PART 2 –Empire Under Attack – Constantine The Great - GameChanger series

Summary

This historical narrative explores the life of Constantine the Great, who transformed the Roman Empire and Christianity. Born to a peasant girl and a Roman governor, Constantine rose to power amid political intrigue. His mother's adoption of Christianity and the empire's persecution of the faith likely influenced his later support. Constantine's famous vision of the Chi Rho symbol before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge is highlighted, where he claimed divine guidance, leading to a decisive victory and the beginning of Christianity's integration with the Roman state. The video suggests a merging of politics and religion, hinting at potential compromises to truth and authenticity in this union.

Takeaways

• 🏛 Constantine the Great was a pivotal figure in Roman history, known for uniting the Roman Empire and significantly influencing the rise of Christianity.
• 👑 Born to a peasant girl, Constantine's legitimacy was initially questioned, but his mother Helena's proof of his paternity by the Roman governor Flavius Constantius changed his fate.
• 🔗 Constantine's life was marked by a series of significant events that shaped the Roman Empire, including his father's rise to the rank of Caesar and Constantine's own eventual ascension to Emperor.
• 💍 Constantine's father's ambition led to the divorce of Helena and his remarriage to Theodosia, which had profound religious implications for Constantine's family.
• ✝️ Helena's adoption of Christianity after her divorce from Constantius was a significant moment, as it introduced Constantine to the faith that would later become the state religion.
• 🛡 Constantine's military service under Emperor Diocletian was instrumental in his understanding of empire management and the harsh realities of Roman rule.
• 🗝️ The religious landscape of the Roman Empire was complex, with groups like the Manikins challenging Roman authority and contributing to the persecution of Christians.
• 🚫 Diocletian's persecution of Christians was a critical period that tested the faith and resolve of the Christian community, with figures like Euthias becoming martyrs for their beliefs.
• 🏰 Constantine's march on Rome and his battle against Maxentius were defining moments in his quest for power, with the Christian symbol of the Chi Rho playing a key role in his victory.
• 🌟 The Battle of the Milvian Bridge was a turning point not just for Constantine but for the entire Roman Empire, as it led to the embrace of Christianity by the state.
• 📜 The script suggests that the merging of Roman politics and Christianity may have compromised the faith's authenticity, reflecting ongoing challenges in the relationship between religious and political power.

Q & A

Who was Constantine the Great and what was his significance?

Constantine the Great was the Emperor of Rome, known for uniting the Roman Empire and significantly influencing the shift of Rome's religion towards Christianity, thus changing the course of history and shaping our world.

How did Constantine's early life and upbringing influence his later decisions?

Constantine was born to a peasant girl and the Roman governor Flavius Constantius. His mother had to prove his paternity to soldiers, which started a chain of events that influenced his life. His upbringing and the treatment of his mother by his father, Constantius, likely instilled a resentment that influenced his later decisions.

What was the role of Emperor Diocletian in shaping Constantine's life?

Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into eastern and western sections and appointed Constantine's father, Constantius, as the junior emperor of the western empire. Constantine spent 12 formative years with Diocletian, learning how to manage an empire.

How did Constantine's mother, Helena, influence his view on Christianity?

Helena, after being divorced by Constantius and replaced by a woman of noble birth, turned to Christianity for comfort. As a member of the imperial household, her conversion had a profound impact on Constantine, possibly influencing his later affinity for the religion.

What was the significance of the Chi Rho symbol in Constantine's military campaigns?

The Chi Rho symbol, formed by the Greek letters chi and rho, was adopted by Constantine as a talisman for his army. He claimed to have seen the symbol in a dream, promising victory. It was a significant Christian symbol, and its adoption by Constantine indicated his alignment with Christianity.

What was the outcome of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge?

Constantine emerged victorious against Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Maxentius died, his army was crushed, and Constantine marched into Rome triumphantly, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics of the Roman Empire.

How did Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge impact the Roman Empire's religious landscape?

Constantine's victory led to the elevation of Christianity within the Roman Empire. Instead of offering sacrifices to Jupiter, Constantine attributed his victory to the Christian God, signaling a major shift towards Christianity as a dominant religion.

