Constantine the Great - How His Early Years Shaped His Development

Flavius Valerius Constantinus or Constantine the Greatpersecution initiated by Diocletian and Galerius against
exercised immense power as Roman emperor. Hethe Christians. When he came to power, these
shaped the development of the world by becomingexperiences would shape his decisions.
the first Christian emperor and making ConstantinopleApart from administration, Constantine also learnt the
the capital of the Roman Empire. Yet he was not bornarts of war. He accompanied Diocletian and his
superhuman. He spent his early life as a hostage atCaesar Galerius into many battles in the Middle East.
the mercy of the Roman emperor Diocletian. His timeHis tenure as military tribune under these emperors
as a hostage however would have a profound impactwas successful. By participating in these battles, he
on his life. In this article, I shall show how the earlydeveloped the military ability needed to seize the
years of Constantine shaped his development.Roman Empire for himself.
Origin of Constantine the GreatHow Constantine regained control of his destiny
It is difficult to know anything about Constantine withIn 305, Diocletian decided it was time for him and a
certainty. This is because propaganda embellished allreluctant Maximian to abdicate. Constantius became
aspects of his life. Thus, the exact year and the placethe Western Augustus, while Galerius became the
of his birth are unknown. He was probably born onEastern Augustus. Because his father was now
February 27, around 272 at Naissus; modern day Nis inAugustus, many expected Constantine to become his
Serbia.successor. But the Tetrarchy was not hereditary by
His father was Constantius Chlorus (the Pale) whonature. Instead, Galerius, who had greater power,
came from a humble background. According toappointed his partisans, Severus and Maximinus II Daia,
Michael Grant, Constantius was the son of a goat-herdas the new Caesars.
and a freedman's daughter. But he rose from a lowlyThis turn of events left Constantine humiliated. Coming
soldier in the Roman army to become emperor of theto the obvious conclusion that he had little future at the
Western Roman Empire. An able military commander,court of Galerius, Constantine began to look for a
Constantius inspired loyalty in his soldiers. Although hepretext to escape. Constantius, probably aware of his
was uneducated, he had an interest in philosophy andson's predicament, sent a letter to Galerius requesting
encouraged learning through his decrees that favouredConstantine's aid in Britain.
intellectuals.Propaganda suggests that Constantine secured the
Constantine's mother Helena also came from a humbleapproval of Galerius after a heavy night of drinking.
background. She was allegedly a stable-maid. TheThen, without waiting for Galerius to change his mind,
exact nature of her relationship with Constantius isConstantine fled that very night. Due to the danger of
unknown. Constantius, who was a high ranking Romanbeing caught, he hamstringed the horses at every
officer when he met her, may not have been able topost-house he passed.
make her his legal wife. In any case ConstantiusThe truth of this story is uncertain. But the fact remains
married Theodora, the daughter of the Romanthat before the summer of 305, Constantine had
emperor Maximian, around 290. Although Helena livedreunited with his father in Gaul. In doing so, he
in obscurity, she became influential during the reign ofsuccessfully escaped from the clutches of Galerius
her son Constantine.and the interception of Severus along the way. Now
What Constantine learnt at Diocletian's courthe had greater control and the means to fulfil his
From a young age, Constantine lived at the court ofdestiny.
the Eastern Roman emperor Diocletian in Nicomedia.Reflections of the Vizier
To ensure the loyalty of Constantius, it was likely thatThe early life of Constantine was difficult. But he never
Diocletian held Constantine hostage. Diocletian becameallowed his circumstances to overwhelm him.
Augustus in 284. He was responsible for dividing theSurrounded by danger, he could have indulged in
Roman Empire into the East and the West. Bothself-pity. Or he could have jeopardized his life through
regions would have an Augustus (senior emperor) anda reckless escape. Instead, he made the best use of
a Caesar (junior emperor). Each emperor wouldhis time as a hostage to develop the abilities needed to
manage their allocated regions. The aim of thissurvive and rule. Passed over for promotion to Caesar,
reorganization, known as the Tetrarchy, was to dealConstantine shaped his circumstances once more. This
with conflicts on multiple fronts in the Roman Empire.time he left the court of Galerius.
Although he was a hostage at Nicomedia, ConstantineWhat are your thoughts about the early life of
made the best of his circumstances. He received hisConstantine? What would you have done differently
education from the intellectuals whom Diocletianand why?
patronized. Although Constantine developed a lifelongLook out for my next article where Constantine
dedication to learning, he was never an intellectual. Thestruggles for supremacy in the Roman Empire.
subtleties of the abstract theological disputes he facedReferences:
as sole emperor would prove to be beyond hisGrant, Michael. The Emperor Constantine. England:
comprehension.Orion Books Ltd, 1998.
Due to the dangers of court intrigues, ConstantineNorwich, John Julius. Byzantium: The Early Centuries.
learnt the arts of a courtier as well. His training inEngland: Penguin Books, 1990.
treachery would be used to great effect later in life.Treadgold, Warren. A History of the Byzantine State
More importantly, Constantine had a chance to witnessand Society. California: Stanford University Press, 1997.
firsthand the strengths and weakness of Diocletian'sCopyright © 2009 Neo Byzantium All rights
government. He also saw the futility of the greatreserved.