The Invincible Sun

In historical significance the Battle of Milvian Bridge is often enough quite commonly overlooked by historians, especially feverant Constantinian admirers for the fact of Constantine's first loss to Maxentius. The character of both Constantine and Maxentius were both quite common for their time period, high belief in superstition during this general period of what appeared to be a general decline of the magnificence of Rome. Both men courted both Pagan and Christian gods and accepted what divine help was offered and if it worked they would support it enthusiasticly. In this Constantine is said before the battle to have recieved a vision from the Christian God in a dream in which he was looking at the sky and words appeared in the clouds telling him that if he painted the image of the Christian Chi (X) Ro (P) or Christos or Christ. While Maxentius had similarly reicved a favorable augurs that he would be victorious against Constantine. Towards this for Maxentius his usualy strategy was to force Constantine into a outright siege of Rome which he had fortified and stocked supplies and destroyed all the bridges across the Tiber...except one, the Milvian Bridge where he planned to meet Constantine in b attle as he fully believed that his forces would be able to defeat Constantine's army.

In this he is partially true, as the battle commenced the forces of Constantine and Maxentius met on the banks of the Tiber River, gradually it appeared that Constantine would be able to exact a crushing victory against Maxentius as his foe's forces slowly gave ground back to the river. A particular charge by Constantine's calvalry did force Maxentius to call a retreat but in a orderly manner, Maxentius's managed to not only bring the bulk of his forces successfully over the river but also inflict heavy casulties on Constantine's forces that persued Maxentius's army having believed that they could totally rout the enemy. Alas this force was caught on the bridge and decimated by Maxtenius's regrouped army and successfully held off Constantine's attacks.

Following the battle Constantine was furious, blaming the defeat on the lies of the Christian god that had promised him undefeatability in the battle and to quickly defeat Maxentius instead of ahving to persue him to Rome. It is said that he ordered for those that had painted the XP on their shields and banners to scrape and pull them off. That night Constantine once again had a dream, this being the result of either divine intervention as today's religious would say or perhaps a fitful subconcious, he dreamed again that he was looking into the sky but this time he saw a clear sky with the sun shining its radience across Rome and over the entire world and Constantine did not flinch as he basked in the sun's warmth. Following this he would become quite enamoured with Sol Invictus as had been his own father.

-The Emperors of the Sun, 1736 SE (2010 CE).

The Solarian Empire as described by modern academics a time period of its own, despite the fact that those who made up this so called empire still called themselves Romans and considered them still a continuous set of the Roman Empire. Nonetheless the period of the so called Late Roman Empire is considered a cultural and political epoch that even I agree needs separation then the classical period of the Roman Empire. So the question is begged: When did the so called ‘Solarian Empire’ begin? Given the Solar Calendar one could say it began 0 SE with the Emperor Aurelian who introduced the Cult of Sol into the higher echelons of Roman Government thus starting a period of integration in which the Cult of the Sun would be instated as the State Religion of the empire. One could say it began years later with the triumph of Constantine in Rome in the year considered 41 SE or perhaps at the founding of the city of llioupoli/Heliopolis/Constantinople in 59 SE. Another could easily say it began with the official instatement of His Holiness Pontifex Maximus Titinius or why not the fall of Rome! The problem chiefly with defining this period as beginning either with the reign of Aurelian or Constantine is that it was the Emperor Diocletian between them that instated a number of reforms towards the structure of the Roman Empire thus one could say this period should be referred after him!
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The First Great Solarian Emperor (by popular reckoning): Emperor Aurelian 0 SE - 4 SE
The Second Great Solarian Emperor: Emperor Constantine 41 SE - 66SE
Proceeding Solarian Emperors:
Constantinie II and Dalmatius (66 SE- 94 SE)
Constantine III (94 SE-121 SE)
Valentinian I (129 SE-138 SE).....

-Rise of the Sun (1689)
 
I'm sorry this is quite ASB in the regards that Constantine only spoke of his dream after the Battle at the Victory Arch in Rome. Most historians would now argue that it was a political move to get the growing despite persecuted Christians behind him when he claimed to be the Full Emperor. Furthermore many historians are now arguing that Constantine only really converted at his death bed (if at all) and that he always seemed to be more of a follower of Sol Invictus.

Interestingly, his mother (who is credit to be the first pilgrim) it has been argued by some historians, actually went to the Holy Land to pay the troops there, and that it was more out of good-will she built the church of the nativity in Bethlehem. Though this point has certainly been constantly debated by other Byzantine/ Late Antiquity historians.
 
