Constantine the Great. Today, depending on which branch and denomination of Christianity you're following, Constantine might not count as a Christian without the baptism, but it's not an event that clear in the first few centuries of Christianity when Christian dogma had yet to be fixed. The Christianity of Constantine the Great. Death of Constantine. This video covers the life and reign of Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire. Was the deathbed conversion of Constantine the act of a moral pragmatist? Most people consider Constantine a Christian from the Milvian Bridge in 312, but he wasn't baptized until a quarter century later. Constantine —also known as Emperor Constantine I or Constantine the Great—decreed tolerance for Christians in the Edict of Milan, convened an ecumenical council to discuss Christian dogma and heresy, and constructed Christian edifices in his new capital city (Byzantium/ Constantinople, now Istanbul) Contrary to popular belief, however, Constantine did not make Christianity the official religion of the empire. Constantius had been one of the senior emperors. He was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity and played a crucial role in the spread of the religion. [For this theory, read "Constantine's Conversion: Do We Really Need It?" First Christian emperor of Rome. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was built on his orders and became the holiest site in Christendom. He had ruled for 31 years, longer than any emperor since Augustus. N.S. However, legends and archaeological evidence suggest a different story– it seems that Constantine had a secret about his faith which was hidden for centuries. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. 1-12. 420-438.] Early Life. Constantine's program was one of toleration only, and he continued to support both Christianity and paganism. He was a Roman Pagan. Constantine the Great. N.S. He may have been Christian since 312 when he won the Battle at the Milvian Bridge, although the accompanying medallion showing him with the Sol Invictus deity a year later raises questions. Kōnstantînos; 27 February c. 272 – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from 306 to 337. The Fall of Rome: How, When, and Why Did It Happen? Constantine wasn't the only claimant. With co-Emperor Licinius, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed tolerance of all religions throughout the empire. Flavius Valerius Constantinus was born in Naissus, in the province of Moesia Superior, present-day Serbia. He ended the persecutions of Christians and legalised Christianity. A contemporary of Constantine and a Christian, who became bishop of Caesarea in 314, Eusebius describes the series of events: The fifth-century historian Zosimus writes about the pragmatic reasons for Constantine seeming to embrace the newish faith: Constantine may not have been a Christian until his deathbed baptism. He supported the Church financially, built various basilicas , granted privileges (e.g., exemption from certain taxes) to clergy, promoted Christians to some high offices, and returned confiscated property. Three hundred years before Constantine, Christians believed in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, honoured Mary, had elaborate ceremonies, prayed for the dead, respected the Church hierarchy, baptized babies, recognized Peter as the Rock, built the Church upon him with successors and followed a rich tradition of Christianity. Their argument is that after his vision that Constantine became totally committed to Christianity. Constantine the Great is known in history as the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. However, his spiritual growth and eventual conversion did not happen at once with this one dramatic event. "The Christian Signs on the Coins of Constantine." By adopting Christianity as the religion of the vast Roman Empire, he elevated a once illegal cult to the law of the land. Maxentius raised an army of 170,000 foot soldiers and 18,000 horsemen. Historians remain uncertain about Constantine's reasons for favoring Christianity, and theologians and historians have argued about which form of Early Christianity he subscribed to. Constantine wouldn't stand for this and marched against Licinius. He converted Roman Paganism into his own version of Christianity. Schism, in Constantine’s … Constantine I was one of the famed emperors of Rome and the first to profess Christianity. Constantine's Christian mother, St. Helena, may have converted him or he may have converted her. Constantine—also known as Emperor Constantine I or Constantine the Great—decreed tolerance for Christians in the Edict of Milan, convened an ecumenical council to discuss Christian dogma and heresy, and constructed Christian edifices in his new capital city (Byzantium/Constantinople, now Istanbul). This praise-filled biography came from the hand of Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, and perhaps Constantine's greatest admirer. Gives insight into why, following in his father Constantius' footsteps, Constantine not only granted tolerance for Christianity but also brought Church and Empire together in a union that would last a thousand years. Answer: Constantine the Great (AD 280—337) was one of Rome’s most powerful and successful emperors and the first to self-identify as a Christian. In 344 came the martyrdom of Catholicos Shimun bar Sabbae, with five bishops and 100 priests. Here are some responses from the Ancient / Classical History forum. Constantine’s chief concern was that a divided church would offend the Christian God and so bring divine vengeance upon the Roman Empire and Constantine himself. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. BiblicalTraining.org | c.274/280-337. Son of Constantius Chlorus, the future Western emperor, Constantine spent the years 293-305 as an apprentice-cum- hostage under the Eastern emperors Diocletian and Galerius, the instigators of the Great Persecution, but at York in 306 was proclaimed emperor (Augustus) by his father's troops on his death. Constantine the Great (27 Feb c. 272/273 – 22 May 337) Constantine was Roman Emperor (A.D. 306-337). He issued an edict that protected Christians in the empire and converted to Christianity on his deathbed in 337. Elliott, Thomas George. He is known for his economic, political, and military achievements, as well as his religious reforms. Emperor Constantine (ca A.D. 280– 337) reigned over a major transition in the Roman Empire—and much more. The "Great Persecution" of the Persian Christian churches occurred in a later period, 340-363, after the Persian Wars that reopened upon Constantine's death. 41, No. (Constantine actually resisted baptism until he was on his deathbed.) 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