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According to Lactantius, a Latin historian of North African origins saved from poverty by the Emperor Constantine the Great, who made him tutor to his son Crispus, Constantine had dreamt of being ordered to put a "heavenly divine symbol" (Latin: ''coeleste signum dei'') on the shields of his soldiers. The description of the actual symbol chosen by Emperor Constantine the next morning, as reported by Lactantius, is not very clear: it closely resembles a Tau-Rho or a staurogram, a similar [[Christianity|Christian]] symbol. That very day Constantine's army fought the forces of Maxentius and won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge outside Rome. | According to Lactantius, a Latin historian of North African origins saved from poverty by the Emperor Constantine the Great, who made him tutor to his son Crispus, Constantine had dreamt of being ordered to put a "heavenly divine symbol" (Latin: ''coeleste signum dei'') on the shields of his soldiers. The description of the actual symbol chosen by Emperor Constantine the next morning, as reported by Lactantius, is not very clear: it closely resembles a Tau-Rho or a staurogram, a similar [[Christianity|Christian]] symbol. That very day Constantine's army fought the forces of Maxentius and won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge outside Rome. | ||
Eusebius of Caesarea gave two different accounts of the events. In his church history, written shortly after the battle, when Eusebius hadn't yet had contact with Constantine, he doesn't mention any dream or vision, but compares the defeat of Maxentius (drowned in the Tiber) to that of the biblical pharaoh and credits Constantine's victory to divine protection. | Eusebius of Caesarea gave two different accounts of the events. In his church history, written shortly after the battle, when Eusebius hadn't yet had contact with Constantine, he doesn't mention any [[Oneiromancy|dream]] or vision, but compares the defeat of Maxentius (drowned in the Tiber) to that of the biblical pharaoh and credits Constantine's victory to divine protection. | ||
In a memoir of the Roman emperor that Eusebius wrote after Constantine's death (''On the Life of Constantine'', circa 337–339), a miraculous appearance is said to have come in Gaul long before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this later version, the Roman emperor had been pondering the misfortunes that befell commanders who invoked the help of many different gods, and decided to seek divine aid in the forthcoming battle from [[Yahweh]]. At noon, Constantine saw a cross of light imposed over the [[sun]]. Attached to it, in Greek characters, was the saying "Τούτῳ Νίκα!" (“In this sign you will conquer!”). Not only Constantine, but the whole army saw the miracle. That night, Christ appeared to the Roman emperor in a dream and told him to make a replica of the sign he had seen in the sky, which would be a sure defence in battle. | In a memoir of the Roman emperor that Eusebius wrote after Constantine's death (''On the Life of Constantine'', circa 337–339), a miraculous appearance is said to have come in Gaul long before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this later version, the Roman emperor had been pondering the misfortunes that befell commanders who invoked the help of many different gods, and decided to seek divine aid in the forthcoming battle from [[Yahweh]]. At noon, Constantine saw a cross of light imposed over the [[sun]]. Attached to it, in Greek characters, was the saying "Τούτῳ Νίκα!" (“In this sign you will conquer!”). Not only Constantine, but the whole army saw the miracle. That night, Christ appeared to the Roman emperor in a dream and told him to make a replica of the sign he had seen in the sky, which would be a sure defence in battle. | ||