Constantine

When did the Great Persecution begin?

303

How long did the great persecution last?

10 years, not all under Diocletian

When did maximian resign, and who became next augustus? (West)

305, Constantius became augustus

Who is Constantius?

Constantine’s father

How did Constantius die?

Died in York on 25 July 306AD.

What happened when Constantius died?

Constantine was proclaimed augustus by his father’s troops

Who was proclaiming Constantine as emperor challenging to?

Severus, who was Constantius’ caesar.

How was conflict avoided between Constantine and Severus?

Galerius recognised Severus as Augustus and Constantine as Caesar.

Who did Constantine marry?

Marries Maximian’s daughter Fausta in 307AD

What state was the empire in when Galerius died?

Galerius death in may 311AD left behind an Empire divided between maximian in the east, licinius in the Balkans, Maxentius in Italy and Constantine in Britian

Who did constantine go into battle with, when, and what happened?

Maxentius, his brother in law. Summer 312AD. Maxentius drowns in the Tiber river leaving Constantine victorious

What did Constantine and Licinius do?

Met in Milan in 313AD and issued the edict of Milan, and edict of religious toleration

When did Licinius start persecuting christians again?

319Ad- because of its perceived loyalty to constantine

What did Constantine do in 324AD and what was the outcome

had a final conflict with Licinius and emerged victorious

Two accounts of Constantine’s conversion?

Lactantius and Eusebius

What event is linked to constantine’s conversion?

Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312Ad, where he went to defeat Maxentius.

What supposedly happened before his defeat of Maxentius?

Constantine had a vision which cause him to attribute his victory to the God of the Christians

When was the account by Eusebius written?

337AD

What does the account by eusebius say?

• His father was a ‘monotheist’

• He prayed to God

• He was given a sign

• He saw a trophy of a cross of light in the heavens and it said ‘conquer by this’ his whole army saw it

• God appeared to him in a dream to reassure him

When was Lactantius’ account written?

between 313 and 315 AD

What does Lactantius’ account say?

• the night before he was told to mark ‘the heavenly sign of God’ on his soldiers’ shields

• ‘By this sign, Constantine’s army was victorious’

Quote from Eusebius on Constantine picking Christianity?

‘Constantine saw the contrast between the gods of paganism who failed to protect their worshippers and his father Constantius’ monotheism, and decided to cleave the latter’

Quote from Lactantius on the dream?

‘Constantine was directed in a dream to mark the heavenly sign of God on the shields of his soldiers and thus join the battle’

Similarities between the sources?

• clear agreement on the fact that before his defeat of Maxentius in AD312, Constantine had a dream in which he was told to enter the battle with the sign of God

Differences between the sources?

• When the dream occured

• absence to reference to soldiers shields in Euesebius

• Eusebius account was recounted to him a long time after the event and recorded at the end of eusebius’ life

Aspects of Constantine’s earlier life where he may have encountered Christians?

• Constantine was born to Helena, who was a christian - her christian leanings could have been a formative influence on Constantine

• Half sister anastasia , which means resurrection, therefore revealing christian influences.

• His father, constantius, known for his moderate stance towards christians.

• Constantine would have spent time at the court of Emperor Diocletian, and Diocletians wife and daughter were Christians so constantine would have grown up surrounded by christian influence.

How do we know constantius had a moderate stance towards christians?

Constantius governe britain, gaul and spain where there was little to no persecution in that area during the time of his reign

Why may Constantine have believed it was better to have Christians on his side?

Growing number of Christians - could gain loyalty of many people

Why may Constantine’s conversion not be genuine?

• constantines coins reveal continuing reverse for the sun god after 312 AD.

• Arch of constantine erected in Rome in 315AD in honour of the ‘liberator of the city’ contains no reference to Christianity

• Constantine and his successor for some time retained title Pontifer Maximus (Pagan title) signifying their leadership of the traditional Roman Worship

• As late as 321AD, constantine approved of consulting soothsayers

• Killed his son crisps in AD326 and his Wife Fausta shortly after - does not sit easy with genuine christian faith due to commandment of do not kill

Main reason for his conversion not being genuine?

It has been argued that his adoption of and preference for Christianity was not a matter of religious conversion but rather a politically motivated policy due to its percieved potential for unifying all citizens of the empire
Constantine said ‘Division in the church is worse than war’ Possibly not due to ecclesiastical harmony but for political unity throughout the empire

What evidence shows his conversion is genuine?

two contemporary accounts of Constantines vision which affirm his Christian commitment

Reasons for Constantine’s conversion being genuine?

