Constantine The Great is best known as Rome’s first emperor to convert to Christianity. He is also known as the founder of the Roman imperial capital, Constantinople. He is believed to have been born in Nassius around 275 A.D. Constantine was the son of Constantius Clorus who was a co-emperor of Rome. Rome was ruled by a tetrarchy at the time. The tetrarchy was made of 2 senior rulers (the Augustus) and two junior rulers (called Caesars). When Constantine was in his early teens emperor Diocletian had him served in his imperial court to ensure that Constantius would not try to overthrow him. During his time spent with Diocletian Constantine learned Greek and became educated in military practices, reading, writing and philosophy. He also gained …show more content…
Licinius saw Christians as a threat because he believed that their loyalty was to their fellow Christian emperor so he began to persecute the Christians again. Constantine used this as an excuse to try and overthrow Licinius. In 324 A.D. Constantine, this time along with his eldest son, fought under a banner with the symbol of his Christian god scrolled on it, defeated Licinius and became the sole emperor of Rome. After taking control Constantine went to the eastern part of Rome where Licinius once ruled and decided that he wanted to build a new city that would be named after himself. He also wanted it to be a Christian city that had no association with the pagans. He built it on a maritime settlement that was called Byzantium and changed its name to Constantinople. Constantinople became Rome’s imperial capital. He built it strategically at the mouth of the black sea where 3 sides were surrounded by sea and the fourth side was protected by a wall. An important aspect of why Constantinople became so prosperous is because it was between the two most important frontiers, Asia and Europe which is known as the Hellespont (translated as the bridge to Greece). This city became the center of communications and trade. It became the center of roman politics and economy, and continued to be the center of imperial power until it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, more than a thousand …show more content…
His first born, Crispus, was set to be the commander of Gaul his mother was named Hellena. She was believed to be Constantine’s first wife. His other three sons had a different mother named Faustia. She was the daughter of Maximium, and sister of Maxentius. She was allegedly jealous of Constantine’s eldest son because of all the responsibility he held in the Roman empire and decided to sabotage him. She is said to have told Constantine that his son tried to have an affair with her and rape her. Constantine immediately had his son executed. A month later he came to the realization that his wife had lied to him in hopes to secure more power of Rome for her sons and she too was killed by suffocation in an overheated bath. Constantine felt great remorse after killing his son and in his final years decided to build churches as his
While Rome was being ramp sacked from Germanic and other barbaric groups, the imperial power shifted to the eastern part of the Roman Empire, where the center city was Byzantium (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009). Between 324 and 330 BCE, Constantine the Great became emperor and rebuilt the city and renamed it after himself (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009). After Constantine died, power shifted to Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora in 527 BCE (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009).
Agrippina the Younger is well known throughout history and amongst historians as being the sly woman who brought many Emperors and soon to be Emperors to their deaths with the taste of poison. However, Agrippina did not thoughtlessly poison them without cause, but she had an agenda instead. This powerful and strong minded woman was entirely willing to ensure that her imperial lineage was made Emperor of Rome without exception. No matter the trickery that she would have to partake in, or the lives that she would have to exterminate with her poisonous concoctions, Agrippina masterminded plan after plan to ensure her son’s Nero success as Rome’s next great Emperor.
However, this was different compared to Constantine who converted to Christianity and evangelized people to convert to Christianity as well. Constantine ruled as emperor from 306-337 A.D. and was the first Christian emperor of the time and credited
In the year 330 Constantine founded a new imperial city in the east, which became known as Constantinople. Accompanying Diocletian's system of tetrarchy, the creation of this new city affirmed the separation of the Roman Empire into the east and the west. The Eastern Roman Empire held a series of advantages over the west both socially and economically. The Western Roman Empire was the weaker empire and a bad leadership and government along with attacks from barbarians led to the demise of the Western Roman Empire.
The Romans have had almost every type of government there is. They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be the basis for most modern democracies. The people have always been involved with and loved their government, no matter what kind it was. They loved being involved in the government, and making decisions concerning everyone. In general, the Romans were very power-hungry. This might be explained by the myth that they are descended from Romulus, who's father was Mars, the god of war. Their government loving tendencies have caused many, many civil wars. After type of government, the change has been made with a civil war. There have also been many civil wars between rulers. But it all boils
Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, or Constantine, is commonly referred to as the fist Christian emperor of the Roman Empire and as the defender of Christianity. Such grand titles are not necessarily due for the reasons that people commonly think of them today.
