How The Strange Dream Of Roman Emperor Constantine Changed History

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Ancient people often considered dreams to be omens about the future and this belief is still encountered in our modern society. Today many are convinced that some of our dreams can determine destiny and the belief in precognitive dreams is widespread.

The Battle of the Milvian Bridge (1520–24) by Giulio Romano.

One of the strangest and most famous dreams of antiquity took place in the year 312 AD when the Roman emperor Constantine engaged in one of the greatest battles of his life.

Constantine the Great (274 AD – 337AD) is perhaps best known for being the first Christian Roman Emperor. His rule changed the Church greatly. In February 313, Constantine met with Licinius in Milan where they made the Edict of Milan. The edict said that Christians could believe what they wanted.

The Battle Of The Milvian Bridge

Roman Emperor Constantine was a pagan monotheist, a devotee of the sun god Sol Invictus, the unconquered Sun, but the battle of the Milvian Bridge and his dream changed his faith.

Faced with a rival army twice the size of his own, Roman Emperor Constantine realized that he probably would die in battle the next day.

Before the Milvian Bridge battle, he and his army saw a cross of light in the sky above the sun with words in Greek that are generally translated into Latin as In hoc signo vinces (‘In this sign conquer).

The night before the Emperor had a very powerful dream. In his dream an angel appeared before him bearing the image of a cross, uttering the fateful words “By this symbol, you shall conquer.”

Raphael, c.1508, Museum of Vatican, Rome, Italy

According to historical records, Roman Emperor Constantine was so impressed that he ordered the shields of his troops adorned with the symbol of the cross. He won the battle and took the power of the Roman Empire.

It was a difficult time for Christians who had been persecuted for centuries by previous Roman emperors and whose adherents were regularly fed to the lions in the Colosseum, but the Roman Emperor changed history.

On June 13, 313 AD, Edict of Milan was signed by Roman Emperor Constantine and the persecution of Christians ended.

When Emperor Constantine ascended to the throne, he took the opposite track, extending an offer of peace and recognition to Christians. signed laws that would eventually pave the way for it to become an official religion of one of the greatest empires in the world.

One can easily say that his dream of the angel and the cross changed history.

Written by  Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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