Constantine the Great: the New Rome and Christianity

Dr. Jason T. Roche

Lecture format:

Two Phases:1. The foundation of New Rome2. Constantine’s Christianity

325 CEConstantine became the sole

emperor of the Roman Empire

Head of Constantine's colossal statue at the Capitoline

Museums

Constantine’s Empire in 325 CE

Rome ceased to be convenient as the capital of a united Roman Empire:• Northern and eastern frontiers in perpetual danger• Headquarters needed closer to threats• A new capital, a New Rome was needed

Constantine’s Empire in 325AD

Constantine chose Byzantion: Built a fortress situated at the strategic centre of the eastern empire Controlled passage from Europe to Asia and from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Base for the armies that served both the Persian and Danube frontiers and a naval base from which to control the Mediterranean

Work began building New Rome in 325 and the city was dedicated as Constantinople in 330• In many ways it was an image of its older counterpart

• Constantine did not intend his city to be the capital of a new empire

• It was a new capital for a united Roman Empire

• Constantinople was the New Rome

• Greek speaking inhabitants called themselves Romans

• Their empire was Roman

• What we call the Byzantine Empire was still the Roman Empire to contemporaries

Q.

Why would the Greek speaking inhabitants of the culturally Greek-dominated eastern half of the empire consider themselves Roman and call their new capital ‘New Rome’?

• Constantine the first emperor to convert to Christianity

• Battle of the Milvian Bridge• Historians have suggested more

pragmatic reasons which you will find in your reading

• Decisive change in imperial policy that provoked opposition

• Christianity was a new, oriental religion

• Extreme in its claims and intolerant of non-Christians whom they sought to convert

• New religion seemed revolutionary: denounced established beliefs and conventions

• In causing friction they put interests of religion above that of the State and society

Struck circa 309-310 AD.IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right SOLI INVIC-TO COMITI, Sol standing facing, head left, right hand raised and holding

globe in left; F-T/PLG. RIC VI 309

• Constantine’s imagery and propaganda continued to use forms, expressions, and motifs which appealed to a pagan audience

• As late as 323, coins still minted to the pagan cult figure of the Sol Invictus – the ‘Unconquered Sun’

• Suggested Constantine’s understanding of Christianity was limited

• Careful not to offend powerful pagan elements within the ruling class whose co-operation and support he needed

• Many of the basic doctrines of the religion were yet to be formulated

• Even the corpus of Holy Scripture had not been finally defined

• But Constantine’s support of Christianity marks a major turning point in the ongoing definition of the faith

• The coercive powers of the Roman state could be deployed in favour of theological and ecclesiastical factions

Mosaic in Hagia Sophia of (St) Constantine c.1000

SOME HISTORIANS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT CONSTANTINE’S UNDESTANDING OF CHRISTIANITY WAS WEAK.

OTHER HISTORIANS HAVE SUGGESTED TWO MAIN REASONS WHY CONSTANTINE’S KNOWLEDGE OF CHRISTIANITY SEEMS WEAK

Q.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS?

One of the frescoes of the Ecumenical Councils in the Sistine Salon at Vatican c.1590

• Constantine (although yet not baptised) summoned and presided over a general council of the Church at Nikaia (325)

• First general council ever held• 318 bishops attended from all parts of the empire• Christ was declared to be in one essence with the Father• Emperor declared that those who did not accept this creed should be exiled• The decrees of such ‘ecumenical councils’ were to carry the standing of law• To gainsay them was to resist both the will of God and of the Emperor

Drawing on vellum. From MS CLXV, Biblioteca Capitolare, Vercelli, ca. 825

• Such policies promoted the cause of Christianity

• Christianity also advanced by its association with Constantine

By his death and his deathbed baptism in 337:• Restored peace and unity to the

Roman World• Created a political community of

authority and influence in the eastern Mediterranean

• Married Church and State• Constantine had taken a leading part

in the most important general council of the early Church

• Imperial concern for religious unity• But the Church considered religious

affairs the concern of the Church and not of State

“Do not interfere in matters ecclesiastical, nor give us orders on such questions, but learn about them form us! For into your hands God has put the kingdom: the affairs of the Church He has committed to us. If any man stole the Empire from you he would be resisting the ordinance of God: in the same way, you on your part should be afraid lest, in taking upon yourself the government of the Church, you incur guilt of a grave offence. ‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s’. We are not permitted to exercise an earthly rule: and you, Sire, are not authorised to burn incense”.

Hosius of Cordova to Constantine’s son, Constantius, in 355