Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great (Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus) lived from 272 337 A.D. Also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, he was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 and is perhaps best known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all religions throughout the empire. Constantine defeated the emperors Maxentius and Licinius during civil wars. He also fought successfully against the Franks, Alamanni, Visigoths, and Sarmatians during his reign even resettling parts of Dacia which had been abandoned during the previous century. Constantine built a new imperial residence in place of Byzantium, naming it Constantinople, which would later be the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for over one thousand years. Constantine the Great starts by discussing the empire during Diocletians reign and his persecution of Christians. Firth recounts the life of Constantine with an emphasis on the evolution of the Christian Church. A table of contents is included for easier navigation.