Constantine is the Emperor who ended the Roman persecution of the Christians. Constantine is reported to have had a vision. The vision depicted a Christian Cross with a voice saying, "In hoc signo (crucis) vinces," meaning "In this sign conquer." He had the sign of the cross and the motto inscribed on the shields of his soldiers. On October 28, 312 he defeated the armies of Maxentius in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge and thus became the Emperor of the West. Convinced that the Christian God gave him victory, he ended the Roman persecution of the Christian Church.
Interestingly, it was he who moved the political center of the Empire from Rome to the city he established, Constantinople (the ancient city of Byzantium, which today is Istanbuul. He was baptized a Christian on his deathbed. Believing in the power of baptism to forgive sins, he did not want his own imperial acts to ruin his chances of going to heaven.
