Famous Men of Rome · Ch. XXVIII · Unit 6: The later Empire and its fall
41. Constantine the Great
Goal: Your child can tell the story of Constantine's vision, how he favored the Christians, and why he founded Constantinople.
You'll need
- The book, open to this chapter
- A map of Italy and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
- Paper and colored pencils
- Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
What's in the book
Chapter XXVIII: after a hundred years of poor emperors, six men claim the title. Constantine marches from Gaul and defeats Maxentius near Rome. He tells of seeing a cross of fire with the words "By this, conquer," becomes a Christian, favors the Church, disbands the Praetorian Guards, defeats Licinius to rule alone, and moves the capital to Byzantium, renamed Constantinople.
The lesson, step by step
Set the scene
Find Rome, then the narrow water between Europe and Asia at the entrance to the Black Sea. Say: The city of Byzantium stood there. Today it is Istanbul, in Turkey.
Read the chapter
Read Chapter XXVIII aloud. It begins:
For more than a hundred years after the time of Marcus Aurelius none of the Roman emperors did anything great or remarkable.
Tell it back
Prompts:
- Why were there six emperors at once?
- What did Constantine say he saw in the sky, and what did he dream?
- What changes did he make for the Christians?
- Why did he move the capital?
Remember it
Read the words of the vision:
The words are sometimes given in the Latin form, In hoc signo vinces, the translation of which is, "Through this sign thou shalt conquer."
Say it in Latin together. Then read the words the people put on his arch:
to the founder of our peace.
SayThe Arch of Constantine still stands in Rome, near the Colosseum.
What historians say now
The book says Constantine made Christianity the religion of the empire. Say: Historians today say he made it allowed and favored. It became the empire's official religion a few emperors later.
Talk it over
Ask: For hundreds of years Christians were hunted in Rome. Now the emperor is one of them. How do you think Roman Christians felt?
Extra (optional)
Add "Constantinople, the new capital" to the timeline and draw the Labarum, the cross-shaped standard with a banner.
Answers to the book's problems
Generals and armies kept declaring their commanders emperors. He saw a great cross of fire with words in Greek meaning "By this, conquer," and dreamed that Christ promised him victory if he made the cross his standard. He made Christians officers, built churches and put the cross on shields and banners. He wanted a capital more central than Rome.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.