Constantine and the Cross (1962)
Director: Lionello de Felice
Starring: Cornel Wilde, Christine Kaufmann, Belinda Lee, Elisa Cegani, Massimo Serato
Country: Italian film
The movie deals with Constantine (Cornel Wilde) falling in love with a beautiful Christian woman (Christine Kaufmann) during a time when Christianity was regarded as heresy. His beloved is in danger of being put to death with the other Christians in her group. Will the Christians be rescued?
Historical Background:
Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to freely allow Christianity.
272 -- birth of Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus in today's Serbia.
285 -- Partition of the Roman empire into Eastern and Western Roman Empires.
285 -- Carausius, Roman commander of the British fleet, proclaims himself independent Emperor of Britain.
297 -- Romans take Armenia from the Persians.
305 -- Diocletian abdicates in the East, Maximian in the West.
306 -- their empires go to Constantius Chlorus (Constantine the Great); he reunites the two empires.
313 -- the Edict of Milan occurred in Constantine's reign. It helped fully legalize Christianity.
325 -- the Council Of Nicaea also helped fully legalize Christianity. Together, the Edict of Milan and the Council of Nicaea, are considered major factors in the spreading of the Christian religion.
331 -- seat of the Roman Empire moved to Constantinople.
337 -- Constantine the Great dead; succeeded by his three sons
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