Constantine and the Creation of the Catholic Church - Essay Example

If there is one thing that, and there are more, that Constantine the Great is known for it would be his hand in the establishment of the Christian religion and the creation of a new Roman empire through Constantinople. Among the last great Roman emperors, Constantine was the foundation of what the religion has come to be today. From a minority of individuals guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ, out of the many others of its kind, it has become a powerful religion in the world. Among the most popular with millions of followers, the influence that it has brought to the world is tantamount to the cultures which it had encompassed. No other religion had a greater effect on history and the present than that of the Christian church and no other emperor had the fortitude to dismantle an empire and reposition it. What it Meant to be Emperor Saturninus, among the most vocal emperors, upon calls by his followers to go against Aurelian was quoted in one his speeches his lament against being an emperor during the middle of the 3rd century said “you little know what a poor thing it is to be an Emperor. Swords hang over our necks; on every side is the menace of spear and dart. We go in fear of our guards, in terror of our household troops. We cannot eat what we like, fight when we would, or take up arms for our pleasure. Moreover, whatever an Emperors age, it is never what it should be. Is he a grey beard? Then he is past his prime. Is he young? He has the mad recklessness of youth. You insist on making me Emperor; you are dragging me to inevitable death. But I have at least this consolation in dying, that I shall not be able to die alone” (Firth, p. 3). Contrary to the perception of power and luxury that we attribute to monarchs, we seldom take notice of the dangers and expectations from an emperor. The empire was on its way to decay. The army is disgruntled with their leaders. There wasn’t a battle won in ages and the building antagonistic reproach towards the empire has become uncontrollable. Even emperors are not exempted from the threats of assassination and sedition from his own people and relations. It was only through the upturn brought about by Claudius who was able to lead them into victory against the Goths and Aurelian who retrieved Gaul and Britain. Power was re-established to the Senate. Rome was once again at the peak of prosperity and the state was effervescent of victory (p. 4). A Portrait of Constantine the Great from the Print Room of the British Museum (From the book “Constantine the Great: The Reorganization of the Church and the Triumph of the Church” 1905) Diocletian, guided by his strong convictions that the emperor should not grow old and frail at the sight of his people decided to give up his crown at a relatively young age. This was something that had never been done before. It was an experiment that he sought to enforce. At the age of 59 he was ready to give his reign to his successor at the height of his success. As others try the best they could to cling on to power, Diocletian was the exemption as he took it upon himself to pass his scepter to the next Caesar. Even the birth of Constantine was clouded with mystery. Some English monks are said to have invented stories that he was born in Britain and claims that his mother Helena has some linkages to a kingdom and so he was the heir to the English kingdom. He was providently true to the claims as he was proclaimed emperor afterwards. His birthplace could either be Naissus or Drepanum, with more evidences pointing to the latter. He is the son of Constantius Chlorus who came from a well-to-do family but was plainly a promising soldier in the army during the time of his son’s birth. Constantius’ mother is the niece of Claudius who defeated the Goths. Constantine’s mother is assumed to have been the daughter of an innkeeper. This allowed his father a second marriage permitted by Roman laws when the wife is not of the same social status as that of her husband. This loophole regarding his mother’s background became a matter of scrutiny which Constantine’s detractors took advantage of (Firth, p. 44) There is little known fact of the early years of the future emperor. His emergence was through Diocletian’s rule with his father serving the emperor’s army. He became his protégé and most of his ruling principles were developed through the same principles Diocletian himself adhered to including the shaping of the Catholic religion which saw its first sparks when he went to Palestine under the auspices of the emperor. The historian Eusebius tells of the first time he saw Constantine. He recalls that the young man stood with so much dignity given to that someone who is born to rule. Everyone cannot help but stare at the figure that stands in the right hand of the emperor. Though he did not have the physical prowess equal to that of an army man, though he was in no way weak, he had the wisdom and virtue that many envied (Firth, pp. 43-45). It is a peculiarity in history that very little known fact is known on the early years of Constantine. The little information that is evident was his father’s call to encourage him to go with him into combat. As it was not particular of Diocletian’s policy for positions to be hereditary then there was no urgency that Constantine should have no choice but to follow in his father’s footsteps. Furthermore, his refusal to be entrenched in the army career would only taunt his dreams of a higher state position. Constantius was known for his loyalty to Diocletian while his son dreams of one day becoming emperor (Firth, p.46). There is the notion that an emperor could either be a good statesman or a good army leader. This then makes the conclusion that Constantine is a good statesman as seen in what he has done for Rome and the resulting creation of Byzantium. The Rise of Byzantium The decline of Rome as the center of political and military power of the world was already apparent. As with all great kingdoms, a state is not limited by geography. The measurement of power was through the display of colonial power. Where the emperor is located then that is where Rome is. Even from the time of Julius Caesar himself, he was known as being elusive of going back to the motherland. He opted instead to stay in foreign lands in his quest to conquer the vast world. Through this he was able to prove his strength not only as an emperor but also as general. In the end, this proved to be deadly as he was seen in an antagonistic light by members of the Senate. It has become a deadly judgment call on his part as it had caused him his own life. The sack of Rome in 410 was a pivotal