Constantine was born in 274 CE and was the son of Flavius Valerius Constantius, who was an army officer, and Helena. After Constantine’s father was made the rank of Caesar, he left Helena and took Constantine with him so he would be brought up in the Eastern Empire.
In 305 CE, Galerius Valerius Maximinus and Flavius Valerius Severus were in power, but Constantius was furious that Constantine was overlooked for that position. Together, Constantius and Constantine met in Britain and fought battles in the North before Constantius died. When Maximian was rejected by his son, Maxentius, he joined Constantine in battle. In 312, Constantine invaded Italy and defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. After the battle at the Milvian Bridge, Constantine made an alliance with Licinius, who would be the sole Eastern emperor, but Constantine attacked Licinius in 324 and became the sole emperor of the East and West.
After Constantine defeated Licinius, he renamed Byzantium as Constantinople. He wanted this city to be influenced by his ideas and in his eyes create a second Rome. Constantine had an interest in building churches around his city and his empire, thus creating at least 9. While Constantine was preparing for battle against the Persians, he fell ill and died in 337.
Timeline
274: Constantine was born to Falvius Valerius Constantinus and Helena.
305: Constantine became co-emperor with his father.
306: For 20 years, Constantine fought invasions and had to combat his rivals in order to be successor to the throne.
312: Battle at the Milvian Bridge.
313: Created the Edict of Milan, which gave validity to Christians and called for complete religious tolerance.
324: Had his last victory over Licinius, so now Constantine controlled the whole empire.
324: Constantine took Byzantium and changed it to Constantinople.
325: Constantine calls the Council of Nicaea to settle the Arian dispute concerning Jesus Christ. The First Council of Nicaea also established the Nicene Creed, which was deemed as the official doctrine of the religion.
326: Constantine began building his new capital, Constantinople.
337: Constantine died near Nicomedia.
Works Cited
Constantine I. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 10 Aug. 2008
"Constantine the Great," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008. 7 Aug. 2008