Post #2707509

October, 28th, 312, Ponte Milvio, Italy. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge resulted in Constantine the Great re-uniting the Roman Empire under one ruler. In the year 305 Roman Emperor Diocletian stepped down as emperor. Rome at the time a Tetrarchy descended into a state of civil war with each of the four co-emperors wanting more power and influence. In 306 Emperor Constantius of the western half of the empire, died and his son Constantine gained the title in Eboracum(York, England). The city of Rome itself was in possession of Emperor Maxentius who Constantine and others viewed as a usurper. By 312 Constantine had gathered an army and invaded the Italian Peninsula. Constantine's army conquered, Segusio, Turin, Brescia, and, Verona and while at Verona he defeated Maxentius's top general Ruricius Pompeianus. From there Constantine's army marched south toward Rome. While on the way many soldiers defected and joined Constantine's army. Constantine's army reached Rome by early October. Many of the people in Rome were against Maxentius and believed that Constantine would win. To try and regain the people's favor Maxentius publicly read from the Sibylline books, and read out a part stating "An enemy of Rome will fall in battle on October 28th". Constantine and his saw a solar symbol in the sky and later that night Constantine received a vision stating "With this sign you will conquer." The next day Constantine had his men paint the Chi-Ro(P with an X at the bottom) symbol on their their shields. On October 28th both armies met for battle near the Milvian Bridge. Constantine had around 35k men while Maxentius had around 40k. Constantine's men were all hardened veterans while Maxentius had mostly fresh recruits. The battle began when skirmishers from both sides engaged each other. Constantine's cavalry on his right flank quickly attacked and routed Maxentius's cavalry on the right. The infantry in the center on both sides met and began fighting. Maxentius led his cavalry reserves and charged into Constantine's right, but it was not enough to break them. Constantine's cavalry slowly pushed back Maxentius's cavalry until eventually they broke and fled the battle. This caused a shockwave throughout Maxentius's army where more of the fresh recruits began fleeing the battle leaving only the Pretorian Guard and some veteran legionaries fighting against Constantine. When most of Maxentius's army reached the Milvian Bridge, many fled across the bridge, some attempted to ford the Tiber River but ended up drowning, one of these people was Maxentius himself. Constantine arrived and the remaining soldiers surrendered to him. Constantine returned to where his men were still fighting and gave the Praetorians a chance to surrender, which they accepted. Constantine entered Rome several days later where the Roman senate gave him the title of Maximus Augustus. Constantine believed that his victory at Milvian Bridge was aided by the Christian God and eliminated restrictions on the worship of the religion in the empire. Many years later Constantine would begin construction of the city of Constantinople which he wanted to be a second Rome.