Constantine I

Constantine (c 285-337 CE) was born to Constantius I and Helena. At his father's death in 306, he joined a tetrarchy with Licinius, Maxentius and Maximin Daia in imperial rule. In 312, Constantine had a vision that caused him to heed the God of Christianity and put the "Chi-Rho" symbol on the shields of his soldiers. As it would happen, he then defeated Maxentius, making Constantine disposed to accepting Christinity. The same year, Licinius defeated Maximin Daia, leaving Constantine emperor in the West and Licinius in the East. In 313, they agreed to end the persecution of Christians with the Edict of Milan. Later, in 324, Constantine became sole emperor after he defeated Licinius. From 324-330, Constantine reconstructed Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople and designating it as a Christian city. Constantine built several churches and became involved in ecclesiastical politics, going so far as to convene an "ecumenical" council at Nicea in 325, the first world-wide council in Church history. Constantine was baptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia in 337, just before he died.

April Blazevic