A Military
Life of Constantine the Great
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Much of
Constantine I's claim to lasting fame rests upon his sponsorship of
Christianity, and many works have been published assessing whether
his apparent conversion was a real religious experience or a cynical
political manoeuvre. However his path to sole rule of the Roman
Empire depended more upon the ruthless application of military might
than upon his espousal of Christianity. He fought numerous campaigns,
many of them against Roman rivals for Imperial power, most famously
defeating Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this new
study, Ian Hughes assesses whether Constantine would have deserved
the title 'the Great' for his military achievements alone, or whether
the epithet depends upon the gratitude of Christian historians. All
of Constantine's campaigns are narrated and his strategic and
tactical decisions analysed. The organization, strengths and
weaknesses of the Roman army he inherited are described and the
effect of both his and his predecessors' reforms discussed. The
result is a fresh analysis of this pivotal figure in European history
from a military perspective.