Constantine

Constantine

 

Background

• Born 272 AD in present-day Serbia;  declared emperor 306- 337 AD; died 337 AD
• Son of high ranking army general/deputy emperor
• Career in army, excellent military leader
• Claimed throne after winning a civil war for absolute rule over a split empire
• "Accidentally" murdered his wife and son

Above: Constantine at the Battle of Milvian Bridge

Achievements

• First Christian emperor (he converted to the rising religion after supposedly seeing Christian symbols in the sky during a victorious battle against a co-emperor, Maxentius, for sole control of the empire)
• Turned Roman Empire into a Christian empire by supporting the church
• Founded new capital "Constantinople" in ancient Greek city of Byzantium
• Increased wealth through ideal trading location of Constantinople (between Europe and Asia, and the Mediterranean and Black Seas)
• Increased longevity and defense through ideal defensible peninsula or new capital
• Laid groundwork for later Byzantine Empire/Eastern Roman Empire centered in Constantinople that would continue for 1,000 years after the fall of Rome itself
• Reforms separated military power from civil/government power (reducing civil wars by too-powerful generals who also were politicans)
• Reforms strengthened economy by introducing stronger currency to combat inflation ("solidus" gold coins)
• Defeated many tribes to secure and expand borders
• Replaced former emperor Diocletian's "tetrarchy" (splitting up the empire) with absolute rule and dynastic succession (like a monarchy)

Above: The fortified strategic new Roman capitol, Constantinople. A massive fortified wall protected it from land invasion, underwater chains and a powerful navy protected its harbors and controlled trade between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. The location was a trading hotspot between Europe and Asia.

Above: Constantine battled for control of the entire Roman Empire (it had been ruled by 4 co-emperors before him).

Cause of Death

• Illness and old age caused a natural death in his bed

Historical Significance

• Helped transform Rome into a Christian empire,which would allow Christianity to spread, strengthen, and become a dominant world religion to this day
• Established a new capital for Rome (Constantinople) that would greatly increase the wealth and longevity of Roman culture beyond Rome and its collapse in the West in the 5th century
• Ordered construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcre in Jerusalem, at the purported site of Jesus Christ's tomb

When in Rome...

Do as the Romans do. What DID the Romans do, or enjoy, or believe in?

Roman republic from Jackson Brown

Government of the Roman Republic

The roman empire from Jackson Brown

Roman republic from Jackson Brown

Rome Pretest

This is what I will learn about!

3.1 - Differentiate Roman Republic from Roman Empire

3.2 - Explain past and present impacts of Roman culture

3.3 - Analyze factors in collapse of Western Roman Empire

MY PERSONAL LEARNING GOAL IS TO

PRETEST

1. When, where and how was Rome founded? 
2. How was the government of the Roman Republic organized?
3. When and how did the Republic turn into an Empire?
4. How was the government of the Empire organized?
5. When, where, why, and how did the Romans expand?
6. What are Rome's greatest architectural and technological developments?
7. What was important in Roman culture?
8. Who were important Roman leaders?
9. What caused the collapse of the Roman Empire?
10. How did Rome alter history?
11. How does Rome affect us today?
12. What lessons can be learned from Roman history?

Greco-Persian Wars

The Greco-Persian Wars started when Ionian Greeks revolted against the Persian Empire in 499 BC. They were put down by the Persian army, but King Darius did later decided to invade Greece in 490 BC. At the battle of Marathon....

Then...

Then...
PICTURE