An edict issued by Constantine in March 321 sets the dies Solis Invicti (Sunday) as the day of rest: trade is forbidden; agriculture is allowed.

The previous year, the Christian church in Rome had introduced December 25—the supposed day of the solstice and day of rebirth of the Sun, and an event long celebrated by Romans as the Saturnalia—as the birthday of Jesus.

Constantine’s forces pursue a horde of Goths into Licinius’ Thracian territory in violation of the compact between the two, rekindling civil war in 323.

Constantine's personal “theology” emerges with particular clarity from a remarkable series of letters, extending from 313 to the early 320s, concerning the Donatist schism in North Africa.

The Donatists maintain that those priests and bishops who have once lapsed from the Christian faith cannot be readmitted to the church.

Constantine's chief concern is that a divided church will offend the Christian God and so bring divine vengeance upon the Roman Empire and Constantine himself.

Satan inspires schism, in Constantine's view.

Its partisans are acting in defiance of the clemency of Christ, for which they might expect eternal damnation at the Last Judgment.

Meanwhile, it is for the righteous members of the Christian community to show patience and long-suffering.

In so doing, they will be imitating Christ, and their patience will be rewarded in lieu of martyrdom-for actual martyrdom is no longer open to Christians in a time of peace for the church.

Throughout, Constantine has no doubt that to remove error and to propagate the true religion is both his personal duty and a proper use of the imperial position.

His claim to be “bishop of those outside the church” may be construed in this light.

Other such pronouncements, expressed in letters to imperial officials and to Christian clergy, demonstrate that Constantine's commitment to Christianity is firmer and less ambiguous than some have suggested.

Eusebius confirms what Constantine himself believes: that he has a special and personal relationship with the Christian God.

The emperor makes his third son a caesar in 323.

Crispus, having in 320 defeated the Franks and thus assuring twenty years of peace along the Rhine border, in 322 and 323 defeats the Alamanni.

Wang Dun, a Jin Dynasty general and later warlord with paramount authorities, having brought Emperor Yuan (Sima Rui) to submission with his military force, now apparently intends to seize the Jin throne by force, but grows ill in 324 and dies as Emperor Ming is repelling his forces.

After a further period of tension, Constantine attacks Licinius in 324, routing him at Adrianople (modern Edirne) on July 3, and …

…succeeds in shutting him up within the walls of Byzantium.

Crispus, in this second war between Constantine and his co-emperor, commands his father's fleet of two hundred ships in an important naval victory in the Hellespont over the superior fleet of Licinius, compelling his hasty withdrawal to Bithynia, where Licinius assembles a large force and makes a last stand on September 18, 324 at the long and bloody Battle of Chrysopolis (modern Üsküdar, Turkey).

Licinius flees, but later surrenders on terms.

Constantine, now sole emperor of East and West, had in 324 made Byzantium the official capital of Roman Empire.

(There is no evidence that the city’s title of Nova Roma, or New Rome, was actually used for official purposes in Constantine's own time).

By this time, Constantine, who has on several occasions granted special privileges to individual churches and bishops, now openly embraces Christianity.

The Lakhmid Kingdom had been founded by the Lakhum tribe that emigrated from Yemen in the seconnd century and ruled by the Banu Lakhm, hence the name given it.

The founder of the dynasty was 'Amr, whose son Imra' ul-Qays (not to be confused with the famous poet Imru' al-Qais who lived in the sixth century) is claimed to have converted to Christianity according to Western authors.

Imra' ul-Qays dreams of a unified and independent Arab kingdom and, following that dream, had seized many cities in Arabia.

He had then formed a large army and developed the Kingdom as a naval power, which consists of a fleet of ships operating along the Bahraini coast.

From this position he has attacked the coastal cities of Persia—which at that time was in civil war due to a dispute as to the succession—even raiding the birthplace of the Sassanid kings, the province of Pars (Fars).

The Persians, led by Shapur II, had initiated a campaign against the Arab kingdom in 325.

When Imra' ul-Qays realizes that a mighty Persian army composed of sixty thousand warriors is approaching his kingdom, he asks for the assistance of the Roman Empire, but no help comes from that quarter.

The Persians advance toward al-Hirah and a series of vicious battles takes place over al-Hirah and the surrounding cities.

Shapur crushes the Lakhmid army and captures al-Hirah, then orders the extermination of its population in retaliation for their raids on Pars.

In this, the young Shapur acts much more violently than is customary at this time in order to demonstrate to the Arab Kingdoms and the Persian nobility his power and authority.

Shapur's title in Arabic is Zol 'Aktaf, meaning the one who pierces shoulders, as he did this with some of his captives.

He installs Aus ibn Qallam and gives the city autonomy, thus making the kingdom a buffer zone between the Persian Empire and the territory of other Arabs in the Peninsula.

Imra' ul-Qays escapes to Bahrain, taking his dream of a unified Arab nation with him.