Editing 312 (section)

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Roman Empire ====
* [[Constantine I]] crosses the [[Cottian Alps]] with an army (40,000 men) and defeats [[Maxentius]]'s generals in three battles at [[Battle of Turin (312)|Turin]], [[Battle of Brescia (312)|Brescia]] and [[Battle of Verona (312)|Verona]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barnes |first1=Timothy David |title=Constantine and Eusebius |date=1981 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-16531-1 |page=41 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LGDjJK-JeSwC |access-date=1 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Maxentius's Praetorian Prefect [[Ruricius Pompeianus]] is killed in the fighting outside Verona.
* [[October 28]] &ndash; [[Battle of the Milvian Bridge]]: Constantine defeats Maxentius at the [[Ponte Milvio|Milvian Bridge]], becoming the only [[Roman emperor]] in the West. Prior to the battle, he reportedly has a vision of a cross (''[[labarum]]'') with the phrase ''"[[in hoc signo vinces]]"'' ("In this sign you shall conquer"). This encourages him to convert to [[Christianity]].
* [[October 29]] &ndash; Constantine enters [[Rome]]; he stages a grand ''[[Adventus (ceremony)|adventus]]'' in the city, and is met with popular jubilation. Maxentius' body is fished out of the [[Tiber]] and [[decapitation|decapitated]].
* Constantine forges an [[Political alliance|alliance]] with co-emperor [[Licinius]], and offers him his half-sister, [[Flavia Julia Constantia|Constantia]], in marriage. The [[Praetorian Guard]] and Imperial Horse Guard (''[[equites singulares Augusti]]'') are disbanded.
* Emperor [[Maximinus Daza]] campaigns unsuccessfully against the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenians]].

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* Constantine I adopts the words ''"in hoc signo vinces"'' as a motto, and has [[Chi Rho|the letters X and P]] (the first letters of the Greek word [[Christ]]) emblazoned on the [[Scutum (shield)|shields]] of his soldiers.
* The [[Council of Carthage (312)|Council of Carthage]] supports [[Donatism]], which espouses a rigorous application and interpretation of the sacraments. These doctrines will be condemned by the [[Council of Arles (314)]].
* Constantine I promotes a policy of state sponsorship of Christianity, perhaps even becoming a Christian himself (see [[Constantine the Great and Christianity]]).
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