Constantine and Christianity

    Today in class we continued to talk about Christianity and we touched on Constantine. Some of my notes are below:


Conversion of Constantine (AD 312)

  • Roman emperor Constantine has a vision before the Battle at Milivian Bridge
  • he sees an image in the sky of a cross and the words Ev ToUTw Nika ("In this sign, conquer")
  • Orders troops to put a cross on shields
  • they win
Edict of Milan in AD 313
  • Christianity becomes a religion which is recognized/approved by the emperor
  • it continues to gain strength
  • By 380, it becomes the empire's official religion
  • Chi-Rho: first two letters of "Christ" in Greek 
Decline of the Roman Empire
  • While Christianity strengthened, Rome weakened 
  • Military: too week to defend huge area
  • Economy: taxes too high; widening gap between rich and poor; trade disrupted
  • Social: Who cares about public affairs?; disloyalty; population decreases
  • Political: division of the empire (Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium)
Last Roman emperor in 476
  • 14-year-old boy named Romulus Augustulus 

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