![]() ![]() The Roman army was reorganised to consist of mobile units ( comitatenses) and garrison troops ( limitanei) which were capable of countering internal threats and barbarian invasions. To combat inflation, he introduced the solidus, a new gold coin that became the standard for Byzantine and European currencies for more than a thousand years. He restructured the government, separating civil and military authorities. ![]() Upon his ascension, Constantine enacted numerous reforms to strengthen the empire. ![]() He eventually emerged victorious in the civil wars against emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire by 324. After his father's death in 306, Constantine was acclaimed as augustus (emperor) by his army at Eboracum ( York, England). He began his career by campaigning in the eastern provinces (against the Persians) before being recalled in the west (in AD 305) to fight alongside his father in the province of Britannia. Constantine served with distinction under the Roman emperors Diocletian and Galerius. Later canonized as a saint, she is traditionally attributed with the conversion of her son. His mother, Helena, was a Greek woman of low birth and a Christian. He went on to organize the whole Catholic Church at the First Council of Nicea, even though he himself did not get baptized until near the end of his life.Ĭonstantine was also a big part of the beginning of the Orthodox religion, after changing the point from which he ruled from Rome to Byzantium.īorn in Naissus, Dacia Mediterranea (now Niš, Serbia), he was the son of Flavius Constantius, a Roman army officer of Illyrian origin who had been one of the four rulers of the Tetrarchy. In pagan Rome before this, it had been against the law to believe in Christianity, and Christians had been tortured or killed, but Constantine protected them. When he saw a cross in the sky with the words in hoc signo vinces ( Latin for "in this sign you shall conquer"), he changed his deity from Apollo to Jesus and won the battle. As emperor, he named the city Constantinople, which means "City of Constantine" in Greek.īefore Constantine became Emperor, he was fighting for the throne at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. He made the previously named city Byzantium (now Istanbul, Turkey) capital of the whole Roman Empire. Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius ConstantinusĬonstantine I (27 February 272 – 22 May 337 AD) was a powerful general who reigned over the Roman Empire as emperor, until his death. Constantina, Helena, Crispus, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |