Transcript Constantine - cloudfront.net

READ & DO NOW! 
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Goal: Today, I want you to have a foundation of religious developments in
the later Roman Empire and be able to put Constantine’s decision to
‘convert’ to Christianity into the context of the time period.
I will know that you understand when I see you research Constantine to
discuss battle histories as well as the Edict of Milan.
Do Now: Scan into the room & lesson. With your partner, give a 30 second
share on the Roman influence found in today’s world. Be ready to share
with the class.
Homework: Finish the slideshow. In Schoology, answer this question: What
about Constantinople's location made it an ideal capital of the Byzantine
Empire? Read Constantinople in the text. (Lessson 6 Section 2)
Key points on religion in
nd
rd
2 -3
2
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2.
Despite the traditional stress on
conflict between Christianity and the
Roman Empire, religions system of the
empire was becoming increasingly
monotheistic
Some Christian values, beliefs and
practices were very similar to those of
contemporary philosophical schools.
CE
Monotheism/ Polytheism Recap
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Judaism and Christianity are both monotheistic
Traditional Greco-Roman society was polytheistic
The Roman emperor was the highest religious authority (pontifex
maximus)
The imperial cult was an effective way of encouraging loyalty to the
emperor and getting provinces to buy into imperial system.
At your table, discuss the following question:
Did Roman emperors start to think that monotheism was a better ‘fit’
for justifying and exerting their power than polytheism?
Be ready to share your answer.
Monotheism/Polytheism/Henotheism
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1.
2.
Some philosophical schools,
e.g. Stoics, were developing
monotheistic ideas about God
(theology)
Some emperors were
developing special forms of
devotion for one God among
the others; this religious
system is called henotheism
(political implications)
Diocletian (284-305)
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Traditionalist in religious terms
Reinforced the imperial cult, assuming the title of Iovius
(son of Jupiter)
Initiated the Great Persecution (in 303)
But were these persecutions directed against Christians
or persecutions to reinforce Roman public religion and
relationship of the state with the gods?
305 CE: Abdiction of Diocletian and
Maximian in favor of the Caesars
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304: D suffers serious illness
304-5: Galerius persuades/ forces D
and M to abdicate (in 305); both
retire
Galerius becomes Augustus in east
and Constantius I Chlorus in west
 Severus
and Maximinus Daia (both
closely associated with Galerius)
declared Caesars
 Constantine (son of Constantius I
Chlorus) and Maxentius (son of
Maximian) are ignored
306 CE: Constantine I
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Constantius I Chlorus dies, the troops nominated his son,
Constantine I, as Augustus at York
C claims the title Augustus but Galerius grants him that of Caesar
 He controls, Britain, Gaul and Spain and moves to Trier
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Maxentius, son of Maximian, pressed for recognition as
Augustus too but Licinius, a former military colleague of
Galerius, is raised Augustus in the West; this is not accepted
and also annoys Maximinus Daia, who had been overlooked
310: Galerius falls ill and civil wars break out
311-12: C marries L’s sister, Fausta
311-12: Maxentius and Maximinus Daia form alliance
312 (28-29 October): Battle of Milvian Bridge, Rome
(Constantine vs. Maxentius)
Group work questions
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Using Google, answer the below
assigned questions:
What happened during the Battle of
Milvian Bridge?
What does the Edict of Milan enact?
Who benefits from the Edict and in
what way(s)?
Piero della Francesca,
Constantine’s dream,
Church of St. Francis, Arezzo
Constantine: The many faces of an emperor
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Coin with Sol Invictus, Trier 329
Colossal statue of Constantine, from
the basilica of Maxentius, Rome
(314-324 ca)
Sardonyx cameo with
Constantine crowned by
Constantinople, 4th cent.
Constantinople: a ‘new Rome’
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On site of ancient city of Byzantium (investment in previous
centuries)
Gradual Christianisation of the city
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Collection of relics
New Church of the Holy Apostles on site of a temple to Aphrodite
Richest city in the Mediterrian area
Great trade opportunities
Large harbors
Sewers, hospitals,
Although very wealthy, there were
many poor
Hippodrome had chariot races.
Constantine: A Christian
Emperor?
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327-329, the Sun god, wearing a
radiate crown (crown of sun rays)
and a chlamys (small cloak)
fastened at the shoulder, with his
right hand raised, holding in his left
hand a globus (celestial orb)
decorated with an equinoctial cross
(representing the spring and
autumnal equinoxes), offering the
globus to Constantine (symbolizing
Sol granting Constantine the power
to rule the universe), standing on the
exergual line, inscription "SOLI
INVICTO COMITI" or "To the
invincible Sun god, companion of
the Emperor," T and F in the reverse
left and right fields may stand for
"TEMPORVM FELICITAS" or "The
happiness of the age," mint mark of
dot-ATR (last letter looks like an H)
in the exergue, with TR standing for
Treveri (Trier)
Sozomen (d. ca.450), Ecclesiastical History 2.3: on the
foundation of Constantinople in 324CE
He greatly improved this latter city, and made it equal to Rome in power and influence; for when he had settled his
empire as he was minded, and had freed himself from foreign foes, he resolved on founding a city which should be
called by his own name, and should equal in fame even Rome. […]
Led by the divine hand, he came to Byzantium in Thrace, beyond Chalcedon in Bithynia, and here he desired to
build his city, and render it worthy of the name of Constantine. In obedience to the command of God, he therefore
enlarged the city formerly called Byzantium, and surrounded it with high walls; likewise he built splendid dwelling
houses; and being aware that the former population was not enough for so great a city, he peopled it with men of
rank and their families, whom he summoned from Rome and from other countries. He imposed special taxes to
cover the expenses of building and adorning the city, and of supplying the inhabitants with food. He erected all
the needed edifices for a great capital-a hippodrome, fountains, porticoes and other beautiful adornments. He
named it Constantinople and New Rome-and established it as the Roman capital for all the inhabitants of the
North, the South, the East, and the shores of the Mediterranean, from the cities on the Danube and from
Epidamnus and the Ionian Gulf to Cyrene and Libya.
He created another Senate which he endowed with the same honors and privileges as that of Rome, and he strove
to render the city of his name equal in every way to Rome in Italy; nor were his wishes in vain, for by the favor of
God, it became the most populous and wealthy of cities. As this city became the capital of the Empire during the
period of religious prosperity, it was not polluted by altars, Grecian temples, nor pagan sacrifices. Constantine also
honored this new city of Christ by adorning it with many and splendid houses of prayer, in which the Deity
vouchsafed to bless the efforts of the Emperor by giving sensible manifestations of his presence.
Points to remember
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The conversion of Constantine to Christianity must be studied
in the wider historical context
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It drew on religious and political developments of 2nd and 3rd Cs
(especially under the Tetrarchy)
Although the emperor converted to Christianity, the rhetoric
of power remained based on the earlier imperial
iconography (including polytheism; see coins and other
imperial representations)
Further readings on Constantine:
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T.D. Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, Cambridge
Mass. 1981.
H. Drake, Constantine and the Bishops. The Politics of
Intolerance, Baltimore MD 2000.
N. Lenski, ed., Cambridge Companion to the Age of
Constantine, Cambridge 2005.