Battle of the Milvian Bridge

In the battle of the Milvian Bridge ( Saxa Rubra also Battle of ) on 28 October 312, Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius, becoming the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire. Due to the subsequent government measures Constantine the battle comes to a far beyond significance.

Prehistory

Constantine was after the death of Galerius 311 together with Maxentius ( 306-312 ), Maximinus Daia ( 310-313 ) and Licinius ( 308-324 ) one of the four emperors of the Roman Tetrarchy and dominated mainly Gaul and Britain. Maxentius was, as Constantine, the son of an emperor ( Maximian ), who did not want to be bound by the rules of the Tetrarchy his hereditary rights.

In the spring of 312, Constantine marched into Italy. Maxentius was well prepared, he had attach several cities in northern Italy also. Numerically, his forces were probably superior; he is said to have has 100,000 men, of which a part had gathered in northern Italy. Konstantin could only carry a quarter of his total army, or about 40,000 men, due to the threat to the Rhine frontier. After Constantine had won several victories in northern Italy, Maxentius awaited him in Rome with the Praetorian Guard and troops, which should probably have been still superior in numbers Constantine's army.

Course of the battle

The Milvian Bridge, Latin Pons Milvius, now Italian Ponte Milvio was the Tiber bridge of the Via Flaminia, right in front of Rome.

The battle took place on October 28, 312; Constantine and Maxentius drowned in the Tiber won, which Constantine was sole ruler of the West. The victory of Constantine is entirely without " divine assistance " (see below) can be explained by strategic mistakes of his opponent. The troops of Maxentius fought last with his back to the Tiber and therefore had no retreat.

Modern research often assumes that the ( Christian ) Reports on the battlefield distort the facts: It is unlikely that the experienced strategist Maxentius has really committed such serious tactical error without need. Presumably, the actual battle took place not at the Milvian bridge, but about 7 miles to the north at Saxa Rubra instead. The troops of Maxentius, who had remained in Rome, Constantine's army would obviously allow an apparent breakthrough and encircle him. The Milvian bridge itself had previously let you tear down and built a temporary bridge next to it. As the vanguard of Maxentius retired to the river interrupted during its troops but soon from open panic.

Had the battle plan of Maxentius work, so Constantine would have been caught between the Tiber and the army of Maxentius. This would also explain the otherwise completely incomprehensible destruction of the bridge by the troops of Maxentius. It came instead to a disorderly flight. As Maxentius heard thereof, he left Rome, and tried, together with its elite units, to stabilize the situation again. This failed, and he came to the Tiber. On the Tiber itself it also happened probably no battle in the true sense.

Follow

Already the Edict of Emperor Galerius adopted in the year 311 finished essentially the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Also for Maxentius can be, unlike the konstantin friendly sources suggest, not prove anti-Christian policy. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge still marks but from a later perspective along with the Milan agreement the transition to a christians friendly policies, as Constantine 's victory apparently attributed to the work of the God of the Christians. However, the Emperor was busy until his death, in his " inclusive rhetoric " to accommodate the various cults of his kingdom. So may (but only occasionally ) be dated until 325 sol- Comes coins that represent Constantinople, together with the sun god Sol Invictus. Also Sunday decree of 321 also does not contain explicit references to Christianity. After 312 there is also no evidence of promotion of pagan cults. In the West, Constantine had already adapted to the circumstances, since his sole rule 324, he then promoted Christianity massive than before. It is likely that Constantine the sun god finally took to Christianity, although it must remain open to what Constantine actually meant by " his God ".

The vision of Constantine

About the Vision of Constantine on the eve of the battle, there are various representations that contradict each other partially.

A relatively soon after the events, around the year 317 wrote representation provides Lactantius in de mortibus persecutorum ( Lact. mp 44.1-9 ): He tells of a dream of Constantine, which prompted them to leave a Staurogramm attach on the shields.

The best known version is Eusebius of Caesarea in the Vita Constantini ( Eus. BC 1.27 to 32 ) again: On a march sometime before the battle Constantine and his army had lunch a cross of light above the sun with the words (or an icon? ) " Eν τούτω νίκα " (En touto nika, Greek: " In this [ sign ] of victory " ) seen. This character was not Constantine long been clear why him in the night before the battle Jesus Christ had appeared with the seen characters and had instructed its use as a protective and a sign of victory. Then was the labarum, with a Christogram ornate, cruciform vexillum, were manufactured and used.

However, the representation of Eusebius, which probably goes back to statements made by Constantine himself is only later, in the mid- 320s years emerged. At this time only the Labarum also been introduced. Another report can be found among others in the church history of Eusebius ( Eus. he 9,9,1-5 ). A description of the vision of pagan view probably has a Latin panegyric of the year 310 or 313

Do not rule out is a real core of the reports, such as a natural phenomenon, like a halo, in which, under certain atmospheric conditions, sunlight is refracted and thereby circular and cross structures are visible. In this sense, as the traditional in another source "Miracle of Grand " in Gaul could be classified from the year 310, which saw Constantine: a celestial phenomenon, the ( still here with respect to Apollo ) indicated an anonymous panegyrists as a divine sign, which likely to vote happened to the imperial court. Under Christian influence Constantine finally may have actually believed he was entitled to the God of the Christians to the side and he fulfilled a divine destiny. In this sense, the later reports were additionally decorated and served the Constantinian rule propaganda.

Several researchers believe that for Constantine the sun vision of 310 was crucial. Accordingly, initially joined in his imagination Sol and Christians God before he definitely attributed the phenomenon to the Christian God at Grand and resigned " solar elements." It is certain that Constantine finally attributed his victory at the Milvian Bridge 312 on the support of the Christian God and now fully prevailed in the West.