337 CE
A year of transition for the Roman Empire as Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, died after a reign of over three decades, leaving the empire to be divided among his three sons.
Geopolitics & Governance
- Emperor Constantine I died on May 22 near Nicomedia after receiving baptism on his deathbed, ending a reign that had fundamentally transformed the Roman Empire through the legalization of Christianity and the founding of Constantinople.
- The empire was divided among Constantine's three surviving sons: Constantine II received Britain, Gaul, and Spain; Constans received Italy, Africa, and the western Balkans; and Constantius II received the eastern provinces.
- A massacre of other members of the Constantinian dynasty followed the emperor's death, as soldiers loyal to his sons killed several of Constantine's half-brothers and nephews to eliminate potential rivals.
Conflict & Security
- The Sassanid Empire under Shapur II intensified pressure on Rome's eastern frontier, besieging the fortress city of Nisibis, which would be attacked repeatedly in the coming years.
- The division of the empire among three co-emperors created immediate tensions that would lead to civil war within a few years.
Culture & Society
- Constantine's legacy included the transformation of Christianity from a tolerated religion to the favored faith of the imperial court, a process that would prove irreversible.
- The world population was approximately 232 million.
Climate & Environment
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 278 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.