On October 28, 312, the Battle of the Malvian Bridge took place. The battle predetermined the development of Europe as a Christian civilization.
The struggle between Maxentius and Constantine entered its final phase by 312. The winner received sole power over the entire western half of the Roman Empire. The collapse of the Tetrarchy imposed by Diocletian proved that the model of shared power was very unsuitable for the Late Roman Empire, surrounded by external enemies and controlled by ambitious and ambitious men.
Constantine's army headed for Rome, following the Via Falminia. Instead of waiting for Constantine to besiege the city and exhaust his forces, Maxentius, confident of his numerical superiority, chose to meet the enemy at the Milvian Bridge. Maxentius' forces crossed the Tiber on a pontoon bridge, as the Milvian Bridge itself had been damaged. Maxentius' forces were positioned too close to the river, which cost them the victory. The next day, Constantine began the battle by attacking the enemy cavalry with his own and defeating them.
A combined attack followed against Maxentius' center, which was beginning to buckle. Maxentius decided to retreat towards Rome and defend the city, but it was too late. The pontoon bridge collapsed and many of Maxentius' soldiers drowned in the Tiber, while the rest were killed or captured by Constantine's forces.
Maxentius himself was among those who fell victim to the river. Constantine's victory made him sole ruler of the West, and later of the entire Roman Empire. His triumph paved the way for the introduction and legalization of Christianity, and it is not surprising that Christians subsequently created a myth about a divine apparition in Constantine's dream before the battle, which said that with the divine sign on their shields, his army would win. Later, this sign became an integral element of the symbolism of the late Roman Empire and its successor, Byzantium.