{"slug": "constantine-the-great", "label": "Constantine the Great", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8413", "qid": "Q8413", "description": "Roman emperor from 306 to 337 and first to convert to Christianity (272–337)", "entries": 39, "years": 33, "span": [255, 469], "span_label": ["255 CE", "469 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 10}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 9}, {"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 8}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 5}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 4}, {"title": "Births", "count": 2}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": ["Constantine I", "Constantine I (emperor)"], "related": [{"slug": "licinius", "label": "Licinius", "shared": 7}, {"slug": "roman-empire", "label": "Roman Empire", "shared": 6}, {"slug": "goths", "label": "Goths", "shared": 6}, {"slug": "danube", "label": "Danube", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "maxentius", "label": "Maxentius", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "maximian", "label": "Maximian", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "helena-mother-of-constantine-i", "label": "Helena, mother of Constantine I", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "nicomedia", "label": "Nicomedia", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "sarmatians", "label": "Sarmatians", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "byzantine-empire", "label": "Byzantine Empire", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "caesar-title", "label": "Caesar (title)", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "augustus-title", "label": "Augustus (title)", "shared": 2}], "items": [{"year": 255, "year_label": "255 CE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Saint Helena, Roman empress who was the reputed discoverer of Christ’s cross and mother of Emperor Constantine (d. 318)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371186924#Births", "title": "255", "revid": 1371186924, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": 272, "year_label": "272 CE", "section": "Births", "date": "February 27", "text": "February 27 – Constantine the Great, Roman emperor (d. 337)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371192173#Births", "title": "272", "revid": 1371192173, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": 287, "year_label": "287 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Diocletian re-organizes the Mesopotamian frontier, and fortifies various locations including the city of Circesium (modern Busayrah) on the Euphrates. Around this time, he begins the construction of the Strata Diocletiana. Throughout his reign, similar fortification efforts are conducted on the other frontiers as well, with fortifications constructed or restored behind, on and beyond the borders. Conscription and the number of legions increase, although the legions themselves are reformed into smaller and more flexible units. At some point in time, Diocletian may have also established the late Roman military system of Comitatenses (field army units) and Limitanei (border units), but some scholars date this development to the reign of Constantine I (r. 306–337).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367363352#Roman_Empire", "title": "287", "revid": 1367363352, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 305, "year_label": "305 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Constantius requests leave for his son Constantine I to join him in the west, who has been living at the courts of Diocletian and Galerius as a hostage. Galerius allows Constantine to return.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330171757#Roman_Empire", "title": "305", "revid": 1330171757, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 307, "year_label": "307 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Summer: Anticipating an offensive by Galerius, Maximian travels to Gaul to make an alliance with Constantine I.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1335486111#Roman_Empire", "title": "307", "revid": 1335486111, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 308, "year_label": "308 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "April", "text": "April: In Rome, Emperor Maximian attempts to depose his son Maxentius, but the soldiers in Rome side with Maxentius and force Maximian to flee to the court of Constantine I.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330171358#Roman_Empire", "title": "308", "revid": 1330171358, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 310, "year_label": "310 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Maximian, retired emperor, rebels against Constantine I in Arles while the latter is campaigning against the Franks.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1349300512#Roman_Empire", "title": "310", "revid": 1349300512, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 310, "year_label": "310 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Maximinus Daza, caesar under Emperor Galerius, is acclaimed augustus by his troops. Galerius is forced to recognize him as co-ruler of the East. The Roman Empire is thus divided between seven simultaneous emperors: Galerius (East), Maximinus II (East), Licinius (Middle), Constantine I (West), Maximian (West), Maxentius (Italy), and Domitius Alexander (Africa).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1349300512#Roman_Empire", "title": "310", "revid": 1349300512, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 311, "year_label": "311 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Fearing an alliance between Licinius and Constantine I, Maximinus forges a secret alliance with Emperor Maxentius.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330160941#Roman_Empire", "title": "AD 311", "revid": 1330160941, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 312, "year_label": "312 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Constantine I crosses the Cottian Alps with an army (40,000 men) and defeats Maxentius's generals in three battles at Turin, Brescia and Verona. Maxentius's Praetorian Prefect Ruricius Pompeianus is killed in the fighting outside Verona.