The Royal and Pontifical

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

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THE ROLE OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT IN

PROMOTING AND LEGALIZING CHRISTIANITY

-----------------

A Paper Report Submitted

to Fr. Louie Coronel, OP, EHL
University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Sacred Theology

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In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements for the CHPA 1 course
Ancient Church History

by

SEM. KENT JOSEPH SAYSON QUILLO

May 2023
I. INTRODUCTION

The arrival of Constantine the Great, a prominent person in the history of the
Roman Empire, resulted in a significant alteration in the ancient world's religious
landscape. Constantine's reign was notable for its military victories, political shrewdness,
and visionary leadership. This paper will specifically examine Constantine the Great's
key accomplishments, offering light on his influence and the elements that helped to
establish Christianity as a respected and influential religion throughout his reign and how
it impacted the coourse of history especially for the path of the Catholic Church.

II. EARLY LIFE AND RISE TO POWER

Constantine was born in Naissus (today Niš, Serbia), part of the Dardania
province of Moesia on 27 February.1 His father, Flavius Constantius, was a resident of
the province of Moesia and was also from the same area at the time of his birth (then
known as Dacia Ripensis). Both his father's and his own entire names from birth are
unknown. His praenomen has been given as Gaius, Marcus, and Lucius, among others.
Whatever the reason, praenomina had by now mostly vanished from the public record.2
Following his father's coronation as Caesar, he also took the name "Valerius," which was
the “nomen”3 of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Constantine apparently didn't spend much time with his father, a Roman army
soldier who served as an imperial bodyguard for Emperor Aurelian.4 Constantius
advanced through the ranks, earning the governorship of Dalmatia from Emperor
Diocletian. Constantine's mother was Helena, a Greek woman of low social standing,
1
Barnes, Timothy, Constantine and Eusebius, (London: Harvard University Press, 1981), p. 3.

Cf. An influential figure who switched the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday - Opera
2

News, Accessed May 16, 2023.

3
The nomen gentilicium, sometimes known as just nomen, was a hereditary name used by the
people of Roman Italy and later by those who lived in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. It was
formerly used to refer to a person's patrilineal gens (family or clan). However, when Rome's borders grew
and non-Roman peoples gradually received citizenship and the accompanying nomen, the latter lost
significance as a sign of patrilineal descent. The nomen, or "third name," for men came after the
praenomen and before the cognomen, making up the tria nomina (Latin for "three names"). Up until the late
Republic, the nomen was frequently the only name used for women.
4
Tejirian, Eleanor H, Simon, Reeva Spector, Conflict, Conquest, and Conversion Two Thousand
Years of Christian Missions in the Middle East, (New York: Columbia University Press, 2012), p. 15.
however, it is uncertain whether she was legally married to Constantius or merely
his concubine.5 Constantine received a formal education at Diocletian's court, where he
learned Latin literature, Greek, and philosophy.6 Constantine could interact with both
Christian and pagan thinkers in Nicomedia's open, dynamic, and socially mobile cultural
scene. Constantine was also a prominent member of the court. He served in a number of
“tribunates”7, fought for Diocletian and Galerius in Asia, and led campaigns against
barbarians on the Danube in 296 and the Persians in Syria in 297.
Constantine had returned to Nicomedia from the eastern front by the spring of
303, in time to witness the beginnings of Diocletian's "Great Persecution", the most
severe persecution of Christians in Roman history.8 On February 23, 303, Diocletian gave
the order to burn down Nicomedia's new church, confiscate its wealth, and sentence its
scriptures to the flames. Churches and holy books were destroyed in the months that
followed, Christians were denied positions of authority, and priests were put in prison.
Constantine's involvement in the persecution appears improbable.
Civil wars, invasions, and disease were rending the empire so badly that the era is
regarded as the “Crisis of the Third Century”. Emperor Diocletian tried to bring order by
distributing power to a four-ruler tetrarchy that would govern the four quarters of the
empire. Constantine’s father, Constantius I, was one of the rulers. Diocletian’s plan fell
apart. After the death of his father in A.D. 306, Constantine was declared emperor by his
father’s soldiers.9 Constantine's share of the empire consisted of Britain, Gaul, and Spain,
and he commanded one of the largest Roman armies which was stationed along the

5
Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, p. 3
6
Ibid, p. 72.
7
Various elected officials in ancient Rome were known as tribunes. The tribunes of the plebs and
the military tribunes were the two most significant. A college of 10 tribunes of the plebs, who held the
power of ius intercessionis to intercede on behalf of the plebeians and veto unfavorable legislation, served
as a check on the senate and the yearly magistrates for the majority of Roman history. Additionally, there
were military tribunes who oversaw divisions of the Roman army and were answerable to higher-ranking
officials like the consuls and praetors, promagistrates, and their legates.
8

Elliott, Thomas Gerorge, The Christianity of Constantine the Great, (New York: University of
Scranton Press), 1996, p. 30.

