What was Constantine cultural and ethnic background?

Answer 1

It is not clear whether Constantine the Great (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) a full Roman or a half Roman and half Bithynian. He was born in Naissus (present day Nis, southern Serbia) in the Roman province of Dardania which was in the Roman Diocese of Moesia (the Balkan Peninsula west of the river Danube and north Greece). His father Constantius Chlorus (Marcus Flavius Valerius Constantius) was a Roman native of Dardania. Very little is known about the early life of his mother Helena (or St Helena). It was said that she was a Bithynian woman of low social standing. Bithynia was an area in north-western Turkey which was part of the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus. The sources do not clarify whether she was a Roman of a Bithynian. It probably did not matter because by then Bithynia was thoroughly Latinised. Her name was Flavia Iulia Helena. It is not clear whether Flavia was derived from her having married into the Flavia clan. It is not even clear whether she was married to Constantius. Some sources claimed that she was Constanius' wife, some claim that she was a stable-maid, while others claim that she was a concubine.

All Roman emperors were Romans up to Leo I the Thracian, (reign, 401 - 474) who was dubbed barbarian by many Romans because he was not a Roman.

The cultural background of Constantine the great was Roman. Because

Answer 2

It is not clear whether Constantine the Great (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) a full Roman or a half Roman and half Bithynian. He was born in Naissus (present day Nis, southern Serbia) in the Roman province of Dardania which was in the Roman Diocese of Moesia (the Balkan Peninsula west of the river Danube and Greece). His father Constantius Chlorus (Marcus Flavius Valerius Constantius) was a Roman native of Dardania. Very little is known about the early life of his mother Helena (or St Helena). It was said that she was a Bithynian woman of low social standing. Bithynia was an area in north-western Turkey which was part of the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus. The sources do not clarify whether she was a Roman of a Bithynian. It probably did not matter because by then Bithynia was thoroughly Latinised. Her name was Flavia Iulia Helena. It is not clear whether Flavia was derived from her having married into the Flavia clan. It is not even clear whether she was married to Constantius. Some sources claimed that she was Constanius' wife, some claim that she was a stable-maid, while others claim that she was a concubine.

All Roman emperors were Romans up to Leo I the Thracian, (reign, 401 - 474) who was dubbed barbarian by many Romans because he was not a Roman.

Constantine's cultural background was Roman. He did not see much of his father because he was always away as a military commander. Constantius married another woman of higher rank (the daughter of co-emperor Maximian) before Constantine was 17-19. Helena and Constantine were sent to the court of co-emperor Diocletian. Constantius was a pagan who was tolerant towards the Christians and took minimal part in the Great Persecution of Christians (303-311). Helena was a Christian.

Answer 3

Constantine was a Roman. His ethnic and cultural background was Roman.

Constantine the Great's father was Constantius, a Roman military commander from Dardania, an area in present day Macedonia. He was appointed governor of the Roman province of Dalmatia. After this he became the chief of staff of Maximian, the senior emperor in the western part of the Roman Empire. He then was made junior emperor responsible for the Roman provinces of Britannia and Gaul under the tetrarchy (rule by four) established by the emperor Diocletian which had two senior emperors (Augusti) and two junior emperors (Caesars). He was junior emperor from 293 to 305. From 305 to 306 he was senior emperor in charge of the western part of the Roman Empire. Constantius was a follower of Roman religion, but was tolerant towards Christianity. During the great Persecution of Christianity of 303-311 he did not really pursue the persecution, limiting himself to a few token gestures, such as demolishing a few churches.

Constantine's mother was a woman of humble background who is thought to have been from Bithynia, in north-western Turkey, but this is uncertain. It is not certain whether she married Constantius. Some sources say that she was his wife, while others say she was his concubine. When Constantius was made the chief of staff of the co-emperor Maximian, he divorced or left her and married Maximian's daughter, Theodora. Helena and Constantine were sent to the court of the other co-emperor, Diocletian in Nicomedia, in north-western Turkey. Constantine grew up in the inner circle of the emperor. Helena was a Christian. She made a pilgrimage to Palestine to look for Christian relics. Constantine gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury for this purpose. According to Eusebius, a Roman historian, she had two churches built, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the Church on the Mount of Olives, sites of Christ's birth and ascension. It is also said that she had the temple of Jupiter in Jerusalem knocked down. According to a later legend she undertook excavations and found three crosses. She then got a sick woman to touch them. The first two did not heal her, but the third one did. Helena declared this to be the True Cross (the cross used to crucify Jesus). Constantine had the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built on this site. Helena was made a saint. She is the patron saint of new discoveries.

Answer 4

Constantine the great was a Roman. His ethnic and cultural background was Roman.

Constantine's father was Constantius, a Roman military commander from Dardania, an area in present day Macedonia. He was appointed governor of the Roman province of Dalmatia. After this he became the chief of staff of Maximian, the senior emperor in the western part of the Roman Empire. He then was made junior emperor responsible for the Roman provinces of Britannia and Gaul under the tetrarchy (rule by four) established by the emperor Diocletian which had two senior emperors (Augusti) and two junior emperors (Caesars). He was junior emperor from 293 to 305. From 305 to 306 he was senior emperor in charge of the western part of the Roman Empire. Constantius was a follower of Roman religion, but was tolerant towards Christianity. During the great Persecution of Christianity of 303-311 he did not really pursue the persecution, limiting himself to a few token gestures, such as demolishing a few churches.

Constantine's mother was a woman of humble background who is thought to have been from Bithynia, in north-western Turkey, but this is uncertain. It is not certain whether she married Constantius. Some sources say that she was his wife, while others say she was his concubine. When Constantius was made the chief of staff of the co-emperor Maximian, he divorced or left her and married Maximian's daughter, Theodora. Helena and Constantine were sent to the court of the other co-emperor, Diocletian in Nicomedia, in north-western Turkey. Constantine grew up in the inner circle of the emperor. Helena was a Christian. She made a pilgrimage to Palestine to look for Christian relics. Constantine gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury for this purpose. According to Eusebius, a Roman historian, she had two churches built, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the Church on the Mount of Olives, sites of Christ's birth and ascension. It is also said that she had the temple of Jupiter in Jerusalem knocked down. According to a later legend she undertook excavations and found three crosses. She then got a sick woman to touch them. The first two did not heal her, but the third one did. Helena declared this to be the True Cross (the cross used to crucify Jesus). Constantine had the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built on this site. Helena was made a saint. She is the patron saint of new discoveries.