What was the impact of Constantine's rule on the global spread of Christianity?

Constantine's rule propelled Christianity from an obscure Jewish sect to a global powerhouse religion. His embrace of Christianity and the subsequent favoring of the faith throughout the empire facilitated its spread and acceptance worldwide.

What was the nature of the persecution that Christians faced under Diocletian?

Under Emperor Diocletian, Christians faced severe persecution, including dismissal from the army and palace, prohibition of worship, demolition of church buildings, public burning of scriptures, and the denial of legal rights, leading to torture, imprisonment, and death.

How did the relationship between politics and religion change during Constantine's reign?

During Constantine's reign, there was a significant merging of politics and religion. Constantine's conversion to Christianity and his subsequent support for the faith marked a new era where religious authority and political power were closely intertwined, with profound implications for the empire and the world.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Constantine the Great's Early Life and Influence

Constantine the Great, born to a peasant girl and the Roman governor Flavius Constantius, rose to become the Emperor of Rome. His early life was marked by illegitimacy and a significant influence from his mother Helena. Constantine's story is one of romance, intrigue, power, and conquest. He is known for uniting the Roman Empire and transforming the religion of Rome into Christianity, which became a global powerhouse religion. The narrative also highlights the early life parallels between Constantine and Jesus Christ, both born under questionable legitimacy in remote parts of the empire, and how their lives impacted the course of history.

05:03

👑 The Roman Empire's Political Shifts and Constantine's Family

The political landscape of the Roman Empire was complex, with Emperor Diocletian dividing it into eastern and western empires, each governed by a senior emperor (Augustus) and a junior emperor (Caesar). Constantine's father, Constantius, was appointed as Caesar of the western empire. However, Constantius' ambition led him to divorce Helena, Constantine's mother, to marry Theodosia, who had stronger political connections. This personal betrayal likely influenced Constantine's later life. Helena's subsequent adoption of Christianity and the empire's harsh persecution of Christians set the stage for significant changes in the empire's religious landscape.

10:04

🛡️ Diocletian's Persecution of Christians and Constantine's Rise

Emperor Diocletian initiated a persecution of Christians, who were seen as a threat to the empire for not worshipping the emperor. This included civil penalties, dismissal from military and palace service, destruction of church buildings, and public burning of scriptures. Despite the persecution, Christianity continued to grow. Constantine, who had been exposed to Christianity through his mother, did not convert at this time but was influenced by the faith. When Diocletian retired, Constantine saw an opportunity to seize power, fleeing to his father's side and eventually being acclaimed as the new Augustus of the western empire after his father's death.

15:04

⚔️ Constantine's Battle for Rome and Adoption of Christianity

Constantine's ambition to rule the entire Roman Empire led him to battle Maxentius, who had usurped power in Rome. Despite being a pagan, Constantine was influenced by the growing Christian presence in his household. Before the decisive battle at the Milvian Bridge, Constantine reportedly had a vision of the Chi Rho symbol, which he adopted as a talisman for victory. This event marked a pivotal moment in history where Constantine aligned himself with Christianity, leading his army to victory and subsequently entering Rome in triumph, signaling a significant shift in the empire's religious and political landscape.

20:06

🏟️ The Aftermath of the Milvian Bridge and the Fusion of Roman and Christian Empires

Following the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine's victory led to a fusion of the Roman and Christian empires. His triumphant entry into Rome without the traditional pagan sacrifices marked a departure from past practices. The Chi Rho symbol, originally a pagan symbol of good luck, was repurposed with Christian significance. Constantine's conversion, possibly more political than spiritual, had profound implications for the future of Christianity within the empire. The narrative concludes with a reflection on the challenges of maintaining faith amidst the clash of empires and the importance of staying true to one's beliefs.

25:06

📚 Offer for Further Learning and Closing Prayer

The script concludes with an offer for viewers to receive a free booklet titled 'Courage Under Fire' for further insight into the biblical perspective on the ongoing clash of empires. The offer is extended with contact details for interested parties. The program ends with a prayer for guidance and strength in the face of life's challenges, emphasizing the importance of faith and wisdom in understanding the world's events.

