Constantine, I believe, was the greatest Emperor the Romans ever had. In fact, he is often called by the historian community as the greatest ruler of the Late Antiquity. His powerful personality and strength of character was held in high regard throughout the ancient world. As a military leader he was unsurpassed in his time with his victory at Milvian Bridge being his crowning achievement. No one could touch him.
Constantine was born Flavius Valerius Constantius on February 27 271 A.D. He was born in Naissus in the province of Moesia Superior. His father was a military officer named Constantius while his mother a woman of humble background named Helena. It is not known for sure whether his mother and father were married or not but it is believed that they lived in concubinage.
Having previously attained the rank of tribune and provincial governor, Constantius was raised to the rank of Caesar after the retirement of Diocletian in 305 A.D. He served, however for only a year, because he died mysteriously in 306 A.D. on the battlefield during the campaign against Britain. Constantine was at his side when he died even though he had lived away from his father for years. The soldiers then immediately declared him Augustus and he was looked upon as the leader of most of the empire. Having settled affairs in Britain swiftly, he returned to the Continent, where the city of Augusta Treverorum served as his principal residence for the next six years.
Even though Constantine already had a son out of wedlock he married for the first time to Maximian's daughter Fausta in 307. At the same time the Sen ...