• When he was proclaimed augustus, he ended persecution of the church

• Edict of Milan (313) reveals a particular concern for Christianity

• Correspondance from 313 including introduction of legislation and policies favouring the church certainly reveals commitment to Christianity

• Speech at the assembly of the saints dated between 317 and 325 constant speaks approvingly of repentance and praise to the saviour and of a wish that the christian revelation was given to him long ago

• Largely pagan empire- he had to appeal to everyone else too, explaining his hesitation

Quote from constantine about christian love?

the love of God which animates my soul, a love which overpowers natural reserve, is my plea for the bold attempt.
profound sense of divine affection as the ultimate justification for stepping outside their comfort zone to share their faith boldly.

What did Constantine not do? (what did he not pass legislation on)

Did not establish christianity as the State religion which all citizens must follow- emperor Theodosius 1st did this in 380AD, over 40 years after constantines death

How does the Edict of Milan show Constantine’s commitment to Christianity?

His religious policies generously favoured the Church. The edict of milan granted religious tolerance to all

How does Property donation reveal constantines commitment to the church?

A sign of constantines support of Christianity was his construction of impressive and expensive church buildings and restoration of property confiscated during the great persecution (eg St John Latreon, St Peter’s basilica)

How does Financial and legal privileges to clergy reveal constantines commitment to the church?

Clergy were financially subsidised by the state and exempted from the pressures of public office to allow them to devote themselves to religious concerns. they enjoyed tax exemptions and social status of the bishops was enhanced.

Constantines concern for church division?

“division in the church is worse that war” personally involved in seeking a resolve for the donatist schism and the arian controversy inaF

Financing of Sciptures?

In AD 331, Emperor Constantine commissioned and financed the production of 50 copies of the Bible written on high-quality parchment to supply the growing number of churches in his new capital city, Constantinople.

Positive impacts of Constantines religious policy on the church?

1. Persecution ends

2. Christians could worship freely

3. Many laws favoured christians

1 - Persecution ends?

Edict of Milan granted religious tolerance to all. Eusebius writes ‘men who once dared not to look up, greeted each other with smiling faces and shining eyes… old troubles were forgotten’

Bruce Shelley on persecution ending?

“Constantine had dropped the sword of persecution to take up the cross”

2 - Christians could not worship freely?

After Constantine became emperor, the life and organisation of the church began to differ greatly from its life and organisation in earlier years
Christians from all walks of life could now worship freely together as the church had become an accepted and important part of the empire

Harry Boer quote on Christians being able to worship freely?

The church had ceased to be regarded as the enemy of the state and was now in alliance with it. Membership in the church had once been dangerous, not it became advantageous

3- Many laws favoured christians?

• introduced a system of state welfare in the form of child maintenance grants for the poor which helped discourage roman custom on killing unwanted children at birth

• Forbade crucifixion

• Created more humane legislation

• Recognition of Sunday as a day to be free from inappropriate labour

• field chapel and military chaplains were provided for the troops

• Impressive church buildings erected, and covered cost of bibles

Negative impacts of constantine on the church?

1. Politics enters the church

2. clergy excused from taxation

3. church as exposed to many temptations

4. church lost independence

1- Politics enters the church?

involvement in the Donatist schism- up until constantine, state had no representation or voice in the affairs of the church. an emperor could now used the power of the state to try and force christians who were not in agreement with the majority back into fellowship with the catholic church

Council of nicaea - constantines involvement in the arian controversy - banishing Darius for refusing to sign the creed was the first time the state had punished someone for being a heretic

2- clergy was excused from taxation

many wealthy men entered the ministry so that they could be excused from paying taxes

3- Church was exposed to many temptations

Discipline became tac and church membership was only for an outward show. Many pagans embraced Christianity only superficially and this then resulted in moral decline and acceptance of pagan practices within the church

• far cry from the committed believers of the early days willing to die for their faith

4 - Church lost independence

emperors increasingly intervenes in matters of doctrine and discipline.

Overall change in church because of constantine?

No doubt that the status and form of the church from being a persecuted, independent minority of pre-constantian times into a powerful, culturally dominant institution of the medieval times