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Tattoo History - Constantine I.
Constantine I.
Constantinus or Constantine The Great how he is often called was born in 285 and died in 337 and was the emperor of Rome from 306 to 337. He worshiped the god of the sun Apollo and saw, before the battle against his co-emperor Maxentius in the year 312, a cross in the sky with the inscription: "With this sign you will win" (in hoc signo vinces). After he saw this sign he ordered his man to paint Christs monogram, which triumphed over his enemies over decades before, on their shields and won.
It was in the year 313 when Constantinus implemented the Christian believe as equal religion. For the first time the Christians saw themselves in a ruling position. The bishops were acknowledged as judges and the cleric didn't have to pay any taxes and the Christian Sunday became the praying and day of rest for everybody, a governmental holiday. The number of followers grew and the until then followed religion became an important governmental power.
Of course now Constantine had to take action against the other highly worshiped, gentile gods and even more their rituals. The until then common facial tataus on slaves and felons were prohibited because Constantine said they would disfigure the image of god. This was the beginning of the century long ostracism of body art in Europe due to the Christian church and it's peak level was the abatement of Pope Hadrian I. in the 8th Century.
