443:
37:
560:
431:
596:
Recognising that his surviving forces in
Nicomedia could not stand against Constantine's victorious army, Licinius was persuaded to throw himself on the mercy of his enemy. Constantia, Constantine's half-sister and Licinius' wife, acted as intermediary. Initially, yielding to the pleas of his sister,
597:
Constantine spared the life of his brother-in-law, but some months later he ordered his execution, thereby breaking his solemn oath. This occurred because
Licinius was suspected of treasonable actions, and the army command pressed for his execution. A year later, Constantine's nephew, the younger
567:
Constantine's army landed on the
Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus at a place called the Sacred Promontory and marched southward towards Chalcedon. Licinius moved his army a few miles north towards Chrysopolis. Constantine's army reached the environs of Chrysopolis before the forces of Licinius.
584:, “There was great slaughter at Chrysopolis.” Licinius was reported to have lost 25,000 to 30,000 men, with thousands more breaking and running in flight. Licinius managed to escape and gathered around 30,000 of his surviving troops at the city of
579:
Constantine seemingly eschewed any subtlety of manoeuvre, he launched a single massive frontal assault on
Licinius' troops and routed them. He won a decisive victory in what was a very large-scale battle. According to the fifth-century historian
571:
The religious aspect of the conflict was reflected in
Licinius drawing up his battle lines with images of the pagan gods of Rome prominently displayed, whilst Constantine's army fought under his talismanic Christian standard, the
624:
in April 286. After his conquest of the eastern portion of the Roman Empire, Constantine made the momentous decision to give the east its own capital, and the empire as a whole its second. He chose the city of
832:, Translated by Ernest Cushing Richardson, From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1, Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co. (1890).
287:
280:
171:
273:
536:. Constantine had a flotilla of light transports built on the Bosphorus, allowing him to avoid that army entirely when crossing into Asia Minor.
255:
929:
547:
auxiliaries, under their leader
Aliquaca (or Alica), to reinforce his principal army, as it had been depleted by its earlier defeat at the
978:
576:. Licinius had developed a superstitious dread of the labarum and forbade his troops from attacking it, or even looking directly at it.
539:
Following the destruction of his naval forces, Licinius evacuated the garrison of
Byzantium, which subsequently joined his main army in
551:. It is not clear whether Martinian's forces reached Licinius before September 18, when Licinius was brought to battle by Constantine.
164:
988:
391:
858:
157:
497:. Constantine followed, and won the subsequent battle. This left Constantine as the sole emperor, ending the period of the
993:
907:
886:
872:
374:
520:, despite the latter's distinctly smaller fleet. Following this naval victory, Constantine crossed over to
332:
219:
306:
193:
28:
644:
548:
352:
234:
839:, English translation: R.T. Ridley, Zosimus: New History, Byzantina Australiensia 2, Canberra (1982).
568:
Following a retreat to his tent to seek divine guidance, Constantine decided to take the initiative.
543:
on the
Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus. From there he also summoned Martinian's forces and a band of
510:
482:
362:
357:
244:
239:
983:
973:
601:, also fell victim to the emperor's anger or suspicions. He was executed in 326 and had his name
386:
322:
209:
413:
327:
214:
481:. The battle was the final encounter between the two emperors. After his navy's defeat in the
474:
381:
317:
204:
182:
111:
442:
8:
581:
337:
36:
525:
455:
408:
403:
903:
882:
868:
854:
602:
342:
224:
42:
865:
The Roman
Emperors: A biographical Guide to the Rulers of Imperial Rome 31 BC–AD 476
617:
559:
347:
312:
229:
199:
265:
649:
608:
In defeating his last foe, Licinius, Constantine became the sole emperor of the
430:
630:
514:
962:
944:
931:
681:
Faith and
Practice in the Early Church: Foundations for Contemporary Theology
471:
669:
Ossius of Cordova: A Contribution to the History of the Constantinian Period
968:
609:
467:
459:
418:
149:
598:
533:
621:
626:
585:
563:
Heads from former statues of Licinius (left) and Constantine (right).
544:
540:
529:
524:. An army, under the command of Licinius' newly appointed co-emperor
513:. His admiral, Abantus, had been outfought by Constantine's son, the
498:
490:
486:
463:
93:
67:
613:
521:
494:
478:
116:
573:
517:
435:
509:
The navy of Licinius had suffered a catastrophic defeat at the
72:
446:
Licinius and his son, depicted with haloes, on a gold coin
434:
A coin of Constantine (c. 337) showing a depiction of his
695:, Ad 284–622 Lpc: AD 285–479 – p. 66 by Stephen Mitchell
144:
25 – 30,000 killed, tens of thousands more captured.
