Elizabeth Eiler

History 134

Professor Lark

17 June 2018

Portfolio Reflection

Many of the great leaders and civilizations that we have learned about have the common

foundation of a strong religious/spiritual belief system and presence of traditions. Their belief

systems offered a moral compass that allowed them to lead and make decisions with good

intentions at heart. Since they believed in a power greater than them, they were able to remain

somewhat humble and have something to lean on in dark or difficult times. The presence of a

religious/spiritual belief system and tradition allows for an overall stronger leader and

civilization.

One example of a leader with a religious belief system is Constantine I, also known as

Constantine the Great. Constantine was the first emperor of Rome who converted to Christianity.

In a letter he wrote to the Persian king Shāpūr II, Constantine claims that his victory over

Licinius was due to aide from the divine power of God and that “he had come to bring peace and

prosperity to all the lands” (Nicol). This letter shows that Constantine firmly believed that his

success is dependent on God and that because of his faith he didn’t come to conquer and destroy

new lands, but to strengthen them. Unlike other Roman emperors, Constantine’s reasoning

behind growing his empire was not to destroy his opponents or slaughter other civilizations. His

Christian faith allowed for other Christians to freely practice their faith and get back what had

been taken from them during years of persecution (Nicol). Since there was never any mention of

Constantine persecuting those who were not Christians in the readings, it will be assumed that he

allowed for more religious freedom in Rome that was not offered by other emperors that came
before and after his reign. Overall, he used his Christian belief system to increase freedom in the

Roman empire and extend peace and prosperity to conquered lands.

Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, is another example of a leader with a strong religious

belief system. Muhammad had always been known as a man who was very introspective and

spent much of his time taking part in solitary meditation, which eventually led him to become a

mediator between God, or Allah, and His people. (“Islam, Muhammad, Prophet Of Islam”).

Although Muhammad and his followers progressively got more aggressive with their efforts to

convert people to Islam, as a leader he was very concerned with the well being of his followers

and wanted to offer them a strong sense of community, known as Ummah (“Islam, Muhammad,

Prophet Of Islam”). His strong and unwavering faith allowed him to continue his preaching with

great strength and momentum, despite the attempts of others to stop him. Strong leaders should

have something to grasp onto during times of struggle and for some leaders, such as Muhammad,

their rock and strength comes from their religious/spiritual beliefs.

In ancient Greek civilization, religion was actively present in all areas of life

(Cartwright). For ancient Greeks, religion was not always about their many gods. Often times it

was focused on traditions. Many of their traditions helped to shape their way of life that

prospered for over a thousand years. One prominent tradition was the many festivals that

contained athletic events as well as musical and theatrical competitions (Cartwright). People

from all over Greece would travel to these festivals as though it was a sort of pilgrimage and

warfare was prohibited during these times, allowing for a time of peace in Greece (Cartwright).

This tradition was a time where Greece was prospering financially and in nationalism. This was a

peaceful time that brought Greeks together. For every great society there must be a strong sense
of nationalism, and for Greece their traditions are what brought about this unification allowing

them to be a strong society.

Through the study of religion and its impacts on past societies, there are common themes

that can be applied to today’s society. One of the most common themes is that there is great

importance in the staying strong during hard times. Muhammad didn’t let persecution stop him

from spreading his beliefs. Through the study of leaders, such as Muhammad, people today can

better understand that “historical narratives offer us stories of humility, courage, wisdom, and—

most important—hope” (Postma). For Greece, they used their festivals and athletic games as a

way of taking a break from the difficulties of their lives. By “studying alien religious beliefs,

strange customs, diverse family patterns and vanished social structures shows how differently

various human groups have tried to cope with the world around them” (McNeill). There is a lot

of ugly stuff going on in the world today and there is definite importance in finding similar

coping mechanisms used by those in the past. Constantine believed that those with different

beliefs could still live peacefully with one another. With so much political and racial divide in

the world today, people need “to reject ‘either/or’ in favor of ‘both/and’” (Perry). It is possible

for peaceful coexistence to occur, as made evident in examples from history.

Throughout this course, it was made clear that there is a strong need to continue studying

history. There are so many lessons that can be learned from the experiences of those that came

before us. Rather than trying to forget the past and just focus on the present, people must take the

time to learn from the past. History repeats itself, so for many things that are going on in the

world today, there is most likely something similar that occurred in the past. In order to better

society, the world must keep taking time to study the past.
 Bibliography

Cartwright, Mark. "Ancient Greek Religion." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History

Encyclopedia, 13 Mar 2018. Web. 17 Jun 2018.

“Islam, Muhammad, Prophet Of Islam.” Greece, A History of Ancient Greece, Mythology,

history-world.org/islam2.htm.

McNeill, William. “Why Study History? (1985) | AHA.” Khafre | AHA, 1985,

www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/historical-

archives/why-study-history-(1985).

Nicol, Donald MacGillivray, and J.F. Matthews. “Constantine I.” Encyclopædia Britannica,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 18 May 2018,

www.britannica.com/biography/Constantine-I-Roman-emperor.

Perry, David M. “How History Can Help Us Predict the Next Pope.” The Atlantic, Atlantic

Media Company, 12 Mar. 2013,

www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/how-history-can-help-us-predict-the-

next-pope/273945/.

Postma, Michael. “What Can History Teach Us Today?” Manipulated Kids: Teens Tell How Ads

Influence Them - Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2011,

www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/622-postma.aspx.