Constantine | Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire | BBC Documentary

[Applause] at the beginning of the fourth century AD the Roman Empire faced one of the biggest crises in its history [Music] it was now so huge that it had been carved up between for Empress and to in the West and to in the east like rats in a sack they scrabbled for power tomorrow we march on Rome I am Constantine is my enemy kill Emma and we're free what man would try to unite the Empire one Empire one God one Emperor [Applause] the world will know the name of Constantine Constantine would change the face of the Empire and leave the greatest legacy of any of Rome's Emperor's a new world religion the only row marches in the name of the one true God Christianity [Music] [Music] in the autumn of 312 ad Constantine's army was camped 40 miles north of Rome one of the two Emperor's in the West Constantine was preparing for the decisive battle against his rival Maxentius [Music] like Ciencias has withdrawn his troops the road ahead is clear gentlemen this is the final push tomorrow we march on Rome majesty with respect should we wait for reinforcements now they can be here in three weeks in three weeks Rome can't wait three weeks I know that you're tired but the men are exhausted I know that Maxentius outnumbers is but this isn't about numbers it isn't even about the men this is about wrong huh it's the city of Our Fathers are you with me [Applause] traveling with Constantine remembers of a growing new religion brothers in Christ he's marching tomorrow will be at the walls of Rome within days does he put his faith in God not yet but the Lord will open his eyes or I will [Applause] Constantine's enemy the Emperor Maxentius held the city of Rome for six years the capital of the Empire had been suffering under his tyrannical rule now as constantine approached Maxentius consulted Rome's traditional gods Jupiter Apollo and Mars the gods revealed the secrets of the fates and the destiny of Rome quickly does it say doesn't matter what the interests a constant time to be at the gates in three days majesty well you see whether the liver is discolored here and I'm distended towards thee just tell me what it means it is telling us that the enemy of Rome will be defeated well this is good news surely Majesty Constantine is marching against Rome isn't he well then it's clear he'll be defeated yeah I am wrong Constantine is my enemy isn't it the enemy of Rome will be defeated [Music] missed you because here I'm gonna speak to the Emperor I'm sure I've made another it's important my instructions are clear not just here I must go see his Majesty I what is it like panties you cannot march on Rome unless you first put your faith in the one true God I put my faith in no and that's why I'm still alive now listen to me old man you're a good scribe you're useful but so is he you understand the world is full of slaves and scribes now I'm tired Maxentius will you sorcery get out we speak the truth I don't like that man what is it about him you don't like he's harmless he's a Christian they're dirty they're poor and weak it's a slave's religion everything they do is secret mm-hmm anything else they disapprove of this and this hmm but you like this don't you from you don't you yeah [Music] speak majesty my extensions has brought out troops from Sicily and Carthage they arrived yesterday how many tens of thousands the country's teeming with them majesty shouldn't we suspend the attack [Music] [Applause] it's a sign you see from God [Music] nobody knows for certain what Constantine's army witnessed that day one theory is that it was a meteorite but what it was is less important than how it was interpreted God was speaking to you you feel it don't you he's chosen you you saw it was a sign make this sign your standard paint it on every soldier shield by this sign you will conquer believe believe [Music] leave it meanwhile Maxentius was putting the finishing touches to his battle plan the Milvian bridge aha me Constantine's army now it's got across the Tiber somewhere and this is where we will trap him I've made a how can I put it modification to the bridge and it is full of Constantine's troops we pull out the pin Constantin will die his army will leverage the city and the enemy of Rome will be defeated [Music] where's the sign why haven't you done as I ordered battle majesty the men were scared that Jupiter might strike them down [Music] am i dead have I been struck down do it all of you now Constantine's decision to fight under a Christian symbol was genuinely shocking for hundreds of years Roman soldiers had gone into battle under the banner of their traditional gods shortly after dawn constantine's vastly outnumbered army took a position just north of Rome raise your shields there's a better work to reach the city they first had to cross the river Tiber at the Milvian bridge Maxentius is 75 thousand strong army had massed on the Roman side of the river sending a bait infantry advance [Music] [Applause] raise your bones [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] naturally