It takes a great leader to earn that distinction, and Constantine the Great qualifies.
But ... why is he depicted here in England, a long way from home?
Constantine was born in what is now Serbia in 272. He was the son of Constantius I, who eventually became the ruler of the Roman Empire in 305. Sadly for him, the father died suddenly in 306 at the age of 56 or so. By chance, he happened to die in York, which was called Eboracum at the time. Constantine was named the King by that army, and the proclamation took place very close to this spot. It took a couple of civil wars to figure out who would be the true new leader of the empire, but eventually Constantine took over in 324.
Constantine is best known for starting the process of bringing Christianity to the Roman Empire. He also created the city of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, and made it the capital of the empire. Constantine died in 337.
The statue arrived on the scene in 1998. Someone put a mask over his mouth during the 2020 pandemic, which is mighty considerate.
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