Rattini, Kristin Baird, National Geographic, Who Was Constantine, Published 26, 2019,
9

Accessed on May 16, 2023, Constantine—facts and information (nationalgeographic.com).

important Rhine frontier.10 According to Lactantius11, Constantine followed a tolerant
policy towards Christianity, although he was not yet a Christian. He decreed a formal
end to persecution and returned to Christians all that they had lost during them.12

III. CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY

When Constantius battled the Picts in England, he was killed near York in 306
CE, and the legions proclaimed Constantine Augustus on the field.13 Following
Diocletian's retirement, civil conflicts broke out in both the East and the West over who
would succeed him as the only emperor of the empire throughout the ensuing years.
Constantine’s opposition in the West was Maxentius and their armies met near the
Milvian Bridge in Rome, a bridge across the northern outskirts on the Via Flaminia.
Maxentius fell into the river (with his armor) and drowned. Constantine became the sole
ruler in the West14.
According to Lactantius: "Constantine was directed in a dream to cause the
heavenly sign to be delineated on the shields of his soldiers, and so to proceed to battle.
He did as he had been commanded, and he marked on their shields the letter Χ, with a
perpendicular line drawn through it and turned round thus at the top, being the cipher of
Christ. Having this sign (☧), his troops stood to arms."15 Another source is from
Eusebius, Constatine’s court bishope, which states: "he saw with his own eyes the trophy
of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, In Hoc Signo

10

Pohlsander, Hans, The Emperor Constantine, (London: Routledge, 2004), p. 16-17.

11

Lucius Caecilius Firmianus or Lactantius (c. 250 – c. 325) was an early Christian author who
became an advisor to Roman emperor Constantine, guiding his Christian religious policy in its initial stages
of emergence, and a tutor to his son Crispus. He is best known for his apologetic works, widely read during
the Renaissance by humanists, who called Lactantius the "Christian Cicero".
12
Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, p. 28.
13

Denova, Rebecca, World History Encyclopedia, Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity,

Published on May 10, 2021, Accessed on May 17, 2023, Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity - World
History Encyclopedia.
14

Ibid.
15
Lactantius, translated by J.L. Creed, De Mortibus Persecutorum , (Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1984), p. 44.
Vinces" ("In this sign thou shalt conquer").16 Although Eusebius is evasive about the
exact time and location of these events, they do appear in his story before the conflict
with Maxentius starts.
Along Maxentius' line, Constantine stationed his own troops the entire distance.
When he gave the command to charge, his cavalry destroyed Maxentius' cavalry. When
Maxentius sent his troops against him, he dispatched his own, driving many of them into
the Tiber, where they were killed and drowned. Maxentius' men were dispersed before
the first charge during the brief combat. His praetorians and horse guards first maintained
their ground, but they were forced to retreat to the river after being charged by
Constantinian horsemen. Maxentius rode with them and made an attempt to cross the
Ponte Milvio, but the throng of his soldiers fleeing forced him into the Tiber, where he
drowned.17 Constantine attributed his success to the Christian God no matter what he
witnessed or experienced.
In February 313, Constantine met with Licinius in Milan and developed the Edict
of Milan, which stated that Christians should be allowed to follow their religion without
oppression.18The traditional religion of the Romans was "paganism," and during the
Ancient Roman era, Christians were persecuted and even tortured. The Edict of Milan
also contained other protections for previously persecuted Christians and other articles
stipulating the return of all confiscated churches. This was the first major step towards the
support of Emperor Constantine to Christianity.
Christianity might have endured ferocious persecution and battled for legitimacy
without the Edict of Milan. It is conceivable that Christianity would have continued to be
a minority sect, which would have limited its influence in later centuries. The Edict
offered other religions throughout the Roman Empire as well as Christianity religious
tolerance. Without this essential defense, Christianity would have continued to be
persecuted and would have remained on the periphery of society.

16

Eusebius, tr. Odahl, Vita Constantini, (London: Samuel and Sons, 1999), p. 105.
17

Cf. Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, p. 43.

18

Bowder, Diana,The Age of Constantine and Julian, (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1987),
p. 28.
IV. PROMOTION AND LEGALIZATION OF CHRISTIANITY
Constantine, who made it plain that his achievements were only due to the
protection of the Christian High God, declared himself a Christian after turning 40,
according to Christian sources. Despite his claims to be a Christian, he waited until he
was about to pass away to be baptized because he thought that would absolve him of
whatever sins he may have committed while carrying out his policies as emperor.
He provided financial support for the Church, constructed basilicas, gave clergy
privileges (such as freedom from paying some taxes), elevated Christians to important
positions, and gave back property that had been seized during the protracted era of
persecution. His most famous building projects include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
and Old St. Peter's Basilica.19 In constructing the Old St. Peter's Basilica, Constantine
went to great lengths to erect the basilica on top of St. Peter's resting place, so much so
that it even affected the design of the basilica, including the challenge of erecting it on the
hill where St. Peter rested, making its complete construction time over 30 years from the
date Constantine ordered it to be built.
The building of churches and the funding of the clergy would have been greatly
restricted in the absence of Constantine's patronage. Due to Constantine's conversion and
subsequent support of Christianity, large sums of money were spent on churches and
other Christian structures. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which was
constructed under Constantine's sponsorship, is the most renowned example. These
impressive buildings functioned as gathering places for Christian worship and as markers
of the religion's expanding power. He also enacted a law in 321 declaring the revered
Sunday a day of rest for all citizens. Following the erasure of the pagans from his
currency, Christian symbols began to appear as Constantine's qualities, such as the chi
rho on his labarum or between his hands.
Constantine also elevated the prestige of the clergy within the empire by
exempting them from some taxes and giving them legal rights. The clergy received this
backing, which not only guaranteed their financial security but also gave them power and
influence. The development of Christian infrastructure and the dissemination of the faith
would have been hampered in the absence of such support. Christian leaders would not
R. Gerberding and J. H. Moran Cruz, Medieval Worlds, (New York: Houghton Mifflin
19