Keywords

💡Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great was a Roman Emperor who played a pivotal role in the transition of the Roman Empire's official religion to Christianity. In the script, he is depicted as a transformative figure who not only unified the Roman Empire but also dramatically altered the religious landscape by promoting Christianity. His actions are central to the narrative of how an 'obscure Jewish sect' became a dominant world religion.

💡Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a vast ancient civilization that at its height spanned three continents. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as the political entity that Constantine the Great ruled and expanded, and which eventually became the seat of Christian power in the West. The empire's division into eastern and western sections is a key point in the story, as it influenced Constantine's rise to power.

💡Christianity

Christianity is the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The video emphasizes how Constantine's support turned Christianity from a persecuted sect into the state religion of the Roman Empire. His adoption of the faith is portrayed as a critical moment in history that shaped the future of Western civilization and the spread of the Christian faith.

💡Diocletian

Diocletian was a Roman Emperor who is noted for his administrative reforms, including the division of the empire into eastern and western halves. The script describes him as a complex figure who faced challenges from religious sects and whose reign influenced Constantine's later actions. Diocletian's persecution of Christians is a significant event that sets the stage for Constantine's embrace of Christianity.

💡Persecution

Persecution, in the context of the video, refers to the systematic and often brutal treatment of Christians by the Roman authorities. It is highlighted as a dark period in history where Christians were seen as threats to the empire and faced severe consequences. The script uses the persecution to contrast the later acceptance and promotion of Christianity by Constantine.

💡Milvian Bridge

The Battle of the Milvian Bridge was a pivotal battle where Constantine defeated Maxentius, securing his rule over the Western Roman Empire. The video script uses this battle to illustrate Constantine's military prowess and the turning point in his favor, which was attributed to his adoption of the Christian symbol, the Chi Rho.

💡Chi Rho

The Chi Rho is an early Christian symbol formed by superimposing the first two letters of the Greek word 'Christos' (Christ). In the script, it is described as the symbol that Constantine claimed to have seen in a vision, which he then used as a talisman for his army. The Chi Rho is central to the narrative of Constantine's conversion and the merging of the Roman and Christian empires.

💡Maxentius

Maxentius was a Roman Emperor who is portrayed in the video as Constantine's rival. His defeat at the Milvian Bridge by Constantine is a key event in the script, illustrating the shift in power and the beginning of Constantine's reign as the emperor who would change the course of history by embracing Christianity.

💡Helena

Helena, mother of Constantine, is mentioned in the script as a key influence on his eventual conversion to Christianity. Despite being divorced by Constantine's father and facing social stigma, Helena's adoption of the Christian faith is presented as a significant factor in Constantine's life and his later support for Christianity.

💡Pagan

Paganism refers to a variety of religious traditions and beliefs that were prevalent in the Roman Empire before the rise of Christianity. The script contrasts pagan practices with the emerging Christian faith, highlighting the cultural and religious shift that occurred under Constantine's rule. The term is used to emphasize the religious diversity and the conflict that Constantine navigated.

💡Caesar

Caesar was a title used for Roman leaders, often subordinate to an Emperor. In the script, it is used to describe the position held by Constantine's father, Constantius, and later by Constantine himself before he became the Emperor. The term is important for understanding the hierarchy of power within the Roman Empire and Constantine's rise through the ranks.

Highlights

Constantine the Great built a new Rome and a new religion, merging them into an empire that lasted for centuries.

Constantine is known for uniting the Roman Empire and propelling Christianity to a global religion.

Constantine's early life was marked by illegitimacy and a connection to the Roman governor Flavius Constantius.

Constantine's father divorced his mother Helena to marry a woman with political connections, influencing Helena's turn to Christianity.

Christianity was a persecuted sect during Constantine's time, with followers facing torture and death.

Constantine's exposure to Christianity likely began in his father's household, where his mother and stepmother were converts.

Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into eastern and western sections to better manage it.

