At which battle did Constantine the Great defeat Maxentius in 312 CE?

Constantine the Great defeated Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE.

The battle took place on 28 October 312 near Rome during a civil war between rival Roman rulers. Constantine commanded forces from the western provinces, while Maxentius defended Rome. The fighting centered on the Tiber River and the bridge north of the city.

Ancient Christian writers connected Constantine’s victory with a vision or sign associated with Christ. Constantine later became the first Roman emperor to offer broad support to Christianity, although the empire’s religious transformation unfolded over decades.

The victory also strengthened Constantine’s position as sole ruler in the western Roman Empire. Maxentius died during the retreat, reportedly after falling into the Tiber. The event is sometimes confused with the Battle of Actium, but Actium occurred in 31 BCE and involved Octavian, Mark Antony, and Cleopatra.