The Battle Of Constantine's Edict Of Milan

Upon the death of his father and Galerius, the two Roman emperors at the time (approx. 315 CE), Constantine considered himself the new leader of Rome, even though Galerius had attributed Lucinius as ruler of the east. Maxentius opposed Constantine, and a battle would ensue to determine the ruler. Constantine defeated Maxentius, and his adoption of Christianity happened leading up to the battle. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote that Constantine saw a burning cross with the words “In this sign thou shalt conquer,” (Constantine I).

Although this moment was significant in Constantine’s conversion, it was not all-encompassing. Constantine immediately took to efforts to preserve Christians’ well-being. Constantine wrote the “Edict of Milan”

granting Christians, and anyone else, the right to freely practice their faith without fear of repercussion:

“Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation . . . your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases.” (Galerius and Constantine)

Constantine had secured freedom for Christians, and his position gave validation to the religion. If the ruler of Rome was on board with a religion whose leader was a Jewish criminal put to death by Rome, average Roman citizens were more open to the idea of Christianity.

Without Constantine’s reverence for Christianity, the Romans likely would have continued persecuting the Christians, as Nero (former emperor of Rome) did by burning churches. Constantine never changed the official Roman religion to Christianity, but he did set the groundwork for Christianity’s place in the greatest nation in the world, which led to the widespread celebration of the religion.