Constantine
Constantine
Maxentius
The night before the battle, Constantine had a dream. A cross (or maybe some other Christian symbol) appeared in the sky and he heard the words, "Under this sign you will win." (In Latin: In hoc signo vinces). Constantine figured that this meant he would win the battle if he had his soldiers paint a cross on their shields. He did have the soldiers paint the cross on their shields, and they did win the battle. Constantine was very impressed with the power of the Christian god, and became a Christian. He put up a triumphal arch to remind people of his victory.
This is the Milvian Bridge, where Constantine
fought his battle against Maxentius
By 324 AD Constantine killed off the last
of the other Emperors, and ruled alone. In the same year he founded
a new capital city in the East at Constantinople (modern Istanbul),
to reflect the growing weakness of the Western part of the Roman Empire
and the strength of the Eastern part. Constantinople means the city
of Constantine. Constantinople was also halfway between the fighting
against the Germans
in the north and the fighting against the Sassanids
in the East, making it easier for the Emperor to get where he needed
to be.
Constantine's Sons
To find out more about Diocletian and Constantine and their successors, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:
The Roman Empire, by Don Nardo (1994). For middle schoolers and high schoolers - from Augustus to the fall of Rome.
Diocletian and the Roman Recovery, by Stephen Williams (1985). Gives Diocletian more credit for the recovery than I would, but there aren't any other biographies of Diocletian in English.
Constantine, by Nancy Zinsser Walworth (1989). A biography for kids.
Constantine and the Conversion of Europe, by A. H. M. Jones (1948, reprinted 1979). Still the best account of how Constantine came to convert to Christianity, and of his relationship with the Church throughout his reign. It's not specifically for kids, but high schoolers could read it.
The Life and Times of Constantine the Great: The First Christian Emperor, by D. G. Kousoulas (2nd edition 2003). A biography of Constantine.
Julian the Apostate, by G. W. Bowersock (1978). A great biography, and lively reading too!
