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312–313 CEReputable sourceWell documented

Constantine, the Milvian Bridge, and the Edict of Milan

On the timeline · around 312–313 CE · Constantine, the Milvian Bridge, and the Edict of Milan225 CE250 CE275 CE300 CE325 CE350 CE375 CE

What happened

In 312 CE Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge — by tradition after a vision of the cross — and the following year he and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, granting toleration to Christianity and ending its persecution.

Why it matters

Constantine's embrace of Christianity set the religion on the path from persecuted sect to the dominant faith of the Roman world.

Sources