Title: Constantine the Great - OrthodoxWiki
Headings: Constantine the Great
Constantine the Great
Contents
Early life
Constantine and Christianity
Persian reaction
Other achievements
Controversies surrounding Constantine's faith
Historiography Over the Ages
Hymns
See also
Further reading
Reference
Sources
External links
Wikipedia
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Content: quoted in Freya Stark, Rome on the Euphrates 1967, p. 375)
It was not an unreasonable demand in the circumstances. The Sassanids were perennially at war with Rome. Christians were now suspected for potential treachery. The "Great Persecution" of the Persian Christian churches occurred in a later period, 340-363, after the Persian Wars that reopened upon Constantine's death. In 344 came the martyrdom of Catholicos Shimun bar Sabbae, with five bishops and 100 priests. A mosaic image of Constantine the Great from the Hagia Sophia (Constantinople). Other achievements
His victory in 312 AD over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge resulted in his becoming Western Augustus, or ruler of the entire western half of the empire. He gradually consolidated his military superiority over his rivals in the crumbling Tetrarchy until 324, when he defeated the eastern ruler, Licinius, and became sole emperor. Constantine rebuilt the ancient Greek city of Byzantium, naming it Nea Roma, providing it with a Senate and civic offices similar to the older Rome. After his death it was renamed Constantinople, and gradually became the capital of the empire.