CONSTANTINE THE GREAT AND HIS SONS.
I. Constantine the Great.
Constantine's Father, Constantius (§ 1).
Constantino's Mother, Helena (§ 2).
Political Disorders, 306-311 (§3).
Constantine's Conversion. The Edict of Milan (§ 4).
Constantine's Later Life and Reign (§ 5).
His Cautious and Wise Policy (§ 6).
Legal Gains of Christianity (§ 7).
Constantine Opposed to Paganism from the First (§ 8). Political Value of Religious Unity (§ 9). Constantine's Personality (§ 10). II. Constantine's Sons.
1. Constantine II.
2. Constantius II.
3. Constans.
I. Constantine the Great (Flavius Valerius Constantinus): Roman emperor 306-337; b. at Naissus, in Upper Moesia (the present Naissa or Nish, 130 m. s.e. of Belgrade, in Servia), probably 288; d. at Achyrona, a suburb of Nicomedia, May 22 337. A proper understanding of Constantine's early life requires a knowledge of the history and personality of his father, Flavius Valerius Constantius (the surname Chlorus comes into use only with later ay-
Oonstantine
THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
zantine writers). He belongs to the men of the third century for whom the military career paved the way to higher political station. His origin was associated with Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II., emperor 26S-270). JIaximianus, Augustus of the West, gave his stepdaughter Flavia Maximiana Theodora in marriage to Constantius,
1. Constan- then prefect of the guard, after he had tine's been obliged to separate from Con- Father, stantine's mother, Helena. His eleva-
Constan- tion to the rank of Caesar followed in tius. 293, and with it the transfer of the
Gallic, Spanish, and British provinces. In peaceful activity and warlike enterprises alike, he proved himself a man of quiet fidelity to duty and of but moderate ambition. The abdication of both Ccesars Augustus on May 1, 305, brought him the imperial dignity, but he died at Eboracum (York) in July of the following year. The question as to whether he was a Christian is open to discussion. At any rate, he did not receive baptism. On the other hand, he held his protective arm over the Christians during the persecution by Diocletian, and confined himself to a nominal obedience in the way of destroying houses of worship. The determining ground for this behavior can be sought only in his religious attitude. Belief in the gods he had renounced, and he lived in a monotheism whose Christian import is confirmed by the fact that he not only accorded complete freedom to Christianity in his environment, but also allowed Christian religious rites to be observed in his palace. One of his daughters by the second marriage bore the Christian name of Anastasia. If it is true that his coins are frequently stamped with reference to the rites of Hercules, the circumstance finds explanation in his adoptive father's preference for the worship of that hero, from whom he traced his descent and the name Herculius. In the circumstances the possibility is to be reckoned with that a sudden death cut Constantius short of obtaining baptism. That his second wife may perhaps have influenced him religiously is fairly supposable, since she, at all events, as appears from a coin which has remained heretofore unnoticed, was a Christian.
Constantine was bom from a concubinal union of his father, at that time still a young officer, with Flavia Helena, a maiden of inferior station. This form of matrimonial alliance must not be understood in tlie modern sense of the word concubinage. According to the custom and law of that time, concubinage was a monogamous durable union
with a legally recognized name, off-
2. Constan- setting a defective capacity on the tine's wife's part l)y authorizing a justum
Mother, matrimonium. This lower form of Helena, matrimonial union was widely prevalent in the Roman empire, especially in the army. As already mentioned, Constantius was later compelled to dissolve this union, but Helena by no means vanished into obscurity; the reverence and love of her only son, who reared statues in her honor, had coins struck with her image, and called cities by her name, drew her later into publicity, and kept her thus as Augusta.
According to the division of tjie empire by Diocletian, Constantius had become Augustus in the West, and Galerius in the East. Their respective Cffisars were Flavius Valerius Severus and Maximinus Daza. At his father's death the army in Britain proclaimed young Constantine Augustus. Maxentius, the son of Maximianus, endeavored to secure the dignity with the aid of the pretorian guard and a discontented party in Rome.
3. Political His father sided with him, Severus Disorders, perished in the ensuing conflict, and 306-311. Galerius found himself hard pressed
in the toils of this new rebellion. Maximianus presently separated from his son, betook himself with his daughter Fausta to Constantine in Gaul, and joined them in marriage. Constantine at once assumed the title Augustus (spring, 307). Nevertheless, as the result of a conference with Diocletian at Carnuntum (Nov., 307), Valerius Licinianus Licinius was named Augustus. Maximianus soon rose in rebellion against Constantine and lost his life thereby (310). Galerius died in May of the year following. Disagreements at once set in between Maximinus Daza and Licinius touching the succession The former seeking alliance with Maxentius, Licinius was driven to side with Constantine. The betrothal of Constantine's sister with Licinius reenforced their political alliance by family bonds. Maxentius first urged on a war, which Constantine espoused by necessity. The course of the same led him to decide openly for Christianity.
It is certain that Constantine had acquired from his father no doubtful inclination toward the new faith. Still his religious position was as yet obscure. The campaign in Italy brought to an end uncertainty and indecision. According to Eusebius, he beheld a cross in the clouds one day with his army; according to Lactantius, he received in a dream the command to place the monogram of Christ on the soldiers' shields. This second report undoubtedly supplements the first; and the fact of a manifestation of the Christian God appearing to the emperor in the light of a mar-
4. Constan- velous heavenly token is not to be tine's Con- doubted. The impression produced
version, by this apparition found its continua- The Edict tion in a dream by night. It is cerof Milan, tain from the sources that the decisive conversion of Constantine to Christianity is to be fixed at the outset of the campaign, or in the spring of 312; also that this conversion rested not upon a single experience, the apparition of the dream, but that preparatory experiences cooperated with it. Just how, religiously and psychologically, this transformation was effected, and especially whether, or to what extent, the religious motives were enhanced by political considerations can not be decided, because nothing adequate is kno\vn about Constantine's religious condition at that time. The usual analyses have therefore only a very doubtful value, e\en where they do not entirely vanish into the nebulous region. But undoubtedly the political side is overestimated, and it more jirobably played no part at all. The emperor presently conferred with spiri-