You really should have taken note that I am doing these from a personal narrative perspective, namely from the viewpoint of someone in this TL. Not a over narrative perspective recounting exactly what happened. Facts will be revealed in good time :p
 
You really should have taken note that I am doing these from a personal narrative perspective, namely from the viewpoint of someone in this TL. Not a over narrative perspective recounting exactly what happened. Facts will be revealed in good time :p

Sorry mate, I've been reading about this period though so that's why I looked into it... a word of advice though, Christianity is going to be a big "problem" for your timeline if you are wanting to go for a Sol Invictus timeline, neither persecution nor toleration is really going to stop it's spread... t'will be interesting to see what you come up with.
 
Sorry mate, I've been reading about this period though so that's why I looked into it... a word of advice though, Christianity is going to be a big "problem" for your timeline if you are wanting to go for a Sol Invictus timeline, neither persecution nor toleration is really going to stop it's spread... t'will be interesting to see what you come up with.

It won't be wiped out but a notable Minority 'Under the Benevolent, All Encompassing Light of King Sun'
 
It won't be wiped out but a notable Minority 'Under the Benevolent, All Encompassing Light of King Sun'

You're not supposed to tell me... now as someone who would be interested in an alt form of Christianity you have told me the ending so I'm now going to pay no more attention to this thread. :p
 
You're not supposed to tell me... now as someone who would be interested in an alt form of Christianity you have told me the ending so I'm now going to pay no more attention to this thread. :p

I didn't say their wouldn't be a alternate Christanity.
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"Of mortal men none can look upon the direct brilliance of O'Lord Sun!
Except! One! One so divinely favored to rule and rules all! Who be this?
It is Constantinius Augustus! Watch as he gathers all true Romans into the embrace the divine!"- Attributed to Titinius

Some have said that at one point the Emperor himself was swayed by the word of the Christian God and that until his death he had worked on divine inspiration from the Christ. This of course is quite unlikely and as pompous as the assertion by Solarians that he received divine visions from Sol! In the mind of Constantine there was only great being on this earth and that was himself, which eventually became more and more inflated as he united the Roman Empire from the fractured Tetrarchy, though one should not doubt that nonetheless Constantine like all Romans at this point was quite superstitious and practical-if a god favored him he would repay them back in full to continue this favor. Opportunities again and again presented him opportunity to work on this such as at his entrance into Rome and the commemoration of the Arch of Constantine where he loudly trumpeted his thanks to victory to the Invincible Sun, a very blatant play to the pagan majority of the Roman Empire. The Edict of Milan is why most sects of the Christians consider him a saint or a hero of Christianity (not unlike the persistent myth of Alexander the Great being a hero to the Jews) as the persecutions of Diocletian were quite fresh in the collective mind of that volatile faith. Given that the territories of Licinius contained the largest portion of Christians in the Roman Empire Constantine was more than happy to play himself off as a savior following Licinius’s persecutions of the Christians to improve his position as he united the Roman Empire once more.

It had long been a standing view in the empire that peace in the empire came from peace of the gods, and thus in these particularly violent and changing times Constantine sought to maintain the Empire on part by bringing under his civil and religious authority all of the religions. It was as it were the escalating violence between the various Christian sects that turned him away from the Christian faith and attempts to arbitrate between the various creeds ended in frustration and refused to favor any sect in giving them high positions of power and rule in Rome or throughout the eastern provinces. Though of all it was the sermons of the future Pontifex Maximus Titinus that caught his attention in 59 SE just before the commemoration of his city, Constantinople.

Titinius was the son of a soldier in Constantine’s army that had fought its way from Britannia to Rome and had settled in Rome in 41 SE and who was known as a initiate of the Cult of Mithras which was quite popular amongst the army. Growing up in Rome, Titinius encountered perhaps all the religious creeds that inhabited the Roman Empire and most likely from this gradually what would become the doctrine of the Cult of Sol emerged. Taking from the already well established Cult of the Sol, the Oriental Faiths such as Mithras and Isis, the classical Roman religion, the philosopher faiths such as that from Plotinus and Stoicism, and even Christianity and Judaism in a synergetic faith. His oration and eloquence easily drew crowds by the hundreds in Rome as he emanated what was described as an infectious passion. He announced that eternal life and peace in this world and the next was possible through embracing the rule of the Sun. What was crucial to Constantine though in that Titinius showered high praise on Constantine, proclaiming him favored by Sol, and by extension all gods, to rule on this earth.

