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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GinoLR, post: 8135390, member: 128351&quot;]It is true that Constantine&#039;s reign was &quot;instrumental in the establishment of Christianity as the predominant religion of the then pagan Roman Empire&quot;, to quote your post. But let us not forget that Constantine himself was not baptized until on his deathbed. He considered himself as the emperor of all the Romans, Christians and Pagans. </p><p>I remember having read an ancient text about the foundation of Constantinople, and I cannot remember of which author <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie23" alt=":bigtears:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Eusebius? A Pagan one? </p><p>In fact Constantinopolis was not founded by Constantine as a Christian city. Saint Sophia, Saint Irene, the Holy Apostles church were not churches at all in Constantine&#039;s project when he commissioned these monuments. The Holy Apostles church was dedicated as a church by his successor Constantius II who was a Christian (Arian). In the first place Constantine designed it as a lavish rotunda-shaped mausoleum for himself. Sophia and Irene were not saints, there were never before 330 women or girls of that name who had been martyrized for their Christian faith. Sophia was Wisdom and Irene was Peace, two abstractions - like there was in Rome temples of Concordia or Pax. </p><p>The spirit of Constantine&#039;s initial project was founding a new capital where Christians of all sects and Pagans would live together in peace, under the wise administration of the enlightened emperor. It is under Constantius II that Christians rose to supremacy.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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