Constantine the Great (c. 280-337), the first Christian Roman Emperor, was installed by Roman troops in 306 after distinguishing himself in the Egyptian and Persian wars during the reign of Diocletian. Maxentius initially challenged him for the throne; however in 312, at Milvian Bridge, Constantine defeated Maxentius after seeing a vision of a cross in the sky with the inscription “By this conquer.” In 313 Constantine signed the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity a legal religion. An insightful administrator he knew that one of the best ways to govern such a large empire was to unite his subjects under the banner of one faith. He made Christianity the official religion and began placing believers in high positions, establishing schools, building churches, and setting aside Sunday as a day for church attendance. He also called the ecumenical council in Nicea in 325 to settle the disputes over the person and nature of Jesus. Despite all of this he was not baptized until shortly before his death. He ended the persecutions and made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire – actions that together launched the explosive growth of the faith.