295:
921:Constantine: Unconquered Emperor, Christian Victor
914:A History of the Roman World from A.D. 138 to 337
893:The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine
853:, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Lanham MD
960:
485:, Licinius withdrew his forces from the city of
16:Part of the civil wars of the Tetrarchy (324 AD)
725:
723:
721:
719:
912:Parker, H. M. D. and Warmington, B. H. (1958)
281:
165:
716:
179:
288:
274:
172:
158:
41:The battle of Constantine and Licinius by
35:
612:; the first such since the elevation of
558:
441:
429:
961:
900:Constantine and the Christian Empire,
635:—as the site of this new foundation.
269:
153:
843:
603:expunged from official inscriptions
13:
979:Battles involving the Roman Empire
822:
671:– p. 186 by Victor Cyril De Clercq
454:was fought on 18 September 324 at
14:
1005:
693:History of the Later Roman Empire
141:Unknown but not particularly high
989:Battles of Constantine the Great
804:
795:
786:
777:
768:
759:
297:Fourth-century Roman civil wars
750:
741:
732:
707:
698:
686:
674:
662:
256:German and Sarmatian campaigns
89:Constantine consolidates power
1:
895:, Cambridge University Press.
817:
774:Parker and Warmington, p. 261
504:
655:
591:
528:, was guarding the coast at
438:standard spearing a serpent.
7:
638:
307:Civil wars of the Tetrarchy
194:Civil wars of the Tetrarchy
29:civil wars of the Tetrarchy
10:
1010:
683:– p. 201 by Carl A. Volz
554:
303:
190:
135:
122:
105:
49:
34:
26:
21:
994:320s in the Roman Empire
511:Battle of the Hellespont
483:Battle of the Hellespont
891:Lenski, Noel E. (2011)
879:The Emperor Constantine
877:Grant, Michael (1993),
863:Grant, Michael (1985),
792:Grant (1993), pp. 47–48
765:Grant (1993), pp. 46–47
919:Stephenson, P. (2009)
564:
447:
439:
92:Final collapse of the
85:Constantinian victory
849:Dunstan, W.E. (2010)
562:
452:Battle of Chrysopolis
445:
433:
136:Casualties and losses
112:Constantine the Great
22:Battle of Chrysopolis
898:Odahl, C.M., (2004)
704:Grant (1985), p. 236
645:Battle of Adrianople
549:Battle of Adrianople
945:40.0167°N 29.0333°E
941: /
830:Life of Constantine
713:Grant (1993), p. 47
470:), between the two
45:, ca. 17th century.
810:Stephenson, p. 190
565:
448:
440:
66:Chrysopolis, near
923:, Quercus, London
859:978-0-7425-6834-1
844:Secondary sources
747:Eusebius, ch. 17.
616:to the status of
427:
426:
263:
262:
148:
147:
101:
100:
43:Peter Paul Rubens
1001:
956:
955:
953:
952:
951:
950:40.0167; 29.0333
946:
942:
939:
938:
937:
934:
902:Routledge 2004.
811:
808:
802:
799:
793:
790:
784:
781:
775:
772:
766:
763:
757:
754:
748:
745:
739:
736:
730:
727:
714:
711:
705:
702:
696:
690:
684:
678:
672:
666:
632:Constantinopolis
493:to Chalcedon in
298:
290:
283:
276:
267:
266:
185:
174:
167:
160:
151:
150:
57:18 September 324
51:
50:
39:
19:
18:
1009:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
998:
959:
958:
949:
947:
943:
940:
935:
932:
930:
928:
927:
846:
825:
823:Primary sources
820:
815:
814:
809:
805:
801:Dunstan, p. 436
800:
796:
791:
787:
782:
778:
773:
769:
764:
760:
756:Zosimus 2.22.7.