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369557372#Roman_Empire", "title": "312", "revid": 1369557372, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 313, "year_label": "313 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "February", "text": "February: Emperors Constantine I and Licinius convene in Mediolanum (modern Milan). Licinius marries Constantine's half-sister Constantia, and they issue the Edict of Milan. This edict ends the Great Persecution against the Christians and is the first piece of legislation in western history to decree freedom of religion. It also returns property confiscated from Christians. The edict is posted in Nicomedia on June 13.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330160715#Roman_Empire", "title": "313", "revid": 1330160715, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 313, "year_label": "313 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "February 3", "text": "February 3 – Edict of Milan: Constantine the Great and co-emperor Licinius meet at a conference in Mediolanum (modern Milan). They proclaim a policy of religious freedom for all, ending the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire and returning property confiscated from Christians. The edict is posted in Nicomedia on June 13.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330160715#Religion", "title": "313", "revid": 1330160715, "section": "Events › By topic › Religion"}}, {"year": 315, "year_label": "315 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Constantine the Great and co-emperor Licinius battle the Sarmates, the Goths and the Carpians along the Danube. Constantine leads a punitive expedition into Dacia and reestablishes the Roman fortifications of the frontier.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330160516#Roman_Empire", "title": "315", "revid": 1330160516, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 316, "year_label": "316 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great issues an edict, prohibiting the punishment of slaves by crucifixion and facial branding.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364758307#Roman_Empire", "title": "316", "revid": 1364758307, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 316, "year_label": "316 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "October 8", "text": "October 8 – Battle of Cibalae: Constantine the Great defeats his rival Licinius near the town of Colonia Aurelia Cibalae (modern-day Vinkovci, Croatia). Licinius is forced to flee to Sirmium and loses all of the Balkans except for Thrace. Peace negotiations are initiated between the two Augusti, but they are unsuccessful.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364758307#Roman_Empire", "title": "316", "revid": 1364758307, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 317, "year_label": "317 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "March 1", "text": "March 1 – Emperor Constantine the Great and co-emperor Licinius elevate their sons Crispus, Constantine II and Licinius II to Caesars. After this arrangement Constantine rules the dioceses Pannonia and Macedonia, and establishes his residence at Sirmium, from where he prepares a campaign against the Goths and Sarmatians.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330159511#Roman_Empire", "title": "317", "revid": 1330159511, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 318, "year_label": "318 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great gives the ancient Roman town Drepana (Asia Minor) the name Helenopolis, after his mother Helena, and builds a church in honour of the martyr St. Lucian.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330160313#Roman_Empire", "title": "318", "revid": 1330160313, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 319, "year_label": "319 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great prohibits the separation of the families of slaves, during a change in ownership.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372362353#Roman_Empire", "title": "319", "revid": 1372362353, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 320, "year_label": "320 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Crispus, eldest son of Constantine I, leads a victorious campaign against the Franks, assuring twenty years of peace along the Rhine frontier. He establishes his residence in Augusta Treverorum (modern Trier), capital of Germania.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330750501#Roman_Empire", "title": "320", "revid": 1330750501, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 321, "year_label": "321 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine I expels the Goths from the Danube frontier and repairs Trajan's Bridge. He leads an expedition into the old province Dacia (modern Romania) and makes peace with the barbarians.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360598330#Roman_Empire", "title": "321", "revid": 1360598330, "section": "Events › By topic › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 323, "year_label": "323 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great defeats the invading Goths and Sarmatians north of the Danube in Dacia, and claims the title of Sarmaticus Maximus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1336366222#Roman_Empire", "title": "323", "revid": 1336366222, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 324, "year_label": "324 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 3", "text": "July 3 – Battle of Adrianople: Emperor Constantine the Great defeats his rival Licinius near Adrianople, forcing him to retreat to Byzantium. Constantine then invades Thrace with a Visigothic force and raids the countryside.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364737678#Roman_Empire", "title": "324", "revid": 1364737678, "section": "Events › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 325, "year_label": "325 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "German and Sarmatian campaigns of Constantine: Emperor Constantine I personally assures the security of the Danube frontier by defeating the Goths, the Vandals and the Sarmatians.