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CONSTANTINE

Caius Flavius Valerius Aubelius Claudius Constantine (Constantine the Great) was a Roman emperor. He was born in 274 and died in 337. The son of the Emperor Constantius Chlorus, when his father was associated in the government by Diocletian, the son was retained at court as a hostage, but after Diocletian and Maximian had laid down the reins of government, Constantine fled to Britain, to his father, to escape from Galerius.

After the death of his father he was chosen emperor by the soldiery, in the year 306, and took possession of the countries which had been subject to his father, namely, Gaul, Spain, and Britain. He more than once defeated the Franks who had obtained a footing in Gaul and drove them across the Rhine: and then directed his arms against Maxentius, who had joined Maximian against him. In the campaign in Italy he saw, it is said, the vision of a flaming cross in the heavens, beneath the sun, bearing the inscription, 'In hoc signo vinces.' Under the standard of the cross, therefore, he vanquished the army of Maxentius under the walls of Rome, and entered the city in triumph.

In 313, together with his son-in-law, the eastern emperor, Licinius, he published the memorable edict of toleration in favour of the Christians, and subsequently declared Christianity the religion of the state. Licinius, becoming jealous of his fame, twice took up arms against him, but was on each occasion defeated, and finally put to death.

Thus in 325 Constantine became the sole head of the Roman Empire. His internal administration was marked by a wise spirit of reform, and by many humane concessions with regard to slaves, accused persons, widows, etc. In 329 he laid the foundation of a new capital of the empire, at Byzantium, which was called after him Constantinople, and soon rivalled Rome herself. In 332 he fought successfully against the Goths, relieved the empire of a disgraceful tribute which his predecessors had paid to these barbarians, and secured his frontier upon the Danube.

In 337 he was taken ill near Nicomedia, was baptized, and died after a reign of thirty-one years, dividing his empire between his three sons, Constantine, Constantius, and Constans. He summoned the celebrated Council of Nicsea in 325 to settle the Arian controversy. He is sometimes regarded as a saint, with the 20th or 21st of May as his festival.
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