Constantine A Vision Or A Politic Strategy - 1710 Words

Shannon Mulstay Jeffery Cahan Creative Non-Fiction Research Paper November 29, 2015 Constantine: A Vision or a Politic Strategy? When one looks into ancient history from a purely scholarly standpoint, where would Christianity be if the Romans had never interfered? Their internal issues with an empire divided over power, religion and commerce would eventually lead to its downfall. One of the greatest military machines, Rome was interspersed with the need to conquer and the power struggles between multiple emperors and Caesars each seeking to gain what the other had. Through all this constant turmoil, one such would rise through the ranks of Emperor Diocletian’s Court, who would bring such significant changes to the Roman people as†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Romans gods were from a strange mixture of influences. Before Rome became a big city, the area around it, called Latium, was settled my superstitious villagers, the Latins, who believed in many gods and spirits. As Rome grew into a city and began to become more powerful it came into contact with the Greeks, who had a complex Pantheon of their own.†(Roman Empire) The Pantheons of twelve Gods mirrored the Greeks Olympian Gods, though using the Latin names: 1. Jupiter, Leader of the Pantheon, often seen with a thunderbolt. His Greek equivalent was Zeus. 2. Juno, Jupiter’s wife, her symbols were the pomegranate and the peacock. Her Greek equivalent was Hera. 3. Mars, God of War. Considered the fiercest of the Gods next to Jupiter. His Greek equivalent was Aries. 4. Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Her Greek equivalent was Aphrodite. 5. Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom, Learning, Arts/Crafts, and Industry. Her symbol was the owl. Her Greek equivalent was Athena. 6. Neptune, God of the Sea. He wielded the trident. His Greek equivalent was Poseidon. 7. Ceres, Goddess of Harvest, symbol a bundle of grain. Her Greek equivalent was Demeter. 8. Vulcan, God of Volcanos and Blacksmithing. Wields a blacksmiths hammer and