Caesar Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus
By: Garve Hayes, Daniel Hines, Rohan Mundle, Ian Kapp, and Haley Brusen
Constantine centralized the government in his new capital of Constantinople (Constantinople was a center of politics and economic activity)
He was baptized by Euseibus of Nicomedia before he died.
The Formerly pagan empire united with Christian church, combined power to form ecclesiastical state. (Ecclesiastical means of or relating to a church especially as and established institution.
Paganism showed up less and less in the Empire as Christianity became more prominent, and all-together disappeared from the government.
Facts about Constantine
The Church was a big part of roman civilization and absorbed good deal of it into theology (shown by keeping mass in Latin until very recently), as roman empire faded, Christian church survived to carry on roman heritage and unique contributions to western civilization.
The reign of Constantine established a precedent for the position of the emperor in the Christian Church. Constantine disliked the risks to social stability that religious disputes and controversies brought with them.
Reigned from 312-337 CE
The local aristocracy, state functionaries, senior military officers, and large landowners were all members of the upper class. The middle class comprised the urban population of merchants, industrialists, and owners of medium-sized landed properties, while the populace, that is, the lower class, was made up of wage-earners and paupers.
Crucifixion was abolished for reasons of Christian piety, but was replaced with hanging, to demonstrate Roman supremacy. On March 7, 321 CE, Sunday was declared the official day of rest, on which markets were banned and public offices were closed.
Constantine was declared a Saint after his death.
Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity (regardless of his motivations)
Some of their impressive Architecture still exists today.
He ended the persecution of Christians and put paganism equal to Christianity with the Treaty of Milan. People who had status and power taken away from them got it back, and Christians were granted freedom of assembly. Also, property that had been taken from the Christians was returned, along with how the church was now authorized to hold property.
Constantine had a dream the night before a battle, in which he was advised to place the heavenly sign of God on the shields of his soldiers with a cross, and the won the battle
Constantine lived from 27 February 272 CE– 22 May 337 CE
Bibliography
Social /Cultural changes / Events
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/barbarians.htm
http://www.flowofhistory.com/unit
http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/HellenicMacedonia/en/D2.1.html s/birth/5/FC38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great#Monetary_reforms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Antiquity
When Constantine made Christianity the main religion of Rome, there was concern about new members joining for social, political, or material advancement. Many truly devout Christians moved to the deserts and put themselves through grueling tasks in order to cleanse themselves of sin. So many people moved out there that they created what we call monasteries.
When Constantine took control over the whole Empire, the life of Roman people was changed because after a long time of uncertainty he brought stability to the empire, and the adoption of a new religion strengthened his rule( this in theory would mean less division in the empire ).
In 312 CE at the battle of Milvian Bridge, Constantine defeated Maxentius and became emperor of the Roman Empire.
Major Political changes and Events
People debate at to whether his conversion was purely political, purely religious, or a little bit of both.
Constantine created a new Christian capital for the Roman Empire at Byzantium (named Constantinople for him and later, Istanbul).
The other capital was Milan.
The edict of Milan in 313 CE made it legal to practice Christianity in the Roman Empire and along with Constantine's conversion to Christianity, was a turning point in the Roman Empire.
325 CE -He summoned the Council of Nicaea, effectively the first Ecumenical Council, which was the first effort to attain consensus in the church through an assembly representing all of Christendom.
Constantine made new laws regarding the Jews. They were forbidden to own Christian slaves or to circumcise their slaves.
Constantine was in control of a large military
Constantine reigned as Emperor from 306 to 337 CE. After his death, he was named as a saint.
Constantine consolidated his power by conquering not only the West, but also the Greek East where there are many Christians concentrated in the cities, which are the social power packets of culture, politics, and economic activity.
Major Economic
changes and Events
Paid for building of churches such as Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and Old Saint Peter's Basilica.
The rift between classes widened as the rich benefited from the stability in purchasing power of the gold piece, while the poor had to deal with degrading bronze pieces.
Increased minting was connected with confiscation of gold, silver and bronze statues from pagan temples, who were declared property of the Empire, and monetary assets.
Constantine concentrated on minting large quantitiesamouts of quality gold pieces—the solidus(72 of them made a pound of gold). Silver pieces would continue to be issued during Constantine's later reign and after his death, along with various denominations of bronze coins, the most important being the centenionalis. These bronze pieces continued to be devalued keeping fiduciary minting alongside a gold standard
Constantine’s money system benefited the rich over the poor.
Throughout his rule, Constantine supported the Church financially, built basilicas, granted privileges to clergy (such as exemptions from certain taxes).
This led many of the people to turn to crime, which existed along with corruption and bribery that complicated things.
Constantine’s army, bureaucracy, Christian charity, and extravagance required huge amounts of money to maintain. The result was high taxes which caused extreme hardship for the lower classes.