755:
751:
746:
742:
737:
733:
728:
717:
712:
708:
703:
699:
691:
687:
679:
675:
667:
663:
658:
650:Late Roman army
641:
594:
557:
507:
428:
423:
299:
296:
294:
264:
259:
186:
180:
178:
76:
70:
40:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1007:
997:
996:
991:
986:
984:Roman Bithynia
981:
976:
974:320s conflicts
971:
925:
924:
917:
910:
896:
889:
875:
861:
845:
842:
841:
840:
833:
824:
821:
819:
816:
813:
812:
803:
794:
785:
776:
767:
758:
749:
740:
731:
715:
706:
697:
685:
673:
660:
659:
657:
654:
653:
652:
647:
640:
637:
593:
590:
556:
553:
506:
503:
472:Roman emperors
425:
424:
422:
421:
416:
411:
406:
395:
394:
389:
384:
371:
370:
365:
360:
355:
350:
345:
340:
335:
333:Milvian Bridge
330:
325:
320:
315:
304:
301:
300:
293:
292:
285:
278:
270:
261:
260:
253:
252:
247:
242:
237:
232:
227:
222:
220:Milvian Bridge
217:
212:
207:
202:
191:
188:
187:
177:
176:
169:
162:
154:
146:
145:
142:
138:
137:
133:
132:
129:
128:around 105,000
125:
124:
120:
119:
114:
108:
107:
103:
102:
99:
98:
97:
96:
90:
82:
78:
77:
65:
63:
59:
58:
55:
47:
46:
32:
31:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1006:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
966:
964:
957:
954:
922:
918:
915:
911:
909:
908:0-415-17485-6
905:
901:
897:
894:
890:
888:
887:0-7538-0528-6
884:
880:
876:
874:
873:0-297-78555-9
870:
866:
862:
860:
856:
852:
848:
847:
838:
837:Historia nova
834:
831:
827:
826:
807:
798:
789:
783:Odahl, p. 160
780:
771:
762:
753:
744:
738:Lenski, p. 76
735:
729:Odahl, p. 180
726:
724:
722:
720:
710:
701:
694:
689:
682:
677:
670:
665:
661:
651:
648:
646:
643:
642:
636:
634:
633:
628:
623:
619:
615:
611:
606:
604:
600:
589:
587:
583:
577:
575:
569:
561:
552:
550:
546:
542:
537:
535:
531:
527:
523:
519:
516:
512:
502:
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
480:
476:
475:Constantine I
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
444:
437:
432:
420:
417:
415:
412:
410:
407:
405:
402:
401:
400:
399:
393:
392:Jewish revolt
390:
388:
387:Mons Seleucus
385:
383:
380:
379:
378:
377:
376:
369:
366:
364:
361:
359:
356:
354:
351:
349:
346:
344:
341:
339:
336:
334:
331:
329:
326:
324:
321:
319:
316:
314:
311:
310:
309:
308:
302:
291:
286:
284:
279:
277:
272:
271:
268:
258:
257:
251:
248:
246:
243:
241:
238:
236:
233:
231:
228:
226:
223:
221:
218:
216:
213:
211:
208:
206:
203:
201:
198:
197:
196:
195:
189:
184:
183:Constantine I
175:
170:
168:
163:
161:
156:
155:
152:
143:
140:
139:
134:
130:
127:
126:
121:
118:
115:
113:
110:
109:
104:
95:
91:
88:
87:
86:
83:
80:
79:
74:
69:
64:
61:
60:
56:
53:
52:
48:
44:
38:
33:
30:
25:
20:
926:
920:
913:
899:
892:
878:
864:
850:
836:
829:
806:
797:
788:
779:
770:
761:
752:
743:
734:
709:
700:
692:
688:
680:
676:
668:
664:
631:
610:Roman Empire
607:
595:
578:
570:
566:
538:
508:
451:
449:
419:Gildonic War
397:
396:
373:
372:
367:
305:
254:
249:
192:
106:Belligerents
84:
71:(modern-day
27:Part of the
948: /
489:across the
456:Chrysopolis
398:Late period
382:Mursa Major
368:Chrysopolis
250:Chrysopolis
181:Battles of
963:Categories
936:29°02′00″E
933:40°01′00″N
916:, Methuen.
881:, London.
867:, London.
828:Eusebius,
818:References
622:Diocletian
545:Visigothic
534:Hellespont
522:Asia Minor
505:Background
358:Hellespont
353:Adrianople
240:Hellespont
235:Adrianople
835:Zosimus,
656:Footnotes
629:—renamed
627:Byzantium
592:Aftermath
586:Nicomedia
541:Chalcedon
530:Lampsacus
526:Martinian
499:Tetrarchy
491:Bosphorus
487:Byzantium
464:Chalcedon
363:Byzantium
338:Tzirallum
245:Byzantium
94:Tetrarchy
68:Chalcedon
639:See also
618:Augustus
614:Maximian
599:Licinius
495:Bithynia
479:Licinius
466:(modern
462:), near
458:(modern
414:Frigidus
409:Poetovio
404:Thyatira
123:Strength
117:Licinius
62:Location
582:Zosimus
574:labarum
532:on the
518:Crispus
468:Kadıköy
460:ĂśskĂĽdar
436:Labarum
375:350–353
343:Cibalae
323:Brescia
313:Segusio
225:Cibalae
210:Brescia
200:Segusio
131:120,000
906:
885:
871:
857:
555:Battle
515:caesar
348:Mardia
328:Verona
230:Mardia
215:Verona
81:Result
73:Turkey
318:Turin
205:Turin
904:ISBN
883:ISBN
869:ISBN
855:ISBN
851:Rome
477:and
450:The
54:Date
969:324
620:by
965::
718:^
605:.
588:.
501:.
289:e
282:t
275:v
173:e
166:t
159:v
75:)
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