with the Tetrarchy, and Constantine's use of this symbolism served to emphasize the legitimacy of his rule. After his breach with his father's old colleague [[Maximian]] in [[309]]–310, Constantine began to claim legitimate descent from the [[3rd century]] emperor Marcus Aurelius Claudius Gothicus, the hero of the [[Battle of Naissus]] (September, [[268]]). The ''Augustan History'' of the [[4th century]] reports Constantine's paternal grandmother Claudia to be a daughter of Crispus, Crispus being a reported brother of both Claudius II and Quintillus. Historians however suspect this account to be a genealogical fabrication to flatter Constantine.
Gothicus had claimed the divine protection of [[Apollo]]-Sol Invictus. In mid-[[310]], two years before the victory at the [[Battle of the Milvian Bridge]], Constantine reportedly experienced the publicly announced vision in which Apollo-Sol Invictus appeared to him with omens of success. Thereafter the reverses of his coinage were dominated for several years by his "companion, the unconquered Sol" -- the inscriptions read <small>SOLI INVICTO COMITI</small>. The depiction represents Apollo with a solar halo, [[Helios]]-like, and the globe in his hands. In the [[320s]] Constantine has a halo of his own. There are also coins depicting Apollo driving the chariot of the Sun on a shield Constantine is holding and another ([[313]]?) shows the Christian ''[[chi-rho]]'' on a helmet Constantine is wearing.
Constantine was also known for being ruthless with his political enemies, deposing the Eastern Roman Emperor [[Licinius]], his brother-in-law, by strangulation in [[325]] even though he had publicly promised not to execute him upon Licinius' surrender in [[324]]. In [[326]], Constantine executed first his eldest son [[Crispus]] and a few months later his own second wife Fausta. (Crispus was the only known son of Constantine by his first wife Minervina). There are rumours of step-mother and step-son having had an affair which caused Constantine's jealousy. The rumours were reported however by [[5th century]] historian [[Zosimus]] and [[12th century]] historian [[Joannes Zonaras]]. Their sources are not stated.
==Constantine's Legacy==
Although he earned his honorific of "The Great" from Christian historians long after he had died, he could have claimed the title on his military achievements alone. In addition to reuniting the empire under one emperor, Constantine won major victories over the Franks and Alamanni ([[306]]&ndash;[[308]]), the Franks again ([[313]]&ndash;[[314]]), the [[Visigoths]] in [[332]] and the Sarmatians in [[334]]. In fact, by [[336]], Constantine had actually reoccupied most of the long-lost province of Dacia, which Aurelian had been forced to abandon in [[271]]. At the time of his death, he was planning a great expedition to put an end to raids on the eastern provinces from the Persian Empire.
He was succeeded by his three sons by Fausta, [[Constantine II of the Roman Empire|Constantine II]], [[Constantius II]] and [[Constans]], who secured their hold on the empire with the murder of a number of relatives and supporters of Constantine. The last member of his dynasty was his nephew and son-in-law, [[Julian the Apostate|Julian]], who attempted to restore paganism.
==Notes==
== Links==
*[http://www.roman-emperors.org/conniei.htm RomanEmperors.org ''Vita'' of Constantine]; with bibliography
*[[Diocletian]]: Edicts against the Christians [http://www.tacentral.com/echmiadzin/Diocletian.htm]
*[[Arch of Constantine]] Monument to the victory at Milvian Bridge. Also see Arch of Constantine: Constantinian Art on the Arch
[http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/299_Arch_of_Constantine_2.html]
{{Roman Emperor | Prev=[[Constantius Chlorus]] and [[Galerius]] | CoEmperor=''Co-Emperor with:'' [[Galerius]], [[Licinius]] and [[Maximinus]] | Next=[[Constantius II]], [[Constantine II (emperor)|Constantine II]] and [[Constans]]|years=306&ndash;337}}

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