Constantine - Main Cause of Christianity Spreading Roman Empire

LaSalle Catholic College

Constantine the Great

First Christian Emperor

Michele Pesce

Ancient History

Miss Chmiel

13/08/2015

Content

Esaay………………………………………………………………………………Pages 3-5

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….Page 6

Focus Question- Assess the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire under the rule of Emperor Constantine I and explain how Constantine pushed Christianity unto the Romans.

Constantine was the main cause of Christianity spreading throughout the Roman Empire, however, it came at great costs. Constantine was the 57th emperor of the Roman Empire and was the son of the previous emperor, Constantius I. Constantine was born in February of 272 AD (approximate). It is believed that Constantine’s mother Helena introduced him to the Christian faith at an early age, however, it wasn’t until he was over the age of 42 that he declared himself Christian. In 306 AD, following the death of his father, Constantine was hailed as the new Augustus by the troops. After multiple civil wars against the emperors Maxentius and Licinius he became the sole emperor of both the east and west by 324 AD. Under the rule of Constantine, Christianity became the sole religion of the Roman Empire. Because of this Pagan religions that existed prior to the introduction of Christianity were diminished, causing a massive loss of culture. Another major effect that the introduction of Christianity had on the people of the Roman Empire was that it forced a lot of people to change their lifestyle to adjust to the new rules set in place by the Christian faith.

Why did Constantine choose to make Christianity the sole religion of the Roman Empire?  As stated previously, it is believed Constantine’s mother, Helena, raised Constantine in the Christian faith, this had a major effect on his decision to convert. But the largest reason he saw to convert because he formed the overwhelming conviction that the God of the Christians was all-powerful and had given him power and victory. There was also a massive point in Constantine’s life where he had a point of true conversion, it occurred during the Battle of Milvian Bridge. At this battle Constantine experiences an extravagant event, in which he looked up to the sun before battle and saw a cross of light above it and with the words “In this sign, you will conquer”. Constantine then gave orders to the soldiers to place a Christian symbol known as the Chi-Rho on their shields, and thereafter they were victorious. Instead of carrying out the customary sacrifices that would be made to the Gods to celebrate a general’s victorious entry into Rome, he went straight to the Imperial Palace. The night before the Battle of Milvian Bridge, Constantine claimed that he had a dream in which he was commanded to “delineate the heavenly sign on the shields of his soldiers”. He followed the commands of his dream and placed the Christian symbol known as ‘Chi-Rho’, however, this symbol was not only one of the Christian faith it was also one of forthcoming victory, this symbol was placed on the shields of the soldiers as they marched to battle. When this psychological moment occurred looked back on his dream and decided that it meant that Christianity must be henceforward be his guide. Constantine then revealed that the Christian God was one of power, as the God of power. He was the God who had given him power and enabled him at the Milvian Bridge, to defeat Maxentius. No pagan God had ever supported his worshippers so effectively. Constantine understood that paganism was still the religion of the vast majority of his subjects, including the vast majority of the senate and the Dominant class of Rome, so he took great precautions and the ‘Christianization’ of the empire was gradual.  Therefore, Constantine, the first Christian Emperor, is seen as one of the largest figures of the history of Christianity due to what he did during his time as emperor.