Church History 10 – Constantine Bests His Rival

Canna and Day Lilly

‘Ambition often puts Men upon doing the meanest offices; so climbing is performed in the same position with creeping.’ A. C. Benson

Constantine didn’t just win the battle at Milvian Bridge and was suddenly crowned as sole emperor over the Roman Empire.  But with the battle won, he controlled the west.  Eventually, Licinius gained sole control in the east.  Game on.   Constantine made some moves.

Gonzalez:  ‘Constantine offered his half-sister Constance in marriage to Licinius, and he may also have made a secret agreement with his future brother-in-law.  This would seem to cover his flank….The Empire was then divided between Licinius, who ruled over the entire area east of Italy, including Egypt, and Constantine, who controlled Italy as well as Western Europe and North Africa.  Since the two emperors were related by marriage, there was hope that the civil wars had come to an end.  But the truth was that both Licinius and Constantine sought to rule the whole Empire, which, in spire of its vastness, was too small for both of them.  For awhile, each of the two rivals devoted himself to consolidate his power and to prepare for the inevitable conflict.’

Constantine and Licinius barbed back and forth for many years.  In 314AD, Constantine won a big battle against Licinius garnering more territory.  The main reason the two guys didn’t get along was ambition according to Gonzalez.  Apparently, Constantine had more ambition and more savvy because in 322AD he finally defeated Licinius and became the sole Roman Emperor.

I am struck by some similarities between the lives of Constantine and King Solomon of the Hebrew Scriptures.  Once Solomon was named King, he had his rival Adonijah killed.  It is conspicuous that even after Constantine had defeated Licinius in battle and his sister Constance pleaded for her husband’s life, Licinius was murdered.

‘Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.’ Sallust

Constantine at once went on a building spree like King Solomon.  Constantine decided to make a new capitol of the Roman Empire. 

Gonzalez:  ‘Now, as absolute master of the Empire, he set out on a bold course; he would build a ‘New Rome’ an impregnable and monumental city, which would be called Constantinople- that is, ‘city of Constantine.’

Constantine diverted resources from everywhere in the empire to build the ‘New Rome.’

‘King Solomon conscripted forced labor out of all Israel...at the king’s command; they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones.’  1 Kings 5:13, 17

Gonzalez: ‘Years later, Jerome would say that Constantinople was dressed in the nakedness of the rest of the Empire.  A number of statues of pagan gods were taken from their ancient temples and placed in such public places as the hippodrome, the public baths, or the squares.

On of the most ornate items was a statue chiseled by Phidias that stood over 125 tall.  Originally this statue was of Apollo but it was reconfigured so that the head was now in Constantine’s likeness.

‘In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid…He was seven years in building it….Solomon was building his own house thirteen years.   1 Kings 6:37 – 7:1

For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods.’ 1 Kings 11:4

Not long after Constantine settled on the ‘New Rome’ the old one was sacked by barbarians.  The ‘New Rome’ and territories under Constantine became known as the Byzantine Empire and was a world power broker for 1000 years.

Source:  Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’