enough fish sound the retreat [Applause] they're drawing back Majesty should we strike I see players [Music] [Music] bastard good the tag comes in a face for you last night [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I come to liberate not to conquer Maxentius is dead more suffering is at an end I return to you all the Mac senses stole from you your lands your privileges your honor [Applause] to the sentence I hand back your ancient authority Rome I return to you [Applause] I've come to thank you it's not me you mistake it's God who gave you victory your service to the Lord is just beginning if you have to pray pray for the future you are the future [Music] with the western empire now secure Constantine's challenge was to bring peace to the eastern empire this was being fought over by Emperor Dyer and his rival umbrellas Aeneas constantine chose to ally himself with licinia's in January 313 ad Constantine married off his sister Constantia to licinia's in Milan unlike her brother she was by now a Christian so girls don't you ready to be a wife do I have a choice there's the duty that goes with your rank remember you are my sister [Music] our lives are not our own but you will always be my sister nothing can part us nothing trust me [Music] go on [Music] begin don't worry brother brother let's get on with this Joey very well by the terms of this treaty the Empire will be divided not into four as in the past but into two halves you licinia's have control of the East once Die is defeated and I the West does this meet with your approval in principle yes it does then as a symbol of this new political settlement let us issue a decree to state that we extend a policy of toleration for all religious parties Christian and non-christian alike what is this leave us leave the chamber out move what do you want what are you playing the same as you call it what you like peace stability elbow room according to this each man will be free to worship that God it chooses why don't even come a Christian I believe in whichever God looks kindly upon our enterprise so do I have your word that the Christian God will not be favored above our gods this isn't about god or gods this is about us the cements our alliance access to the world that we speak with one voice a new voice hmm the voice of a stronger a more United Empire if there are many Christians in the East listeners if you persecute them they get stronger if we tolerate them we win their support like a politician every other sin is the silliest now fulfilled his side of a bargain after four months of fighting he defeated Dyer and seized control of the eastern empire finally the entire empire had a chance of peace then there were two Gaia is dead and the Sidious is he's safe Constantia leave us what are you going to do now I thought you spoke with one voice with listeners as equals there are no equals only rivals I need time to think now one can be sure what was going on in Constantine's mind at this time but it appears that he had growing doubts about his alliance with licinia's he was also turning more and more to Christianity [Music] tell me what it is I bother you to tell me what it is [Music] I said I am the door whether enters by me shall be saved [Music] we're all servants of Christ and our numbers are growing all the time how far up you reach mania Britain Spain our people are spread throughout the West they're saying your Christ's 13th apostle what does that mean God's chosen you to you he's given all glory and authority one God one Emperor worship God and this world will be yours yours alone think of the power [Music] [Applause] [Applause] what Constantine did next put him on a collision course with the forces of Roman tradition [Applause] it began when the people dedicated a triumphal arch in his honor an empire at war and I have brought peace you the Senate and citizens of Rome have dedicated this arch to me I in turn dedicate myself to this [Applause] one Empire one God one Emperor [Applause] [Music] as part of the ceremony constant time is expected to make a sacrifice to Rome's traditional gulls your rituals are meaningless no gods are dead [Music] [Music] Constantine's assault on Roman tradition went further he diverted money intended for pagan temples to new Christian buildings including Saint Peter's in Rome he builds churches publicly insults the gods the Christian God is no God this is just first there will be churches throughout the empire Christianity is no religion there's a contamination the world will know the name of a constant time the be anarchy it must stop [Applause] and you must stop him Majesty I bring news what is it pass the arms of the Senate smooth tell me as if I didn't know they're not pleased Majesty what you're doing is offensive to them and to the gods it is a flagrant violation they cannot accept a new Bassianus do you accept no majesty this strikes at the very heart of Rome I we cannot allow Majesty please I hear you but yes I hear your Senate I understand thank you for your honesty but not just for