Here is Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome. He reigned from A.D. 305 to 337, and has rightly been called the most important emperor of Late Antiquity. Constantine reunified the Roman Empire, established a new dynasty, and founded a new capital at Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul.

This colossal head probably surmounted an enormous statue of the emperor. Constantine carefully constructed his official portrait to evoke memories of the past, good Roman emperors. Notice the emperor’s long face, neatly arranged hairstyle, and clean-shaven appearance.

These features deliberately call to mind portraits of the Emperor Trajan, who ruled between A.D. 98 and 117. In the fourth century, Trajan was revered as the ideal, good emperor whom Constantine and his successors hoped to emulate.

You’ve probably noticed that the Emperor Constantine does not look straight at us. Rather, like most of his portraits in stone and on coins, he gazes up to heaven. In this way, he signifies himself as a subordinate to God. Christianity played an essential role in Constantine’s personal life and achievements. His reign laid the foundation for the transformation of the ancient, pagan world into the Christian Middle Ages.