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'''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.

Constantine was born at [[Naissus]], (today's Niš, [[Serbia]], in Upper [[Moesia]], to [[Constantius I Chlorus]], a [[general]] of [[Greece|Greek descent]]descent, and [[Ste. Helena of Constantinople|Flavia Iulia Helena]], an innkeeper's daughter who at the time was an adolescent of only sixteen years. His father left his mother around [[292]] to marry Flavia Maximiana Theodora, daughter or step-daughter of the Western Roman Emperor [[Maximian]]. Theodora would give birth to six half-siblings of Constantine, including [[Julius Constantius]].

Young Constantine was well educated and served at the court of [[Diocletian]] in [[Nicomedia]], after the appointment of his father as one of the two ''[[Caesar (title)|caesares]]''(junior emperors) of the [[Tetrarchy]] in [[293]]. In [[305]], the ''[[Augustus]]'', [[Maximian]], abdicated, and Constantius succeeded to the position. However, Constantius fell sick during an expedition against the Picts and Scots of Caledonia, and died on [[July 25]], [[306]]. Constantine managed to be at his deathbed in Eboracum ([[York]]) of Roman Britain, where the loyal general [[Crocus]], of Alamannic descent, and the troops loyal to his father's memory proclaimed him an Augustus ("Emperor"). For the next eighteen years, he fought a series of battles and wars of consolidation that first obtained him co-rule with the Eastern Roman Emperor, and then finally leadership of a reunified Roman Empire.

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.

In the year [[320]], [[Licinius]], emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, reneged on the religious freedom promised by the [[Edict of Milan]] in [[313]] and began another persecution of the Christians. This was a puzzling inconsistency since [[Constantia]], half-sister of Constantine and wife of Licinius, was an influential Christian. It became a challenge to Constantine in the west, climaxing in the great [[civil war]] of [[324]]. The armies were so large another like these would not be seen again until at least the [[14th century]]. Licinius, aided by [[Goths|Goth]] mercenaries, represented the past and the ancient faith of [[Paganism]]. Constantine and his Franks marched under the Christian standard of the ''[[labarum]]'', and both sides saw the battle in religious terms. Supposedly outnumbered, but fired by their zeal, Constantine's army emerged victorious. He was the sole emperor of the entire Roman Empire. ''(MacMullen 1969)''

This battle represented the passing of old Rome, and the beginnings of the Eastern Empire as a center of learning, prosperity, and cultural preservation. Constantine rebuilt the city of [[Byzantium]] which was founded by colonists from the Greek city of [[Megara]] under [[Byzas]] in [[667 BC]]. He renamed the city "New Rome", providing it with a [[Byzantine Senate|Senate]] and civic offices similar to the older Rome, and the new city was protected by the alleged [[True Cross]], the Rod of [[Moses]] and other holy relics. The figures of old gods were replaced and often assimilated into Christian symbolism. On the site of a temple to [[Aphrodite]] was built the new [[Basilica of the Apostles]]. Generations later there was the story that a [[Vision (religion)|Divine vision]] lead Constantine to this spot, and an angel no one else could see, led him on a circuit of the new walls. After his death it was renamed Constantinopolis (or [[Constantinople]], "Constantine's City"), and gradually became the capital of the empire. ''(MacMullen 1969)''

In his later life he even turned to preaching, giving his own sermons in the palace before his court and invited crowds. His sermons preached harmony at first, but gradually turned more confrontational with the old pagan ways. The reason for this later "change of heart" remains conjectural. However, pagans still received appointments, even up to the end of his life. Exerting his absolute power, the army recited his composed Latin prayer in an attempt to convert them to Christianity, which failed. He began a large building program of [[churches]] in the [[Holy Land]], which while greatly expanding the faith also allowed considerable increase in the power and wealth (and as such the [[corruption]]) of the clergy, as the clergy took over many aspects of government, including the courts and civil cases.

*Parents caught allowing (or soliciting?) their daughters to be seduced were to have molten [[lead]] poured down their throats. *[[Gladiator|Gladiatorial games]] were ordered to be eliminated in [[325]], although this had little real effect.

*Criminals were still to be [[Crucifixion|crucified]] and put on display, to show there was Roman law and justice, until [[337]].

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.

1- In the [[English language]], Constantine's official Imperial title is ''Imperator Caesar Flavius Constantine Augustus, the blessed, the lucky, the unconquerable''. After 312, he added ''maximus'' ("the greatest"), and after 325 replaced ''invictus'' ("unconquerable") with ''victor'', as ''invictus'' reminded of Sol Invictus, the Sun God.

*[[Diocletian]]: Edicts against the Christians [http://www.tacentral.com/echmiadzin/Diocletian.htm]

*[[Donatist]] *[[Ammianus Marcellinus]]

**[[Marcus Cornelius Fronto]], '' Letters of Marcus Cornelius Fronto''

{{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}}