Constantine's father, Constantius, was appointed junior emperor of the western Roman Empire by Diocletian.

Diocletian faced a military revolt from the Manikins, a religious sect with beliefs similar to Christianity.

Diocletian's persecution of Christians began with civil penalties, escalating to the destruction of churches and scriptures.

Christians were seen as threats to the empire for not worshiping the emperor.

Constantine's rise to power was marked by his bravery in battle and his father's army's support.

Constantine's march toward Rome was influenced by the growing Christian presence in his household.

Constantine's famous battle symbol, the Chi Rho, was adopted from pagan use and given a Christian meaning.

The Battle of the Milvian Bridge was a pivotal moment where Constantine defeated Maxentius and entered Rome in triumph.

Constantine's victory procession broke tradition by not offering sacrifices to Jupiter, instead honoring the Christian god.

The merging of Roman and Christian empires under Constantine changed the course of Western civilization.

The challenge for Christianity was to maintain its authenticity after being embraced by the emperor.

The story of Constantine illustrates the ongoing clash of empires and the importance of faith amidst chaos.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Applause]

constantine the great

emperor of rome

caesar augustus

he built a new rome

and a new religion

he merged them into an empire that

lasted for centuries

and changed the world

his forever

authority and influence shaped our world

this is his story

a story of romance

intrigue power

and conquest

constantine degrade

game changer

[Music]

the world knows him as constantine the

great conqueror who managed to unite the

roman empire and the man who turned the

religion of rome completely on its head

he's known as the man who propelled an

obscure jewish sect

into the global powerhouse religion

we now know

as christianity

but what most people don't know

is how this incredible man got his start

and how profoundly his roots shaped his

thinking and then the thinking of the

whole world

he was born to a peasant girl who had to

prove to a group of soldiers that her

son's father was the governor of the

roman province of dalmatia

a powerful and influential man named

flavius constantius

but once that happened

once she produced indisputable proof

that the roman governor was her baby's

father

it started a chain of events that rocked

the whole planet and changed the course

of history

constantine grew up to become emperor of

rome and his life was destined to cross

that of another great world leader jesus

christ

at first glance the similarities between

the early lives of constantine and jesus

are astonishing they were both born

under a cloud of illegitimacy

in a remote corner of the empire

no one could have imagined their future

destinies

that they would in different ways

establish empires and rule the world

and when these empires collided

the results were incredible

the impact determined the very shape of

our civilization

but there's a strange twist to this

clash of empires

there's more than meets the eye

in fact it's one of the biggest secrets

of history

stay with us

to find out all about it

[Music]

