READ & DO NOW!

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 2nd-3rd CE2

1. Despite the traditional stress on conflict between Christianity and the Roman Empire, religions system of the empire was becoming increasingly monotheistic

2. Some Christian values, beliefs and practices were very similar to those of contemporary philosophical schools.

Monotheism/ Polytheism Recap

3

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.

4

1. Some philosophical schools, e.g. Stoics, were developing monotheistic ideas about God (theology)

2. Some emperors were developing special forms of devotion for one God among the others; this religious system is called henotheism (political implications)

Monotheism/Polytheism/Henotheism

Diocletian (284-305)5

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

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 I7

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 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

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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Sardonyx cameo with Constantine crowned by Constantinople, 4th cent.

Colossal statue of Constantine, from the basilica of Maxentius, Rome (314-324 ca)

Coin with Sol Invictus, Trier 329

Constantinople: a ‘new Rome’

On site of ancient city of Byzantium (investment in previous centuries)

Gradual Christianisation of the city Collection of relics New Church of the Holy Apostles on site of a temple to Aphrodite

Richest city in the Mediterrian areaGreat trade opportunitiesLarge harborsSewers, hospitals,Although very wealthy, there were many poorHippodrome had chariot races.

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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)

Constantine: A Christian Emperor?

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 remember14

The conversion of Constantine to Christianity must be studied in the wider historical context 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.