HISTORY
October 28, 312 AD
The Pons Milvius (or Milvian Bridge), crossing the Tiber River on the Appian Way, would be the site of the epic showdown for complete control of the Western Roman Empire. Maxentius, anticipating Constantine's inevitable arrival through the Alps, cleverly ordered his troops to destroy the bridge so as to prevent Constantine from an easy march on Rome.
The Pons Milvius (or Milvian Bridge), crossing the Tiber River on the Appian Way, would be the site of the epic showdown for complete control of the Western Roman Empire. Maxentius, anticipating Constantine's inevitable arrival through the Alps, cleverly ordered his troops to destroy the bridge so as to prevent Constantine from an easy march on Rome.
The forces of the rivals for the seat of Augustus met on October 28, AD 312, near the Pons Milvius spanning the Tiber River, only a short distance from Rome on the Appian Way.
Maxentius initially had great advantages over Constantine: Maxentius’ forces outnumbered Constantine’s by nearly 2 to 1, and included the highly trained Praetorian Guard. Maxentius was on his home turf and enjoyed a defensive position, and, most importantly for the outcome of the battle, the ability to prepare as Constantine marched southward from Gaul. His preparations were more than adequate. Anticipating a prolonged siege of Rome by Constantine’s troops, he stocked the city with food and looked in satisfaction at the already-extensive fortifications which protected the city. Maxentius also had the Milvian Bridge partially destroyed, which surely would have delayed Constantine’s advance. However, Maxentius soon rejected the security of Rome and made what would prove to be a fatal mistake: he decided to sally forth and face Constantine head-on, across the Tiber River near the broken Milvian Bridge.
Constantine, who oddly enough was Maxentius’ brother-in-law, had his own advantages. He was a talented general, as shown by his victories over the Maxentian forces at Turin and Verona. He had a reputation for fair and honest government, which had the effect of rallying provincials to his cause. Religious zeal, however, would arguably lead Constantine to victory and thus to the seat of the Emperor. On the day before the battle, October 27, he and his troops supposedly witnessed what they interpreted to be an omen. There are two versions of this story told by Eusebius and Lactantius. In Eusebius' Life of Constantine, he claims Constantine and his troops witnessed a cross and the phrase "In hoc signo vinces," Latin for "In this sign, you will conquer" over the sun. However, Lactantius claims Constantine had a dream on the eve of the battle where he was instructed to fight in the name of Christ and to mark his soldiers shield with the Greek letter Chi-Rho (meaning Christ). Although sources differ on the exact details of Constantine’s vision (some claim that the Chi-Rho appeared to Constantine and his troops superimposed over the sun), the effect that the vision had on he and his army is clear. They marched into battle with the Chi-Rho painted on their shields, believing that the Christian God was on their side.
Maxentius initially had great advantages over Constantine: Maxentius’ forces outnumbered Constantine’s by nearly 2 to 1, and included the highly trained Praetorian Guard. Maxentius was on his home turf and enjoyed a defensive position, and, most importantly for the outcome of the battle, the ability to prepare as Constantine marched southward from Gaul. His preparations were more than adequate. Anticipating a prolonged siege of Rome by Constantine’s troops, he stocked the city with food and looked in satisfaction at the already-extensive fortifications which protected the city. Maxentius also had the Milvian Bridge partially destroyed, which surely would have delayed Constantine’s advance. However, Maxentius soon rejected the security of Rome and made what would prove to be a fatal mistake: he decided to sally forth and face Constantine head-on, across the Tiber River near the broken Milvian Bridge.
Constantine, who oddly enough was Maxentius’ brother-in-law, had his own advantages. He was a talented general, as shown by his victories over the Maxentian forces at Turin and Verona. He had a reputation for fair and honest government, which had the effect of rallying provincials to his cause. Religious zeal, however, would arguably lead Constantine to victory and thus to the seat of the Emperor. On the day before the battle, October 27, he and his troops supposedly witnessed what they interpreted to be an omen. There are two versions of this story told by Eusebius and Lactantius. In Eusebius' Life of Constantine, he claims Constantine and his troops witnessed a cross and the phrase "In hoc signo vinces," Latin for "In this sign, you will conquer" over the sun. However, Lactantius claims Constantine had a dream on the eve of the battle where he was instructed to fight in the name of Christ and to mark his soldiers shield with the Greek letter Chi-Rho (meaning Christ). Although sources differ on the exact details of Constantine’s vision (some claim that the Chi-Rho appeared to Constantine and his troops superimposed over the sun), the effect that the vision had on he and his army is clear. They marched into battle with the Chi-Rho painted on their shields, believing that the Christian God was on their side.
The Opposing Forces
Constantine
50,000
Maxentius
75-100,000
The crossroads of Saxa Rubra lay across the Tiber River at the Milvian Bridge, north of Rome. It was here that the two emporers would face off, deciding the fate of an entire continent. Maxentius’ troops had constructed a pontoon bridge of small rowboats fastened together to cross the river, having already put the Milvian Bridge out of commission. They took their stand confidently, assured that their superior numbers (estimated between 75,000-100,000) would easily vanquish the upstart from Eboracum and his Gallic soldiers (estimated 50,000). Constantine and his army, however, swept down on the Maxentian forces like a divine wind. The Constantinians, inspired with zeal by the divine vision, began ripping overconfident Maxentius’ forces to shreds with such ferocity that the Maxentians soon attempted to flee the field of battle. As they ran back across their pontoon-boat-bridge (or across the already partially destroyed Pons Milvius, as the sources seem to differ on this detail), it collapsed under the weight of the soldiers. Maxentius and his remaining soldiers were drowned, while many others were simply slaughtered by the Constantinians. Constantine and his divine inspiration had won the decisive battle, and by doing so had won the Western Roman Empire.
This is a BBC reenactment of the epic battle, with details slightly different from the sources used for this website.
- Above: Depiction of Maxentius' troops drowning in the Tiber River, overcome by Constantine's forces. From the Arch of Constantine, Rome.