2007-12-07 06:44:00 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
an emperor of Rome
2007-12-07 06:56:11 · answer #1 · answered by Krysia K 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The most prominent Constantine (note that I am assuming a misspelling here) was a Roman emperor in the early fourth century, and is noted primarily for two things:
(1) He relocated the capital of the empire to the site of Byzantium, renamed Constantinople (now Istanbul). This led to an eventual division between Western and Eastern empires centered on Rome and Constantinople.
(2) He reversed the persecution of Christianity by his predecessors, made it an officially tolerated and actually favored religion, and attempted to settle a major theological controversy by calling an ecumenical council at Nicaea.
That controversy was over "subordinationism," the notion that Jesus was subordinate to God the Father. It's often called Arianism because the poetry of a priest named Arius triggered the arguments, but Arius was not a major player in church politics. The opponents were generally called "Nicenes" after the council, which adopted a creed intended to exclude subordinationists, but immediately accepted by some of their leading bishops.
The two parties continued to compete for church dominance and Imperial favor for considerable time afterward. The doctrine of the Trinity and the slightly revised Nicene creed eventually settled an orthodox position, while sowing the seeds of a later east-west Christian schism because the west inserted an extra word in the creed.
2007-12-07 15:05:09 · answer #2 · answered by Samwise 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Constantine was the Roman emperor who granted toleration of Christianity. In 313, he and his co-emperor, Licinius, issued the Edict of Milan, removing the penalties for professing the Christian faith.
He also moved the seat of government to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople; modern Istanbul).
Constantine is regarded as a saint among Eastern Orthodox churches, as well as among Byzantine rite Catholics.
2007-12-07 14:56:34 · answer #3 · answered by Chrispy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Constantine was a Roman Emperor. It is he, more than any other single individual, who is responsible for the spread of Christianity. In 304 AD, he converted to Christianity and then made it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
2007-12-07 14:56:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He is thought to be the one who legalized Christianity, but in fact he may have banished and exterminated the real Christians of his time.
It's a puzzling period of history... this resource explains it quite well.
2007-12-07 15:32:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keenu Reeves
2007-12-07 14:53:47 · answer #6 · answered by mrashvin 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