6. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE

The conversion of Constantine was an event of fundamental importance not only for Byzantium, but also for the history of western civilization. Nevertheless, the historian is faced with many difficult problems: what actually happened in A.D. 312? Did Constantine actually become a Christian? How did he understand what had happened to him? If so, why and what were the implications of this, for the Roman state and the Christian church?

Gold coin (solidus) of Constans I, son of Constantine, from Thessaloniki

A. The Sources

1. The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea, final edition in 324.

2. The Vita Constantini, probably by Eusebius and written after Constantine's death in 337, but possibly a later composition.

3. The De mortibus persecutorum (On the Deaths of the Persecurtors) of Lactantius, written in 318.

4. Practically all the sources are Christian and most of them represent a point of view formed in the context of the Christian empire. To what extent did they interpret events according to later developments?

B. The Rise of Constantine

1. Constantine was the son of Constantius Chlorus, the Caesar of Maximianus, Augustus in the West.

2. When Diocletian abdicated in 305 new Caesars were chosen and Constantine was overlooked.

3. When Constantius died in 306 his troops acclaimed Constantine as emperor.

4. In control of Gaul, Constantine marched against Maxentius (the son of Maximianus) who held Italy, in 312.

C. Constantine's Earlier Religious Policy

1. Like all other contemporary politicians, Constantine had sought divine assistance: In Gaul he had worshipped Apollo and Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Son), who had been the god of his father; in addition Constantine sought the support of Hercules, the patron piety of Maximianus' family.

2. There is no reason to think that Constantine was insincere or cynical in any of this; he probably though that one or another of these gods would help him in his political struggles.

     The Chi-Rho (Christogram), first two letters of the Greek word Christos (Christ), on the shield of a soldier, from San Vitale, Ravenna.

D. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge--A.D. 312

1. During his march to Italy Constantine had some kind of religious experience, described by the later sources as the vision of a cross in the sky.

2. Clearly, Constantine did not fully understand the import of this experience, but he appears to have put some symbol on the armament of his soldiers that was, at least later, interpreted as a sign of Christ.

3. Contrary to expectation he defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, just outside of Rome.

E. The Repercussions

1. Had Constantine become a Christian?

2. In any case, he had come to support the Christian church.

a. In 313 he and Licinius issued the so-called Edict of Milan which put an end to the persecution of Christianity.

b. He restored the churches and gave money to Christian bishops.

3. Constantine was now the "chosen ruler" of the Christian God.

a. He expected God to aid him.

b. But he now had responsibilities to Christianity, to support the new religion and spread it, and to maintain the unity of the faith; Constantine didn't fully understand those responsibilities, but the Christian clergy hastened to inform him.

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