Download Constantine

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Age of the Christian Roman Empire I
How Keanu Reeves changed the church forever
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Age of the Christian Roman Empire I
Constantine
The Best and Worst thing ever to Happen to Christianity
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AKA
Caius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Claudius
Constantius Magnus
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End of Galerius
• Ewwwww
• Edict of Toleration 311
• Empire split between Maxentius, Maximian and Constantine
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Constantine’s Early Life
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Son of CoCo-Emperor Constantius Chlorus and Helena
Served under Diocletian during the Egyptian and Persian Wars
Returned to father in Gaul to become Emperor
Constantine’s Conquest
• Maximian Herculius father of Maxentius
• Galerius Dies
• Maxentius now “Co”
Co” Emperor with Constantine
• Battle of Milvian Bridge
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Tuto Nike Hoc Vince
Constantine’s Vision
• Actual Appearance
• Pious Fraud
• Illusion
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• There are no miracles, just pretty clouds
• Dream
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Constantine Wins
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Yay!
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Effects of Constantine Winning
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Edict of Toleration with CoCo-Regent Licinius
Christian clergy exempt from military/municipal duty
Abolished offensive pagan customs
Emancipation of Christian slaves
Legalized bequests to catholic churches
Sunday -> dies Solis (day of the Sun)
Contributed to the building of Churches
Bad Constantine
• Warred against his brother in law Licinius defeating him in 324
• Violates promise of mercy and executes Licinius and 11 year old son
Licinius
• Executes Crispus his eldest son for treason as well as commiting incest with
Fausta (Constantine’
(Constantine’s Wife)
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Move to Byzantium 330AD
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Byzantium is renamed Constantinople
Many Churches built
Idols eliminated (modified)
60 ft. Statue ApollosChristConstantine
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End of Constantine
• Deathbed baptism, performed by the semisemi-Arian bishop Eusebius of
Nicomedia
• Baptized declaring “Now let us cast away all duplicity”
duplicity”
• Wore only baptism robes until death a few days later, on Pentecost,
Pentecost, May,
22, 337
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Saint Helena
• Daughter of an Innkeeper (maybe)
• Concubine of Constantius
• Mother of Constantine
• Found the True Cross
• Built Churches in Jerusalem
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Post Constantine
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Julian the Apostate 361-363
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Nephew of Constantine
Last hurrah for Paganism
Persecuted Christians nonnon-violently
Stoic and Virtuous by Roman standards
Sought to christianize Paganism
Schools run by Pagans
Superficially nice to Jews, tried and failed to rebuild the Temple
Theodosius the Great 392-395
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Empire is Divided between his 3 sons Constantine II, Constans,
Constans, and Constantius
Not very Christian boys
Constans killed Con II, then was in turn killed by the barbarian Magnetius
Constantius defeated Magnetius’
Magnetius’ army, resulting in Magnetus committing suicide,
becoming the sole Emperor of the Rome. A weak ruler who died a natural
natural death.
The true beginning of the Christianized Emperors
Chastized by Ambrose for massacre
Intiated the final suppression of Paganism
391 banned under heavy fine the visiting of Pagan temples for religious
religious purposes
Without state support of approval Paganism collapsed as a system
Positive Effects of the Christianized Roman Empire
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1.Increased
1.Increased respect for women
2.Better
2.Better treatment of slaves/freedom for Christian slaves
3.Gladiator
3.Gladiator games slowed if not stopped
4.More
4.More justice in Roman legislation
5.Missionary
5.Missionary work accelerated
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Negative Effects of the Christianized Roman Empire
1.Pseudo
1.Pseudo--Conversion to maintain power
2.Interference
2.Interference of government with Church affairs and vice versa
3.Weakening
3.Weakening of the faith
4.Persecution
4.Persecution of Pagans/Heretics
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