Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great (d. 337), Roman Emperor. The son of the Emp. Constantius Chlorus and St Helena, he was proclaimed Emperor at York in 306, and became senior ruler of the Empire after the battle of the Milvian Bridge (312). Following instructions received (according to Lactantius) in a dream, Constantine had fought under the sign of the Cross; he attributed his victory to the Christian God and soon afterwards toleration and imperial favour were given to Christianity.

Constantine's policy was to unite the Church and State by the closest possible ties. In 313 the Donatists appealed to him to settle their controversy with the Church in Africa. He heard the case himself in 316 and gave judgement against the Donatists. When rioting followed, he reinforced his verdict with repressive measures, but was unable to end the schism. A similar appeal from the contending parties led him to summon the Council of Nicaea (325) to settle the Arian dispute.

After his victory at Chrysopolis (324) had made him sole Emperor, Constantine fixed his capital at Byzantium (rebuilt and inaugurated as ‘Constantinople’ in 330). He had to deal cautiously with paganism, which remained influential among his subjects, but his commitment to Christianity is clear in his policy and legislation, even though he was not baptized until just before his death (deferment of Baptism was then common). In 321 he ordered that Sunday should be a public holiday, and he liberally endowed Christian church building, especially in Palestine, Rome, and Constantinople. Legend has added much to history, including among its embellishments the ‘Donation of Constantine’. In the E. he is venerated as a saint; feast day (with St Helena), 21 May.

Constantine I (the Great) (full name Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) (c.274–337) Roman emperor (324–37). On the death of his father Constantius I in 306 at Eboracum (York) the army proclaimed him emperor. After a period of political complications, with several emperors competing for power, Constantine and Licinius divided the empire between them, East and West. War was fought between the two rulers (314) and Constantine defeated and killed Licinius (323) and he became sole emperor, founding a new second capital at Byzantium, which he named Constantinople (now ISTANBUL).

He adopted Christian symbols for his battle standards in 312 prompted by a “vision” of the sign of the cross in the rays of the sun. In the following year he proclaimed tolerance and recognition of Christianity in the “Edict” of Milan. Although his own beliefs are uncertain he supported orthodox Christianity in an attempt to maintain the unity of the vast ROMAN EMPIRE. Sunday was declared a holiday in 326. He and his mother Helena took great interest in the Christian sites of Rome and PALESTINE. Basilicas were built on the site of the stable-cave in Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ was supposed to have been born, his alleged tomb in Jerusalem, and St PETER's grave on the Vatican hill in Rome, and at Constantinople ( St Sophia). The Eastern Church lists him as a saint.

Constantine I(the Great) (c.285–337) Roman Emperor (306–37) and founder of the Christian empire. A series of feuds for control of Italy ended when Constantine adopted Christianity and defeated Maxentius (312). Constantine and Licinius signed the Edict of Milan (313), which extended tolerance to Christians throughout the Empire. In 324 Constantine defeated Licinius and became sole ruler of the Empire. He presided over the first council of the Christian Church at Nicaea (325), which condemned Arianism. Constantine rebuilt (330) Byzantium as his capital and renamed it Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). Constantine centralized imperial power, but divided the empire on his death. Historians debate whether his Christianity was born of conviction or political expediency.