Editing Constantine the Great (section)

==== In Rome ====
[[File:0 Gaius Flavius Valerius Constantinus, Palatino.jpg|thumb|Head of a [[bronze colossus of Constantine]], now in the [[Capitoline Museums]]<ref>[http://www.museicapitolini.org/it/percorsi/percorsi_per_sale/museo_del_palazzo_dei_conservatori/esedra_di_marco_aurelio/statua_colossale_bronzea_di_costantino_testa Head of the bronze colossus], Capitoline Museums</ref>
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Constantine entered Rome on 29 October 312{{sfn|Barnes|1981|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=LGDjJK-JeSwC&pg=PA44 p.&nbsp;44]}}<ref>MacMullen, ''Constantine'', 81; Odahl, 108.</ref> and staged a grand ''adventus'' in the city which was met with jubilation.<ref>Cameron, 93; Curran, 71–74; Odahl, 110.</ref> Maxentius' body was fished out of the Tiber and decapitated, and his head was paraded through the streets for all to see.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 44; Curran, 72; Jones, 72; Lenski, "Reign of Constantine" (CC), 70; MacMullen, ''Constantine'', 78; Odahl, 108.</ref> After the ceremonies, the disembodied head was sent to Carthage, and Carthage offered no further resistance.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 44–45.</ref> Unlike his predecessors, Constantine neglected to make the trip to the [[Capitoline Hill]] and perform customary sacrifices at the [[Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus|Temple of Jupiter]].<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 44; MacMullen, ''Constantine'', 81; Odahl, 111. Cf. also Curran, 72–75.</ref> However, he did visit the Senatorial [[Curia Julia]],<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 45; Curran, 72; MacMullen, ''Constantine'', 81; Odahl, 109.</ref> and he promised to restore its ancestral privileges and give it a secure role in his reformed government; there would be no revenge against Maxentius' supporters.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 45–46; Odahl, 109.</ref> In response, the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] decreed him "title of the first name", which meant that his name would be listed first in all official documents,<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 46; Odahl, 109.</ref> and they acclaimed him as "the greatest augustus".<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 46.</ref> He issued decrees returning property that was lost under Maxentius, recalling political exiles, and releasing Maxentius' imprisoned opponents.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 44.</ref>

An extensive propaganda campaign followed, during which Maxentius' image was purged from all public places. He was written up as a "tyrant" and set against an idealised image of Constantine the "liberator". Eusebius is the best representative of this strand of Constantinian propaganda.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 45–47; Cameron, 93; Curran, 76–77; Lenski, "Reign of Constantine" (CC), 70.</ref> Maxentius' rescripts were declared invalid, and the honours that he had granted to leaders of the Senate were also invalidated.<ref name="Barnes, CE, 45">Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 45.</ref> Constantine also attempted to remove Maxentius' influence on Rome's urban landscape. All structures built by him were rededicated to Constantine, including the [[Santi Cosma e Damiano, Rome#History|Temple of Romulus]] and the [[Basilica of Maxentius]].<ref>Curran, 80–83.</ref> At the focal point of the basilica, a stone statue was erected of Constantine holding the Christian ''labarum'' in its hand. Its inscription bore the message which the statue illustrated: "By this sign, Constantine had freed Rome from the yoke of the tyrant."<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 47.</ref>

Constantine also sought to upstage Maxentius' achievements. For example, the [[Circus Maximus]] was redeveloped so that its seating capacity was 25 times larger than that of Maxentius' racing complex on the [[Appian Way|Via Appia]].<ref>Curran, 83–85.</ref> Maxentius' strongest military supporters were neutralised when Constantine disbanded the Praetorian Guard and [[Equites singulares Augusti|Imperial Horse Guard]].<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 45; Curran, 76; Odahl, 109.</ref> The tombstones of the Imperial Horse Guard were ground up and used in a basilica on the [[Via Labicana]],<ref>Curran, 101.</ref> and their former base was redeveloped into the [[Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran|Lateran Basilica]] on 9 November 312—barely two weeks after Constantine captured the city.<ref>Krautheimer, ''Corpus Basilicarum Christianarum Romanorum'', 5.90, cited in Curran, 93–96.</ref> The [[Legio II Parthica]] was removed from [[Albano Laziale]],<ref name="Barnes, CE, 45" /> and the remainder of Maxentius' armies were sent to do frontier duty on the Rhine.<ref>Odahl, 109.</ref>