Company, 2004), p. 55–56.

have had the means to carry out successful missions and would have battled to hold onto
their posts.
More than 300 bishops were gathered by Constantine in Nicea in 325 CE to
combat Arianism.20 Constantine felt it was essential to bring Christian leaders together
and lay out their religious teaching because the early church had been so divided over this
subject. The resolution that resulted, the Nicene Creed, confirmed the divinity of Jesus
and was eventually enlarged upon at successive council gatherings. His influence over the
Church councils was to enforce doctrine, root out heresy, and uphold ecclesiastical unity;
the Church's role was to determine proper worship, doctrines, and dogma.21 The council
was presided over by Constantine personally, illustrating his active role in forming
Christian doctrine. The ensuing Nicene Creed, which affirmed Christ's divinity and
specified key truths, became a cornerstone of Christian belief.The Christian community
might have continued to split due to doctrinal conflicts, which could have resulted in
fragmentation and potential schisms. Without the Nicene Creed, which served as a
unifying principle for Christians, the unity of the faith could not have been as strong.
Without such a codifying book, Christianity may have been characterized by various and
opposing theological views.
Constantine became sick in the spring of 337.22 From this illness, Constantine
knew death would soon come. Within the Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantine had
secretly prepared a final resting-place for himself.23 He called the bishops together and
expressed his desire to be baptized in the Jordan River, where it is said that Christ was
baptized. He asked for the baptism right away, pledging that if he survived his sickness,
he would lead a more devoted Christian life. According to Eusebius "they performed the
sacred ceremonies according to custom."24 Constantine is said to have delayed his
baptism for as long as he did in order to be forgiven of as much of his sin as possible. On
20

Richards, Jeffrey, The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages, (London: Routledge,
1979), p. 14.
21

Ibid.
22

Cf. Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, p. 258-259.

23

Ibid.
24

Eusebius, Vita Constantini, p. 386.

May 22, 337, the final day of the fifty-day festival of Pentecost immediately after Pascha
(or Easter), Constantine passed away in a nearby suburban villa called Achyron.25

V. CONCLUSION
The path of history would have been drastically different if Constantine had not
converted to Christianity or had not defended it. The development and spread of
Christianity were significantly impacted by Constantine's acceptance of it and his
subsequent support of it. By granting religious tolerance, the Edict of Milan ensured the
continuation and expansion of Christianity. Constantine's generosity helped build
churches and supported the clergy financially, strengthening the foundation of the faith.
The Nicene Creed was developed during the Council of Nicaea solidified fundamental
principles and created theological unity. Without Constantine's assistance, Christianity
might have remained an outcast group, lacking the foundational elements and doctrinal
coherence that would have allowed it to eventually gain popularity. The Church is surely
not what it is today without Constantine. Though many controversies still surround
history we accept that it was a great driving force to not only legalize Christianity in
Rome but to spread it across the world.

VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. Books:
25

Fowden, Garth, Last days of Constantine, (London: Cambridge University Press, 2012), p. 147.
 Barnes, Timothy. Constantine and Eusebius. London: Harvard University Press. 1981.
 Bowder, Diana. The Age of Constantine and Julian. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. 1987.
 Elliott, Thomas Gerorge. The Christianity of Constantine the Great. New York: University of
Scranton Press. 1996.
 Eusebius. Translated by Odahl. Vita Constantini. London: Samuel and Sons. 1999.
 Fowden, Garth. Last days of Constantine. London: Cambridge University Press. 2012.
 Lactantius. Translated by J.L. Creed. De Mortibus Persecutorum. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1984.
 Pohlsander, Hans. The Emperor Constantine. London: Routledge. 2004..
 R. Gerberding and J. H. Moran Cruz. Medieval Worlds. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
2004.
 Richards, Jeffrey. The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages. London: Routledge. 1979.
 Tejirian, Eleanor H, and Simon, Reeva Spector. Conflict, Conquest, and Conversion Two Thousand
Years of Christian Missions in the Middle East. New York: Columbia University Press. 2012.

B. INTERNET SOURCES
 An influential figure who switched the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday - Opera News,
Accessed May 16, 2023.
 Denova, Rebecca. World History Encyclopedia. “Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity”.
Published on May 10, 2021. Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity - World History Encyclopedia.
Accessed on May 17, 2023.
 Rattini, Kristin Baird, National Geographic. “Who Was Constantine”. Published 26, 2019.
Constantine—facts and information (nationalgeographic.com). Accessed on May 16, 2023.