Rome: Constantine & The Early Roman Church

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Video Description (from Youtube)

The Early Middle Ages, 284--1000 (HIST 210) Professor Freedman examines how Christianity came to be the official religion of the Roman Empire. This process began seriously in 312, when the emperor

Constantine converted after a divinely inspired victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Constantine's conversion would have seemed foolish as a political strategy since Christianity represented a completely different system of values from that of the Roman state, but not only did it prove to be a brilliant storke in aid of Constantine's quest for power, it fundamentally changed the character of the Empire and that of the early Church. Constantine also moved his capitol to a new city he founded in the East, named Constantinople, opening the possibility of a Roman Empire without Rome. Professor Freedman ends the lecture with a comparison of Diocletian and Constantine.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction
07:03 - Chapter 2. Constantine's Rise to Power
10:12 - Chapter 3. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge and Constantine's Conversion
17:01 - Chapter 4. Constantine as a Christian Emperor
23:50 - Chapter 5. The City of Constantinople
31:32 - Chapter 6. Constantine intervenes in Church Doctrine
39:38 - Chapter 7. Constantine and Diocletian

Complete course materials are available at the Yale Online website: online.yale.edu

This course was recorded in Fall 2011.

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Overview & Key Concepts

Who is Paul Freedman?

Paul Freedman is the Chester D Tripp Professor of History at Yale University. He specializes in medieval social history, the history of Spain, the

study of medieval peasantry, and medieval cuisine.

Who was Constantine?

Constantine the Great (27 February 272 AD-22 May 337 AD) was a Roman Emperor who ruled between 306 and 337 AD. Born on the territory now known as Nis

located in Serbia, he was the son of Flavius Valerius Constantius, a Roman Army officer of Illyrian origins. His mother Helena was Greek. His father became Caesar, the deputy emperor in the west, in 293 AD. Constantine was sent east, where he rose through the ranks to become a military tribune under Emperors Diocletian and Galerius. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Although he lived most of his life as a pagan, he joined the Christian faith on his deathbed, being baptised by Eusebius of Nicomedia. He played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan in 313, which declared religious tolerance for Christianity in the Roman empire. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD that produced the statement of Christian belief known as the Nicene Creed.

What is the Church?

A church is a building used for Christian worship services and Christian activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church

founded between 233 AD and 256 AD. The word church also describes a body or assembly of Christian believers, while "the Church" refers to the worldwide Christian religious community.

What is Roman?

In historiography, ancient Rome is Roman civilization. From the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western

Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encompassing the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire. The civilization began as an Italic settlement in the Italian peninsula, dating from the 8th century BC, that grew into the city of Rome and which subsequently gave its name to the empire over which it ruled and to the widespread civilisation the empire developed. The Roman empire expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world, though still ruled from the city, with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population) and covering 5.0 million square kilometres at its height in AD 117.

Where is Rome?

Rome is the capital city of Italy and a special comune (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With

2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4.3 million residents. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states. Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.In 325 AD, did Emperor Constantine burn gospels, writings and religious text?

The books of Arius and his followers, after the first Council of Nicaea (325 C.E.), were burned for heresy by the Roman emperors Constantine, Honorius, and Theodosius I, who published a decree commanding that, 'the doctrine of the Trinity should be embraced by those who would be called catholics; that all others should bear the infamous name of heretics'.

2.When did Catholic Christianity become official religion of Rome?

In 380 CE, under the Edict of Thessalonica issued by Emperor Theodosius I, Nicene (Catholic) Christianity officially became the state religion of the Roman Empire, leading to the institutional regulation of religious practices and the formalisation of a calendar of feast days like Christmas and Easter.

3.What happened after Rome chose Christianity as the state religion?

When the Roman authorities officially adopted Christianity in the 4th century CE, they institutionalised the Roman Catholic version of the faith, favoring the universal theological framework of Paul over the localized, law-observant traditions of the original disciples. Mainstream historians emphasize that this political alliance standardized a singular imperial orthodoxy across the Mediterranean world, systematically suppressing alternative theological perspectives.

4.What is the 'Lazarus Effect' or 'Lazarus Syndrome' in science?

In medicine, this refers to a rare phenomenon where a patient's blood circulation spontaneously returns after CPR has failed and resuscitation attempts have stopped. The patient essentially 'comes back to life.'

5.Why did early Christians have church synods and councils?

Early Christian bishops organized regional synods and ecumenical councils to systematically define orthodox Christian doctrines and combat widespread heresies. These massive assemblies were essential for creating a unified creed, standardizing the New Testament canon, and establishing clear administrative laws for a rapidly growing global church. Prominent gatherings, like the Council of Nicaea, were often financed and politically mandated by Roman emperors to secure empire-wide religious stability.

6.How did James, leader of the Jerusalem Church, view Apostle Paul?

Paul's new doctrine met with disapproval from the Jewish-Christians of the Jerusalem Church led by James, who regarded the substitution of Jesus' atoning death for the observance of the Torah as a lapse into paganism.

Paul was duly summoned to Jerusalem by the leaders James, Peter and John to explain his doctrine in 50 AD.

7.What are the origins of Christian church music?

Saint Ambrose (334-397), a keen advocate of church music is credited with introducing it into Christian worship.

8.What are the main practices of the Aladura Church?

Fervent, charismatic worship.
Extended prayer and fasting.
Focus on divine healing.
Prophetic visions and revelations.

9.Why do Aladura church members wear white?

Members of many Aladura branches, like the Church of the Lord, traditionally wear white garments.
The white robes symbolize holiness, purity, and equality before God.

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