Effects Of Constantine The Great On The Roman Empire

Benjamin Brown

HIST:2461

2-24-23 Constantine the Great and his effect on the Roman Empire Constantine the Great, who ruled the Roman Empire from 306 to 337 CE, was one of the most significant figures in the history of the ancient Middle East. His reign was marked by a series of profound changes that had a lasting impact on the region, both politically and culturally. Constantine converted to Christianity during his reign as Emperor of Rome after he saw the Latin markings for Christ in the sky, followed by a victory in battle1. He focused his resources on the ancient East as the West was primarily Latin and did not follow Christian ideologies. It was in the ancient East where Constantine erected statues, arches, and various other monuments

This beautiful archway stands in Rome, next to the colosseum2. By placing it in such a well-trafficked place, Constantine was certain to gain the eyes of the public. In ancient times, the location of a monument like this was similar to posting on social media at optimal times during the day, both hope to gain as many “viewers” as possible. The importance of the archway was to celebrate the victory over Maxentius in 312 B.C. which left Constantine as the sole Emperor of the entire Roman Empire3. The battle was a civil war that left Rome divided and this arch acted as a splint to the broken empire. The arch honored Constantine but tied him in with previous emperors who were loved by Rome such as Marcus Aurelius. By putting himself in league with Marcus Aurelius, Constantine enacted a “soft launch” to his rule. The citizens of Rome were more likely to accept Constantine if they associated him with previous great emperors. By winning over the people, Constantine secured a stable rule over the uneasy

In a way, Constantine was honoring the legacy of Cyrus the Great, following in his footsteps of religious tolerance. After such a decree, Christianity spread rapidly and monuments to Constantine were put up en masse. All of these monuments carried a heavy connotation to Christ. A great example of this is the Colossus of Constantine in which he held a spear with a cross fixed at the top5. By having such a Christian display in his monuments, Constantine ensured the establishment of his religion across the Roman Empire and increased the religion’s