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Constantine the Great
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.
At birth Constantine was named, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, after his father Flavius Constantius. His birth took place in the city of Naissus, Dardania on the 27th of February. The exact year of his birth is unknown, however it is believed that it took place around 272. His father served in the Roman army as an officer and bodyguard. ...
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...cil of the Church, establishing a creed in which we still use today. Constantine formed a union between the Church and state successfully consolidating the Roman Empire and protecting the welfare of all the people in the empire.
Works Cited
Bowman, Jeffrey. “Constantine I, The Great.” Constantine I, The Great (2009):
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Green, Bernard. Christianity in Ancient Rome: The First Three Centuries. London:
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Pohlsander, Hans A. The Emperor Constantine. New York: Routledge, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Stephenson, Paul. Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor. New York:
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Wright, David H. The True Face of Constantine the Great: Dumbarton Oaks Papers.
Trustees for Harvard University, 1987 Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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