- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
OT military historians - why is Constantine's name not included among the great generals?
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:50 pm
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:50 pm
At least not often.
I've been reading a book on him which led me to doing a little more research.
From everything I can see the guy really kicked arse as a military leader and won battles against everyone from the Germanic tribes, to other hostile foreign forces to his fellow Roman leader in civil wars. I don't think he lost a single battle.
He is fairly well known, but mostly you just hear about the first Christian emperor thing and moving a big chunk of the center of Roman power to the east.
I've been reading a book on him which led me to doing a little more research.
From everything I can see the guy really kicked arse as a military leader and won battles against everyone from the Germanic tribes, to other hostile foreign forces to his fellow Roman leader in civil wars. I don't think he lost a single battle.
He is fairly well known, but mostly you just hear about the first Christian emperor thing and moving a big chunk of the center of Roman power to the east.
This post was edited on 4/3/20 at 12:52 pm
10
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:51 pm to Methuselah
Because he fought demons.
This post was edited on 4/3/20 at 12:53 pm
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:53 pm to Methuselah
Can't hear that name without thinking of that fricking terrible emo song from high school
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:54 pm to truthbetold
They Might Be Giants is an EMO band?
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:54 pm to Methuselah
Because his conversion to Christianity is so, so much more influential than anything else.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 12:57 pm to Methuselah
Because you can't go back to Constantinople.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:01 pm to Methuselah
Greatest Generals of all time...
1. R.E. Lee
2. T.J. “Stonewall” Jackson
3. N.B. Forrest
4. J.E.B. Stuart
5. John Bell Hood
1. R.E. Lee
2. T.J. “Stonewall” Jackson
3. N.B. Forrest
4. J.E.B. Stuart
5. John Bell Hood
This post was edited on 4/3/20 at 1:02 pm
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:01 pm to bayoubengals88
quote:
Because his conversion to Christianity is so, so much more influential than anything else.
I agree it was a big deal - and both ways. I think perhaps it changed Christianity as much as or more than it changed Rome.
This post was edited on 4/3/20 at 1:03 pm
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:02 pm to cable
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:06 pm to cable
quote:fun fact, they play the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song, as well as the "Hot Dog" song
They Might Be Giants is an EMO band?
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:21 pm to Methuselah
Constantine conquered by the cross!
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:24 pm to Methuselah
he didnt meet any great armies. half of what happened is propaganda.
his best work was vs naked scots.
the constant politics among the several caesars and augustuses makes it trivial.
his one battle vs max is colored by silly propaganda and the supposed death by drowning by accident of max looks more like murder now.
his claim to fame is aligning with church, a political move.
his best work was vs naked scots.
the constant politics among the several caesars and augustuses makes it trivial.
his one battle vs max is colored by silly propaganda and the supposed death by drowning by accident of max looks more like murder now.
his claim to fame is aligning with church, a political move.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:25 pm to bayoubengals88
quote:
Because his conversion to Christianity is so, so much more influential than anything else.
Which he didn't do until he was on his deathbed. His big thing was to legalize it and to encourage its spread.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:26 pm to OleWarSkuleAlum
quote:
5. John Bell Hood
Posted on 4/3/20 at 1:29 pm to Methuselah
quote:I guess your best argument would be the fact that the Byzantine Empire technically lasted until 1453 while Rome fell in 476.
I agree it was a big deal - and both ways. I think perhaps it changed Christianity as much as or more than it changed Rome.
Which is a pretty big deal.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 2:15 pm to RollTide1987
quote:
Which he didn't do until he was on his deathbed. His big thing was to legalize it and to encourage its spread.
Perhaps his 'official' conversion was on his deathbed, but according to the book I'm reading, he was deep into it long before that. Also, because there were different factions in Christianity even back then he was called on to resolve some disputes and it brought the state into Church matters early.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 2:21 pm to Methuselah
Constantly on and on with the “Constantine this” and “Constantine that”....
Oye-VAY!
Harp on some body else PLEASE!
Oye-VAY!
Harp on some body else PLEASE!
Posted on 4/3/20 at 2:27 pm to PrivatePublic
quote:
Because you can't go back to Constantinople
It’s Istanbul, not...
ETA: Speaking of TMBG
This post was edited on 4/3/20 at 2:57 pm
Posted on 4/3/20 at 2:38 pm to Methuselah
Mostly because his best-known battles were in civil wars that had been occurring and reoccurring for almost a century by the time he came to power. And as others have said, he was a great general, but it's not what he's best known for.
The guy who doesn't get nearly enough credit is Aurelian. He almost single-handedly forged the empire back together after 50 years of it tearing itself apart. I'd put him up there with the better-known greats like Scipio, Caesar, Agrippa, Sulla, Trajan, etc. Aetius probably doesn't get enough credit, either - a very gifted commander who was cursed to live during one of the worst times in Western European history.
The guy who doesn't get nearly enough credit is Aurelian. He almost single-handedly forged the empire back together after 50 years of it tearing itself apart. I'd put him up there with the better-known greats like Scipio, Caesar, Agrippa, Sulla, Trajan, etc. Aetius probably doesn't get enough credit, either - a very gifted commander who was cursed to live during one of the worst times in Western European history.
Posted on 4/3/20 at 2:52 pm to OleWarSkuleAlum
quote:
1. R.E. Lee
2. T.J. “Stonewall” Jackson
Putting Lee above Jackson?
quote:
4. J.E.B. Stuart
He left Lee blind in the lead up to Gettysburg.
quote:
5. John Bell Hood
but seriously 
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News