when we left helena and her son

constantine at the end of episode 1

they seem to have it made

instead of abandoning them

constantine's father constantius

has called them away from nicest just a

small town really

to come and live with him in the

governor's palace

constantius has actually married helena

and both she and her son are being

educated in all the arts of cultured

roman civilization

what could possibly go wrong

the emperor at the time was diocletian

he had become emperor through some

rather murky circumstances

and historians have long suspected

that he had murdered the previous

emperor

when diocletian took the reigns of power

he soon found that running a vast empire

that stretched from england to north

africa and from spain to the far reaches

of the middle east

without the technology that we take for

granted today was a huge job

he needed to find people he could trust

to help him run the empire

that's why in ad283

the emperor diocletian

divided the empire into two sections

an eastern empire and a western empire

then he divided responsibility for its

administration

among four men

on each side of the empire there was an

augustus the senior emperor and there

was also a caesar the junior to the

augustus

and so it happened the diocletian

appointed constantius the governor of

dalmatia as the junior emperor of the

western roman empire with the title of

caesar

this had consequences for constantine

and his mother

you see constantius now had ambitions to

reach the top

and he decided to get rid of helena

he saw her as a substandard wife

she was still just a peasant really

not the right sort of companion for an

emperor

so he divorced helena and he upgraded to

a more appropriate wife theodosia who

had powerful political connections

she was the daughter of his senior

emperor maximian

a woman who was 26 years younger than he

was

although constantius did it for very

good political reasons

you can imagine the impact this had on

helena when she heard that she was going

to be replaced by a much younger woman

who was of noble roman blood

many historians believe

that it was at this point that helena

turned for comfort outside of the

traditions of rome and embraced the

christian faith

the implications of this were staggering

a member of one of the highest ranking

households in the empire

now belonged to a sect that the empire

hated

with a passion

you see at that time it was a crime to

be a christian

they faced severe persecution at the

hands of the romans

christians worshiped god and not the

emperor

and so they were seen as a threat to the

empire and faced torture prison and

death

thousands were massacred

and that's the faith that constantine's

mother had adopted

so now let's go back to constantine

it's not hard to understand

that constantine

probably harbored resentment for the

rest of his life

at how his mother had been treated when

she was cast off by his father

constantius

now a grown man

constantine was given the rank of

centurion

and sent east to work for the emperor

who was always traveling

checking on the administration of the

empire and inspecting its defenses

these 12 years he spent with the emperor

diocletian must have been formative

he learned how to manage an empire by

watching how diocletian did it

and diocletian

wasn't a very nice person at all

around that time the emperor diocletian

was forced to deal with a serious threat

to his power

and it came from an unlikely source

it came from a religious sect called the

manikins which had a power base in egypt

this group had been founded by a persian

called manny

now many call himself an apostle of

christ

even though he promoted beliefs that

were at odds with christianity such as

reincarnation

however manny did borrow heavily from

christianity

as well as from other faiths such as

buddhism

zoroastrianism and hinduism

now the romans didn't generally care

what you believed in

as long as you didn't do what the

manikins did in egypt

they staged a military revolt

and at this point

their religious beliefs

suddenly became a big issue

diocletian

brutally quashed the rebellion in egypt

literally sending the manikins to the

salt mines

and constantine was right there

alongside his emperor

now the romans couldn't really

differentiate between the christians and

the manikins they couldn't tell them

apart

and diocletian's junior emperor in the

east caesar galerius

hated christians with a passion

so he started putting pressure on

diocletian to do something about these

so-called nasty christians who are

undermining the empire

at around the same time the pagan

philosopher porphyry

started to publish a text against the

christian faith

he was a highly educated man

and his attacks were so strong that

christians continued to defend

themselves against them

long after his death

so eventually

diocletian decided that he needed to do

something about the christians

but he knew that persecuting christians

in the past hadn't worked

the more of them that were killed the

more they grew in numbers

so he decided to start with civil

penalties first

the first thing the emperor did was to

dismiss all the christians in the army

and then all the christians who worked

in the palace

however when this didn't seem to have

any impact

diocletian issued an edict against

christians to be enforced throughout the

empire including in the west

they no longer had a right to worship

their church buildings were to be

demolished and their scriptures publicly

burned

christians were denied their rights so

that anyone could attack them and steal

from them with impunity

they were effectively non-persons

a few months later the leaders of the

church were rounded up and told that if

they didn't offer sacrifices to the

emperor like everyone else

they would be put to death

then this edict was posted up in public

places

that same day a christian by the name of

euthes lost his temper and ripped the

edict down trampling it on the ground

he was immediately arrested and taken

before the magistrate

when the judge told him what the likely

penalty would be

euthius answered if you kill me you will

not give me death but life eternal

i pity you

the judge replied

you are an idiot

but the law does not exempt idiots from

just punishment

take him away

torture him and then burn him on the

stake

guards took euthias tortured him all

night and when the sun rose they tied

him to a stake and burned him to death

it was reported that he suffered death

with admirable patience and in peace

what the emperor diocletian wanted was

for christians to come to their senses

according to him and offer sacrifices to

the gods

but they never did

they refused

euthias was the first victim of the

infamous diocletian persecution

but he wasn't the last

there were many

by april of ad304

merely being a christian incurred the

death penalty

yes

it was a deadly crime to be a christian

in actual practice however

the persecution of the christians wasn't

universal or uniform across the empire

it was much worse in the east because

gallerius hated christianity

in fact in the west of the empire it

wasn't always so bad

that's where constantius was the caesar

the second in command

this brings us back to constantius and

helena

because after constantius divorced

helena and married theodosia

they had a daughter whom they named

anastasia

now this is significant because this is

a christian name meaning resurrection

though divorced helena was still part of

the imperial household

maybe this christian name was somehow

due to her influence

or perhaps it was the influence of other

christians in the palace

we'll never really know

however it seems obvious that christians

were influential in the household of

constantius

it seems likely that constantine had

been exposed to the christian faith

before he went to live with diocletian

however unlike his mother he didn't

become a christian at that time

but this might explain his later

affinity for the religion

[Music]