A faith that supported his rule and the absorption of the various faiths into a manageable order was something that more than likely very interested Constantine. Perhaps if there is any truth to the legend that Apollo ordained his rule in Gaul or Sol outside of Rome then he may have been influenced by this. The motivation for declaring Constantinople’s nickname the City of the Sun or Heliopolis was possible rooted in his exhaustion of the infighting amongst the Christian sects or perhaps he did see Sol as favoring him or more likely was showing off his divinely favored credentials once again. Whatever the reason, Constantine was considered The Great by all faiths of the Empire at the time but his successors would not be as restrained.

-The Total History of the Roman Empire (1766 SE)
 


I didn't say their wouldn't be a alternate Christanity.

No, but I know they survived and that's all that interests me because I have a very one tract mind.:p

Next you will be telling me who wins your alt-Second World War between a Hitler led Soviet Union, and a Stalin led Christian Romanian Reich! :D

(OK, I'll behave now)
 
Decoding Myths and Legends of the Historical Era
By Dante Minafri


The myth of the Battle of Milvian Bridge is the first myth concerning Constantine and Christianty. The last chapter already goes into common Solarian myths concerning Constantine and his father. This one though is important in that it puts into a context a negative relationship between Chritanity and the Roman Emperor.

The legen in question goes that prior to his first attempt to capture Rome from a rival warlord he receives a message in the form of a dream. In this dream he looks into the sky and sees in the clouds a message telling him that if his army bears the sign of the Christian Faith then he will conquer Rome. After putting the image on his banners, Constantine and his army attempt and fail to capture the Milvian Bridge which results in a defeat. Afterward Constantine curses the Christian God for his false promises and later captures Rome after another dream where he paints the symbol of the sun on his banners.

It is obvious by historical records that this account did not come out until sometime after the Battle of Milvian Bridge had passed. The most likely source of the legend was detractors of Christanity who wished to blame the Christian faith for the defeat. We can see this fairly easily by examining Constantine's upbringing and action as Emperor. Prior to his arrival in Rome he have very little account toward supporting or detracting Christanity or the proto-Solarian faith prior to Titinius. Constantine is said to have recognized the importance of faith being played out in the Roman Empire and certainly during this period he initially gave support to the Old Beliefs and to the Christian and Solarian faiths while also giving detracting comments or actions to keep their supporters under his thumb while he rebuilt the Empire.

The Council of Nicea and Edict of Milan were examples not of any professed allegiance to Faith, but to bring the Christian faith under Imperial control and to stop the warring and riots created by the friction creating doctrines. His efforts though in his later years showed increasing levels of frustration, especially toward the Donatists and sects which totally rejected his authority or condemned him for his support of the Solarian Creed. Though, it wasn't just Christians who were alienated by the Solarian Crees but members of the Old Faith who resisted any compromise or attempt to be absorbed by the Solarians. Which gradually became a uphill battle as Constainte supported Solarian efforts to pop up in every corner of the Empire.

Rumors that would become later myths and stories central to the Solarian Faith also increasingly emerges under Constantine and as Titinius made his famous 'March Across the Empire'. These rumors to be legends were accounts of miraculous instance of favor attributed to worship of the Solar. Diseases being cured, lives saves, inspiration formed, crops healthy, and fortune made to just name a few. The most likely sources for these were Titinius and Constantine and their common supporters.

The next century would see the explosive growth of the Solarian faith, especially under the one blood of Constantine that took up the faith with zeal.

Author Note: A favored retort by Solarians against Christian slogans 'The Lord Grants Victory' is a sarcastic 'Where was he at the bridge?'
 
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Otl, i believe the story of constantine was that he saw a cross on a disk. This let him spin the story for sol invictus worshippers as well as christians, killing two birds with one stone as it were.

It is significant, im sure that he didnt officially convert until he was dying.
 
It is significant, im sure that he didnt officially convert until he was dying.

He wasn't baptized until he was dying.

This was a common practice in the early days, especially for those who might have to pass death sentences or do other unchristian things. Since baptism washed away all sins, and could be done only once, it made a lot of sense for such men to postpone it until their deathbeds.

It doesn't mean he wasn't a Christian. Is there any record of him giving official support to any other religion?
 
He wasn't baptized until he was dying.

This was a common practice in the early days, especially for those who might have to pass death sentences or do other unchristian things. Since baptism washed away all sins, and could be done only once, it made a lot of sense for such men to postpone it until their deathbeds.

It doesn't mean he wasn't a Christian. Is there any record of him giving official support to any other religion?

Plenty of support. He by no means restricted the actions of other religions. Following the Battle of Milvian he constructed a Arch of Victory with absolutely no Christian symbols or references and continued to see him as the Imperial Religious head of the Empire. He also is said to have made referances that all people of all religions in the Empire should venerate the sun. The only true POD in this TL besides the mishap at Milvian is the Solarian Crees championing this view under Titinius.
 
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