buy-busts the arms nothing more to say the Senate is powerless some have turned Christian now that's the only way new to heaven high office cousin I doesn't approve Allah God the Christian bishops then paid taxes and they've died at his table Christianity's spreading like a disease by Constantine supporting them in the worst he destabilizes the East he undermines my authority of course it's deliberate together we can cut out the infection by favoring Christians he's breaking the terms of the Treaty of Milan what more justification do you need go back to the Senate mercy eyes tell them you've my blessing the Western empires yours in exchange for Constantine's head Oh Constantine lives where his creatures kill him and we're free state your name and business my name is bass iana's senator of Rome and my business my business is with the Emperor good evening bossy honest even expecting how did you know you underestimate the power of God and your God is a lie maecenas will sweep you all away from now on I will trust no one except God we are at war a holy war the conflict between Constantine and Licinius was long and drawn-out this is the reckoning by the sword we bring peace to the world [Applause] at stake was nothing less than the soul of the Empire on whose honor does Constantin chapter he tramples on the gods of Rome it was a war which pitted the traditional Roman gods against the dynamic new Christian faith on this day we make history the army of Rome marches in the name of the one true God I will give back to Rome the gods that made a grace [Applause] a first war in 316 ad proved indecisive neither side could deliver the killer blow and an easy peace lasted for seven years but then licinia's attacked Christian communities and slaughtered their bishops a second war became inevitable the decisive battle took place at Katsopolis in modern-day Turkey [Applause] [Applause] with the battle in the balance Constantine unleashed his secret weapon race that standard [Applause] historians of the time described her Constantine's Christian banner struck terror into licinia's his army the fear did health magical powers [Applause] attack [Applause] hey girls [Applause] shut up majesty do you remember and she promised me nothing will part us that I'd always be your beloved sister spare him please I beg you why for my site because I love them you dare to challenge your Emperor iter challenge my brother look at me look at me I'm still your sister our God teaches us to forgive you think you're God to decide who lives and who dies you're not God you're not God [Music] Neal God forgives those who truly repent with your surrender the entire Empire falls under my authority do you accept me a soul Emperor I do [Applause] my law is God's law and it is merciful go without your days in peace [Music] [Applause] licinia's was allowed to retire to a villa in Greece with Constantia and their son licinia Arnaz [Music] eight months after chrysalis Constantine forged ahead with his vision of a Christian Empire by bringing together hundreds of Bishops to work out a statement of belief which is still at the heart of Christianity today we have agreed a form of words we believe in one God the Father the Almighty we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father [Music] God from God light from light true God from True God we believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins we look for the resurrection of the Dead and the life of the world to come God forgive you good [Music] how men a few months after licinia's murder Fausto was found mysteriously suffocated in a steam bath some believe on Constantine's orders [Music] lactantius died before he could see constantine fulfill his vision of a christian empire his writings are one of the main sources on Constantine's rule Constantia lived out her days in Constantine's court we don't know if she ever forgave her brother for the murder of her husband and her son Konstantin Rome's first Christian Emperor lived another 12 years of all Rome's Emperor's his legacy is the most far-reaching and long-lasting it's because of him that Christianity is the dominant religion of the Western world today [Applause] [Music] next on ancient Rome the end of empire a story of savage horns a devious emperor and his beautiful sister how barbarians destroyed the greatest city the world has ever known and all because of a terrible mistake [Music] you

Channel: BBC Documentary

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Keywords: bbc documentary, bbc, ancient rome, ancient rome documentary, ancient rome the rise and fall of an empire, ancient rome: the rise and fall of an empire, full documentary, historical documentary, history documentary, rome documentary, rome documentary bbc, rome documentary constantine, rome documentary nero, episode 5, constantine, constantine the great, constantine full movie, emperor constantine, emperor constantine documentary, emperor constantine and christianity

Id: MJg2jiCduxo

Length: 50min 30sec (3030 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 30 2020