30 BC ~ Octavian was given the title of Imperator, which was used in the Eastern provinces. Imperium suggests unlimited imperium (or power) (Antiquity 2 Interpreting The Past) This was the first of many titles that were to be given to Octavian after his defeat of Mark Antony in 31 BC at the Battle of Actium. It indicates that the provinces thought Octavian was worthy of being honoured, and that the power he possessed at the time should remain his. Therefore this was the first factor that initiated the rise of Octavian.
Justinian was one of the most influential rulers of Byzantium. When he came into power in 527 AD, he inherited a civilization in disarray. Justinian had a positive impact on the Byzantine Empire. Most notably, he introduced an improved set of laws and conquered many surrounding nations, nearly restoring the former glory of the Roman Empire. In addition to these contributions, Justinian also made advances with the Christian Church and Byzantine architecture.
This is what Constantine's Christianity was all about. St. Constantine was not only interested in the religion in Christianity, but also in politics. For example, if the god of the Christians were going to support St. Constantine win his battles, then he was going to worship the Christian god. Also, St. Constantine managed to successfully gather a lot of Christian advisors at his court to tell him what the Christian God wanted, so he could be sure to keep God on his side. One last subject of the matter is that St. Constantine did not receive a Baptism until his dying days. Constantine was a lifelong pagan who was baptized against his will on his deathbed. All in all, the Christianity faith is a hybrid religion, because of the result of St.
The Roman Empire that was created through the exploits of Alexander the Great was too big to manage as one and was split into two east and west empires that mirrored each other politically, but not religiously. The Byzantine Empire, eastern Rome, established its capital at Constantinople in 330 A.D. founded by Constantine and the Orthodox Christianity severed its ties from the Church of Rome.
order. Two decades later the area would fall under Constantine. With his death in 337 CE, his
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, born 15 December 37 AD, was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68 AD, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his granduncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54AD following Claudius’ suspicious death. Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade and enhancing the cultural life of the Empire. When he became emperor, Nero was a young man who enjoyed the theater, music and horse racing. Ancient Historian, Suetonius, stated that “Nero degenerated from the good qualities of his ancestors, yet he reporoduced the vices of each of them, as if tramsitted to him by natural inheritance” (Suetonius, 110 AD). His dominating mother, Agrippina, had already
Every empire, dynasty, government, regime etc. has consisted of both good and bad leadership. This directly affects the society in which they oversee and/or control. The infamous Roman Empire experienced its share of triumphs and depression through its leader’s actions. Run as a monarchy, the kings of Rome had various ways of implementing their authority. Many of them chose to rule based on their interests and desires while others catered to the welfare of Rome’s booming population. Depending on the leader some received accolades and others faced a tragic ending due to their ignorance. Prior to the formation of the republic Rome the people endured both the spoils and hardships of war. The actions and/or qualities of the good and bad leaders of Rome had a direct correlation with its well being. Opinions vary but there were definitely standouts on both ends of the spectrum.
Constantine went far beyond the Edict of Milan, which extended indulgence of Christians during the persecution. By 313 A.D., Constantine had donated the property of Lateran, where a new cathedral, the Basilica Constantiniana was soon built, to the bishop of Rome. Constantine had an arch erected in his honour at Rome after the defeat of Maxentius ascribed the victory to the “inspiration of the Divinity”. After his victory over Licinius in 324, Constantine wrote that he had come from the farthest shores of Britain as God’s chosen instrument for the suppression of impiety. Later, in a letter he proclaimed that he had come to bring peace and prosperity to all lands, with the help of God. He gave vast amounts of money from his own personal treasury to the churches of God, to help enlarge the sacred buildings and to decorate the sanctuaries. Throughout his life, Constantine ascribed his success to his conversion to Christianity and the support of the Christian
Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, originator of Constantinople, creator of the Byzantine Empire, military conqueror, and honored saint, has been labeled by many the most instrumental emperor of the Roman Empire. Constantine played a crucial role in the development of Europe during the Middle Ages, and founded Christianity as the formal religion of the Roman Empire. His dynamic yet effective predominance laid the infrastructure of European development. From his humble beginnings, to his command of the Roman Empire, to his final days, Constantine’s impact on world history and Christianity has left behind an unforgettable legacy. He was described by Eusebius as “such an emperor as all history records not.” Ware compared him to, “a watershed in the history of the Church.” Additionally, Meyendorff states, “No single human being in history has contributed to the conversion of so many to the Christian faith.” Norwich declared that “No ruler in all of history has ever more fully merited his title of ‘the Great’…Constantine has serious claim to be considered the most influential man in all of history.” Some of Constantine’s notable acts in the history of Christianity was his calling of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, his institution of freedom for Christianity with the Edict of Milan, and the relocation of the capital of empire from Rome to Constantinople.