shortly after his persecution of the

christians began

diocletian did something

that no other roman emperor had ever

done before

he decided that he was too old to rule

and so for the good of the empire he

chose to retire while he was still at

the top of his game

diocletian contacted the senior emperor

in the west maximian

and he suggested that they should both

step aside and promote their seconds in

command to the top position

soon after this

constantine saw his opportunity

to seize power

and the key to power

was his father's army

so constantine fled the palace into

comedia where he was based

and traveled westward as fast as he

could go

he was so desperate to get away and

reach his father

that he killed every horse along the

imperial highway to stop any pursuers

constantine and his father were reunited

in gaul where they fought a battle

together against the pigs a fierce tribe

from the british isles

in that battle

constantine fought so bravely and

magnificently

that the army honoured the request of

his dying father

and on the 25th of july

ad 306

the men took his father's purple cape

and acclaimed him as augustus

the ruler of the western empire

but constantine didn't just want the

west

he wanted the entire empire

but he still had powerful opposition

so constantine was both smart and

patient

he just waited for the right opportunity

to present itself

and he didn't have to wait long

maxentius was the son of the retired

western augustus maximian

and he thought that he should rule the

empire

so he convinced the city of rome

to rebel against constantine

now constantine was still a pagan who

sacrificed to apollo before every battle

however the christian influence in his

household had continued to grow

not only his mother

but now his stepmother theodosia had

also converted and she even kept a

christian minister right on the premises

so now

constantine began his long march toward

rome and his date with destiny

fighting his way against maxentius's

forces

constantine wasn't just a great leader

he was also an inspirational fighter who

led from the front

and then he camped a little distance

outside of rome itself

the battle lines were drawn

inside rome

maxentius made a most unusual

pre-emptive strike

he consulted the sacred sibilene

a collection of pagan prophecies

to see if he could find a prophecy there

about who would win the coming battle

with constantine

the answer he got was and i quote

tomorrow

the enemy of rome

will perish

maxentius was delighted because as far

as he was concerned the enemy of rome

was none other than constantine

however the sibilene prophecy

also meant that there had to be a battle

the next day

and constantine was showing no sign of

attacking

which meant that maxentius would have to

strike first

camped outside the city a messenger

brought constantine the bad news

maxentius claimed he had discovered a

prophecy

that predicted that he would win and

constantine would be killed now the

romans were very superstitious

and constantine saw the spirit of his

men fall

as the news spread throughout his army

constantine knew

that he needed to come up with his own

omen to bolster his men's spirits ahead

of the coming battle

and that's when one of the most famous

episodes in world history

suddenly unfolded

and this is the point where the stories

of jesus and constantine

actually begin to merge

the message of jesus christ was

spreading around the world

and it had reached the very heart of the

empire rome itself

it had even captured the allegiance of

members of constantine's own family

his inner circle

and now

as he faces his greatest challenge at

the gates of rome

and desperate for supernatural powers to

protect him from harm and bring in

victory

constantine

reaches out

and embraces christianity and the empire

of jesus christ

it's a clash of cultures beliefs and

faiths but constantine

throws in his lot and aligns himself

with christianity

and under its banner

constantine came up with his own

talisman

the rho

now the chi ro

is really two greek letters blended

together

the letter c h i

which looks like our letter x

but is really a ch and the letter rho

which looks like our letter p but is

really the letter r

it's widely recognized as a christian

symbol because together the two letters

are the first letters in the word christ

chr

constantine told his men that he had

seen the symbol in a dream and that the

army had to put it on their shields

because it was a guarantee that they

would win

there's a legend for which no evidence

exists

that while the army had still been in

gaul on its way to rome

that constantine and indeed the whole

army

had seen a cross of light superimposed

on the sun

attached to it in greek were the words

in this sign

you will conquer

and so through constantine the two

empires clash

and merge

roman christianity

