What Were Emperor Constantines Values and Goals?
Constantine (about 275-337) was the first Roman emperor to become a Christian. Under his reign Christianity became the state religion. He rebuilt the city of Byzantium and had it renamed Constantinople. He moved the political power from the the western to the eastern provinces with Constantinople as the capital. This laid trhe foundations of the Byzantine Empire. He built the first Christian cathedral which was the Lateran Basdilica in Rome. He had several other churches built in Syria, Constantinople and in Jerusalem. In 312 he defeated Maxentius in battle to become sole emperor in Rome and the western half of the Roman Empire. Constantine had claimed that he saw a vision before the battle which promised him victory if he fought under the sign of the cross. He defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge in Rome on the Tiber River. After a partnership with Licinis as co-rulers they met in battle to determine who would be sole emperor. In 324 Constantine defeated him in battle. He then mad
