Studies
Constantine was very aware of this, and let the entire empire know that he was the owner of this holy helmet. The emperor had coins made with the image of him wearing his helmet on the front. On every VLLP coin that was made, Constantine was shown wearing his helmet. This was one way that Constantine moved the Roman Empire away from the pagan religion and towards Christianity. The coins that were made after Constantine acquired his helmet showed that the nail was not the only thing that made his helmet religious. Constantine also had the monogram of Christ inscribed on the helmet. There were also a few religious symbols that were placed on the helmet. The chi-rho symbol was placed on the helmet, which usually represented the cross, but at times it was interpreted as Jesus Christ himself. Another one of these symbols was a labarum piercing a dragon, a serpent. This was significant because the serpent was represented as the devil. But it was also the symbol for any enemy that the Roman Empire had. Constantine’s helmet stood for the strength that the Roman Empire had through military force, and God. The helmet was put on the coins to let everyone know of this. Constantine’s helmet was mainly a crown that was fastened to the head by two clamps. The majority of the helmet was made out of iron and gold. Constantine thought having the chi-roh symbol on the helmet would give him added protection to that of the relic that was already in the helmet. The crown that was made with the nail was placed around a full helmet when the Emperor went into battle, but could easily be taken off. It was called a helmet however he wore it though. This is because of the two clamps that held it in place. If these two clamps were not on the original crown it would not be called a helmet at all.
Read more about this topic: Helmet Of Constantine
Famous quotes containing the word studies:
“His life itself passes deeper in nature than the studies of the naturalist penetrate; himself a subject for the naturalist. The latter raises the moss and bark gently with his knife in search of insects; the former lays open logs to their core with his axe, and moss and bark fly far and wide. He gets his living by barking trees. Such a man has some right to fish, and I love to see nature carried out in him.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Even if one studies to an old age, one will never finish learning.”
—Chinese proverb.
“What happiness did poor Mother’s studies bring her? It is the melancholy tendency of such studies to separate people from their friends and neighbors and fellow creatures in whom alone lies one’s happiness.”
—Mary Potter Playne (c. 1850–?)