turning point in the subsequent fall of Rome. Everyone was shocked and the people were at a dazed with what to do next and what will then ensue. Honorius during his reign suffered tremendous humiliation after Alaric and the Visigoths attacked Rome and blindside their defenses. Everyone thought that it was already the fall of Rome and others even believed it was already the end of the world as they have known it (Grant, p. 17). Honorius was held responsible for all this as he was not able to do anything to prevent the catastrophe. Known as a superpower of the time, it was only forthcoming that the morale of the people was at an all-time low. Rather than facing Alaric into battle with the English forces in tow, the emperor let the conqueror exhaust into retreating. It was a meek move on the part of a once proud and zealous state. The Walls of Constantinople (412) Built at the Time of Theodosius II (From the book “From Rome to Byzantium” 1998) The vast empire was already too much to handle by one man and the call for it to be divided became inevitable. The northern part of the land was prone to attacks and its division was seen as a practical step in managing its internal problems. Marcus Aurelius even sent Lucius Verus to take control of the eastern part while Valerian took hold of the east while his son Gallienus commanded over the west during his reign. Diocletian initiated a ‘quadripartive monarchy’ between himself and Maximian (Grant, p. 8). Constantine took it upon himself to move to Byzantium and call it Constantinople after himself alongside the dangers that come with it. It was a hazardous move on his part to make his capital a location that is exactly where east meets west. Constantinople had become the ruling because it is where the emperor resided. Rome had only become a thing of the past because first and foremost the emperor defines where the empire is and wherever that is would be dependent upon him. It took some time before the place took the place that it had as a replacement of Rome. There were those who were against the decision to move a western kingdom into a more or less eastern one. Some were quoted as saying to the people that they would rather “see in Constantinople the turban of a Turk than the helmet of a Latin” (Mijativich, p.124). This exemplifies the resentment and polarity of the views of the people. It took a while before Constantine had proven the merit of his actions. The old palace and the people still had the same privileges as it had before. There was also the difference between the senate of Constantinople with that of Rome as the senators were formerly craftsmen which make them more creative and purposeful in the execution of their jobs in the society. Constantine and the Creation of the Catholic Church The rise of Catholicism as the prescribed religion of an important empire had become a remarkable occurrence of history. It is almost incomprehensible that something such as the religion was chosen by Constantine himself. People, Catholics to be specific, have referred to it as the hands of God in motion. This is also why he holds the distinction of being not only a great emperor but also as a Catholic saint. He was considered to be of equal status to no less than that of the apostles for his role in the emergence of the Christian religion. Not only is he the creator of the Byzantine Empire but an important person in the Orthodox Church. He had paved the way for religious conversion and is the one person in history who had converted so many people in less time (Rev. Hardenbrook, p. 2). It was not even considered a religion but rather a group of people in and around Rome but after only a couple of centuries, Christian have taken over Roman Empire. The descendants of the first people who adhered to the faith reaped the rewards of being the only accepted religion within the surrounding rule of the kingdom. It began as a movement based upon a charismatic leader who went by teaching to the poor and was then persecuted by the Pharisees as he posed a threat to their authority (Cohen, par. 1-4). Stemming out from the persecution of the Jews, this group of people who were guided and preached by Paul and other apostles propagated the gospel of Christ. The rise of the Catholic religion led to many consequences in the history of the world. The interest over the Crusades which was bloody period marked indelibly into its history is often remarked as a driving force in the tension that has since become between the west and all other societies particularly of the Muslim world. Retrospectively, the force employed in the proliferation of the cause is not justified in its case. Geoffrey Barraclough (as quoted in Cohen, p. 3) said “We no longer regard the crusades . . . as a great movement in defense of Western Christendom, but rather as the manifestation of a new, driving, aggressive spirit which now became the mark of Western civilization. We no longer regard the Latin states of Asia Minor as outposts of civilization in a world of unbelievers, but rather as radically unstable centers of colonial exploitation.” Column of Constantine the Great (From the book “Constantine the Great: The Reorganization of the Church and the Triumph of the Church” 1905) Marked by many issues that surround it there is still no doubt that what Constantine has done for the Catholic Church is astounding. Call it divine providence or call it history at work, but the fact remains that it has developed a world in totality. The longevity of religion to date removes all doubt that it is a well-worth faith for people. The rise and fall of the Roman Empire did not end only among its emperors because Christianity lived on as its most identifiable contribution to the world. The recognition given to Constantine not only as an emperor but a venerated saint, together with his mother, makes for a truly remarkable man who is not only a part of history but shaped it into his vision. Bibliography Cohen, Shaye. "Legitimization Under Constantine." Brown University (n.d.). Firth, John B. Constantine the Great: The Roerganisation of the Empire and the Triumph of the Church. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 1905. Grant, Michael. From Rome to Byzantium. London: Routledge, Inc., 1998. Laiou, Angeliki E. and Roy R. Mottahedeh. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World. Washington, D.C.: Harvard University, 2001. Mijatovich, Chedomil. Constantine the Last Emperor of the Greeks. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1892. Rev. Hardenbrook, Thaddaeus. "Emperor Constantine the Great (306 – 337): The Importance of His Faith in the History of the Church." History & Principles of the Orthodox Church 22 January 2009. Read More