General Notes

(1)
In "The History of the Church", Eusebius of Caesarea, a "bishop in Palestine who survived years of persecution...wrote how God miraculously intervened on October 28, 312, by revealing Christ's sign in the heavens to the pagan emperor Constantine and gaining his allegiance."
Constantine "subjected the Roman empire to a massive restructuring... . What he did--and did gradually, in order to minimize opposition from powerful senators--was transfer the empire's basic allegiance from the traditional guardians of its welfare, the gods of Rome, to the foreign god worshiped by those whom his predecessors had persecuted for atheism." In 325 he assembled the Council of Nicea in Bithynia, Asia Minor, which he attended in person.   The "...emperor himself attended the council and participated in it, telling his guests at one of the lavish state dinners that he believed God had appointed him ' bishop (the Greek term means 'supervisor') of those outside the church."
Constantine was, however, a practical military leader.  He chose to recognize only those who "belonged to what may have become, by this time, the best-organized and largest group, which he called 'lawful and most holy catholic ( which literally means "universal") church."
( " Beyond Belief--The Secret Gospel of Thomas", cite below).
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(2)
"Constantine received only a meager education. He took up soldiering early, and proved his valor in the wars against Egypt and Persia. He was of British birth and education, and is known as the first Christian Emperor. He fought with his father in the Boulogne campaign and shared in a British campaign. The Gallic army, deeply loyal to the humane Constantius, came to love his handsome, brave, and energetic son; and when the father died at York in 306, the troops proclaimed Constantine not merely as "Caesar" but as Augustus - emperor. He accepted the lesser title, excusing himself on the grounds that his life would be unsafe without an army at his back. Consequently Constantine fought successfully against the invading Franks. Later, with a British army he set out to put down the persecution of Christians forever.

By his first wife (1) Minervina he was father of Flavius Valerius Crispus Caesar. He married (2) Fausta, sister of his step-mother, Theodora. Fausta and Theodora and their brother Maxentius were children of Maximinus, Roman Emperor (286-305). One writer, Brewer, said he was a giant, eight feet, six inches tall! His son Maxentius, Emperor (310-311), married Valeria, daughter of Galerius, Emperor (310-311), and his wife, Valeria, who was daughter of Diocletian, Emperor (284-305). Fausta and Constantine the Great had three sons: Constantine II., Constantius II., and Constants I., and a daughter, Helen, wife of Julian the Apostate. (narrative contributed by "Neuman-Smith-Goodale Family and Ancestors" Michael R. Neuman michaelneuman@@earthlink.net.)

SOURCES:
LITERATURE:
" Beyond Belief--The Secret Gospel of Thomas", by Elaine Pagels, Random House, NY, C. 2003 (1)
AWTP:
"Neuman-Smith-Goodale Family and Ancestors" Michael R. Neuman michaelneuman@@earthlink.net. (2)