become entwined and interlinked

but there's a strange twist to this

merger

there's more than meets the eye

because whenever politics and religion

unite

there's always a very real danger that

truth will suffer and be compromised

and that is evident in this new merger

right from the start

in fact it's one of the biggest secrets

of history

you see the cairo

wasn't a new symbol at all

it predates constantine and even

predates christ and christianity

the cairo was commonly used by pagans to

mean good luck

originally it was a pagan symbol

but it was adopted by constantine given

a christian connotation

and at least his army now had a good

omen a sign that the gods would help

them liberate the city of rome from

axentius

constantine's conversion it has often

been said

smack more of expedience and

superstition

than genuine religious awakening

what happened next was the famous battle

of the milvian bridge

early in the morning

maxentius's army launched a surprise

attack against constantine across the

milvian bridge outside rome

maxentius was certain he would win

he significantly outnumbered

constantine's army and he had the

sibylline prophecy on his side

what could possibly go wrong

but constantine was ready

his counter-attack was deadly fast and

ferocious

he attacked maxentius's army before they

could even get back over the bridge to

safety

in the middle of the battle

maxentius found himself pushed off his

horse and over the bridge into the water

his heavy armor meant he had no chance

his mud-covered body was found lying in

the reeds the next morning

the battle was brutal and lasted all day

until mid-afternoon

at the end of it maxentius was dead his

army had been crushed and constantine

was the victor

on the 29th of october ad312

constantine and his army rode

triumphantly into the city

their shields emblazoned with the cairo

symbol

and constantine

entered with maxentius's head on a spear

that was unusual

but there was something else that was

highly unusual about constantine's

victory procession

the custom was that the conquering hero

would make his way to the capitoline

hill where he would offer sacrifices of

the temple of jupiter

but this time

there was no sacrifice

jupiter didn't get the credit

this time

the honour went to the christian god

constantine had been influenced by his

mother's religion and embraced

christianity in his hour of need

the two empires had always been at war

but now they had clashed in a very

different way

now

religion and politics

came together in a way that they never

had before

and with momentous consequences

from that moment on

nothing in the western world would ever

be the same again

christianity had survived the

persecution of the empire

but could it now survive the embrace of

the emperor and maintain its

authenticity and purity

that's the challenge we all face when it

comes to matters of faith

being genuine and being faithful

because the clash of empires continues

we experience it in our daily lives

and it's a clash that can bring apathy

and the temptation to compromise

that's why the bible continually calls

us to be faithful

here's what it says in revelation

chapter 2 verses 10 and 11.

do not fear be faithful

and i will give you the crown of life

he who overcomes

shall not be hurt by the second death

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have you ever wondered about the chaos

and confusion that we see in our world

today

have you ever wondered if god is in

control of our earth

well if you'd like to find out more

about what the bible says concerning the

clash of two empires we see vying for

power in our world today

then i'd like to recommend the free gift

we have for all our incredible journey

viewers today

it's the booklet

courage under fire

this booklet will take you behind the

scenes

and give you inside information

about what's going on in our world today

this booklet is our gift to you and is

absolutely free

i guarantee there are no costs or

obligations whatsoever

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if you've enjoyed today's journey

through history as we followed the

greatest clash of empires this world has

ever seen

then be sure to join us again next week

when we will share another of life's

journeys together

until then

join me as we pray and ask for god's

leading and guidance in our lives

dear lord

we thank you that you are there when

there's a clash of empires and trouble

in our lives help us to be the faithful

people you desire us to be

we recognize that you are stronger than

all of the evil in the world that seeks

to do us harm and deceive us

give us wisdom to discern what is

happening in our world today

and teach us to trust you

so that we may be overcomers and receive

your crown of life in the end

in jesus name we pray

amen

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