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1291934511#Roman_Empire", "title": "325", "revid": 1291934511, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 326, "year_label": "326 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great travels to Rome to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his accession to power, but while en route at Pola he orders his older son, Crispus Caesar, to be executed, possibly on charges of adultery. Later, Fausta, second wife of Constantine I, is also executed by being suffocated or boiled in a hot bath.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366011464#Roman_Empire", "title": "326", "revid": 1366011464, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 326, "year_label": "326 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Flavius Julius Crispus, son of Constantine I (b. 303)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366011464#Deaths", "title": "326", "revid": 1366011464, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 327, "year_label": "327 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great decrees that rural slaves can only be sold in the province where they reside, in order to resolve the shortage of labour in the Roman Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367622496#Roman_Empire", "title": "327", "revid": 1367622496, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 330, "year_label": "330 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Helena (Augusta), mother of Constantine I", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368804630#Deaths", "title": "330", "revid": 1368804630, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 330, "year_label": "330 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "May 11", "text": "May 11 – Emperor Constantine the Great dedicates the Column of Constantine and Constantinople, or Nova Roma (modern-day Istanbul). He had spent four years expanding the city of Byzantium, having chosen the site for its strategic location on the Bosporus. The city became the capital of the Byzantine Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368804630#Roman_Empire", "title": "330", "revid": 1368804630, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 331, "year_label": "331 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great vigorously promotes Christianity, confiscating the property and valuables of a number of pagan temples throughout the Roman Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1308906041#Roman_Empire", "title": "331", "revid": 1308906041, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 332, "year_label": "332 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine I and his son Constantine II, aged 16, defeat the Goths in Moesia. The Goths become Roman allies and protect the Danube frontier.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1332406433#Roman_Empire", "title": "332", "revid": 1332406433, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 333, "year_label": "333 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great pulls Roman troops out of Britain, and abandons work on Hadrian's Wall.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372731369#Roman_Empire", "title": "333", "revid": 1372731369, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 334, "year_label": "334 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Constantine the Great reauthorises gladiatorial combat.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367641884#Roman_Empire", "title": "334", "revid": 1367641884, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 335, "year_label": "335 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "September 14", "text": "September 14 – Emperor Constantine I consecrates the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1351653069#Roman_Empire", "title": "335", "revid": 1351653069, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 336, "year_label": "336 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "The military successes of Emperor Constantine I result in most of Dacia being reconquered by the Roman Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1267076019#Roman_Empire", "title": "336", "revid": 1267076019, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 337, "year_label": "337 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "May 22", "text": "May 22 – Constantine the Great, first Christian Roman emperor of the Western Empire (312–324), and of the Roman Empire (324–337), dies in Achyron, near Nicomedia, at age 65, after he is baptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1342549552#Roman_Empire", "title": "337", "revid": 1342549552, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 337, "year_label": "337 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "May 22", "text": "May 22 – Constantine the Great, emperor of the Roman Empire, Orthodox priest and saint", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1342549552#Deaths", "title": "337", "revid": 1342549552, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 354, "year_label": "354 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Constantina, daughter of Constantine the Great (b. c. 320)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1267529595#Deaths", "title": "354", "revid": 1267529595, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 378, "year_label": "378 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": null, "text": "Valens completes the aqueduct of Constantinople begun by Constantine I.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1309998773#Architecture", "title": "378", "revid": 1309998773, "section": "Events › By topic › Architecture"}}, {"year": 469, "year_label": "469 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "The Vatican makes a pact with the Salian Frankish king Childeric I, agreeing to call him \"the new Constantine\" on condition that he accept conversion to Christianity.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360138926#Religion", "title": "469", "revid": 1360138926, "section": "Events › By topic › Religion"}}]}