HIST 210: The Early Middle Ages, 284-1000
Lecture 03 - Constantine and the Early Church. 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 stroke 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. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 03 - Constantine and the Early Church |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. Introduction |
| [00:07:03] | 2. Constantine's Rise to Power |
| [00:10:12] | 3. The Battle of the MilvianBridge and Constantine's Conversion |
| [00:17:01] | 4. Constantine as a Christian Emperor |
| [00:23:50] | 5. The City of Constantinople |
| [00:31:32] | 6. Constantine intervenes in Church Doctrine |
| [00:39:38] | 7. Constantine and Diocletian |
| References |
| Lecture 3 - Constantine and the Early Church Instructor: Professor Paul H. Freedman. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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