Constantine the great

Constantine was born in eastern Europe but traveled a lot with his fathers court.Diocletion had reorcanized the Empire,creating two Augusti.Himself as senior andMaximian as subservient.Diocletian vice-regent of Jupiter on earth,and Maximian was Hercules half god half human hero.Each promoted a Caesar.Diocletian chose Galerius Maximianus and
Maximian, called Flavius Constantius whom he married to his step daughter Theodora.Galerius,by all accounts a brute was married to Valeria,daughter of Diocletion.These military reforms were matched by social and economic reforms as well.Meanwhile Constantine was sent to the "Sacred Retinue" as a hostage for his "dads" good behavour.He did"nt see his parents again for twelve years.Eventully he did escape and made his way to his fathers death bed.The briton legions raised him on a shield declaring him Emperor.At that time in Europe the Augusti had no choice but to declare him Caesar.There were all sorts of problems manifesting not least of which was persian invasion.Constantine consoladated his position in Gaul and eventually moving to Byzantine as sole ruler.Of course this happened over the course of several years and battles.The most important being The Battle of Milvian Bridge where Maxentius was pushed over the bridge and,drowned in the Tiber.Constantine claimed he saw a message in the sky while on his way "somewhere".It said "by this sign conquer,and a strange cross apeared in the clouds.This was the sign of the Christians and meant that thier persecution was at an end.Diocletion and company had lost patience with this annoying jewish sect who would not give the Roman civic gods even lip service.Anyway constantines Edict of Toleration meant that the christians were to get government approval and all that entailed.Lots of Church property and plate were returned and all prisoners released from mines prisons ect.He even called himself the thirteenth apostle,and presided over the great church council at Nicia,in Asia Minor.His Mother Helan was to become a lunatic christion claiming to find the true cross and the site of the holy Sepulcra.There is more and much left out of this incredable story.I will be back.Dave