In Year 9 History, students in Mr Marris's class recently competed in a historical Balloon Debate. Students had the option of arguing for the importance of any individual from history, making a case for why they deserved to stay in our fictitious sinking hot air balloon. Students submitted an entry, from which a selection of finalists were drawn, who then presented their speeches to the group. From those finalists, Hugh Dwyer (9T) was crowned as our Balloon Debate champion this year. Below, Hugh has summarised some of the key points from his speech in order to introduce you to Constantine the Great. 

My entry for the Balloon Debate was Emperor Constantine the Great. He was leader of the prestigious Ancient Roman Empire from 306 - 337 AD and the guest of the esteemed Diocletian. I picked Constantine due to the way in which he revolutionised society forever. He was a truly talented military figure and ended almost a century of political fragmentation; Constantine played a central role in helping Rome to emerge from the immense suffering and strife during the Crisis of the Third Century. Constantine was also a revered religious leader. He made the decision to convert the whole of the empire to Christianity after God revealed himself to the emperor before a pivotal battle. As well as this, Constantine founded Constantinople. This was an important turning point in the history of the Roman Empire and it is often referred to as the bridge between Roman and Byzantine Europe. Constantinople survived for over one millennium - 800 years of which it was deemed the wealthiest city in the world. It boasted its position on the Silk Road and established a reputation as a world-wide trading hub. 

During his lifetime, Constantine positively impacted the world in a manner which was never seen before. He also left a lasting legacy, with his actions reshaping the global religious dynamic forever. He founded a city that survived long after his death and improved the quality of life for countless citizens.