Constantine is regarded as the first Christian Roman Emperor and was born on the 27th February 272/3 to Constantius and Helena (a concubine).
His rise to power helped convince Christian leaders like Eusebius that God favoured his life for the benefit of the church.
In 305 Constantine had neither power nor fame, but within 20 years he was Emperor.
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Tetrarchy/Context
Maximian is Augustus in the West and Diocletian in the East.
Constantius is Maximian’s Caesar and Galerius is Diocletian’s.
Constantine is in the army in the East under Diocletian, most likely as a bond for good behaviour.
In 305, Diocletian and Maximian abdicate, meaning the two Caesars now become Augustus.
Soon after, Constantius becomes ill, and Galerius allows Constantine to go to the West to be with him. When Constantius dies, troops proclaim him as Augustus.
Galerius overrules this and declares Severus as Augustus as he was already Caesar.
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Severus commits suicide after his troops (who used to serve Maximian) desert him in favour of Maxentius (Maximian’s son).
Maximian appoints him Augustus in the West, Galerius rejects this and appoints Licinius.
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Tension by 310AD, Maximian attempts to overthrow Constantine—unsuccessful.
The following year Galerius dies, leaving behind a divided Empire. Tensions between Constantine continued to grow, and in 312AD Constantine made a political and military move to overthrow Maxentius.
Battle of the Milvian Bridge, which saw Maxentius drown in the river Tiber.
Constantine attributes his victory to God and had his troops mark their shields with the first two letters of Christ in Greek—the chi-rho symbol.
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