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Christianity

1981

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The Celestial Sign On Constantine's Shields At The Battle Of The Mulvian Bridge, Charles Odahl Jan 1981

The Celestial Sign On Constantine's Shields At The Battle Of The Mulvian Bridge, Charles Odahl

Quidditas

Most scholars now accept the reality and sincerity of Constantine's conversion to Christianity during his military campaign against Maxentius for control of Rome in A.D. 312—provided that "conversion" is understood in terms of the superstitious religious environment of the times. The ancient pagan and Christian sources that described the campaign all agreed that the war was waged in an atmosphere of intense religious fervor, even superstitiosa maleficia as one source described it, and that each commander appealed to divine power for aid against his enemy. Christian accounts of the campaign reported that Constantine turned to the Christian God at this …