SO William Dixon Smith thinks that York should forget about Constantine's "coronation" as Emperor (Letters July 27). Why?

From Eboracum - York - this man united the Roman Empire and made the religion of Christianity, previously persecuted under Diocletian, the state religion.

True his motives in adopting the faith may have been suspect, but their results and impact are irrefutable.

Like it or not Constantine, like Alexander, Caesar, Cromwell and Napoleon (the other implied "despots" that Mr Dixon Smith refers to), helped shape the western world.

Nor were the regimes they conquered (respectively the Persian Empire, Celtic Gaul, Stuart Britain and assorted European autocratic monarchies) exactly "sugar sweet" and humanitarian.

Winners shape history and, therefore, the future.

But then, in England, we have long learned to despise the successful.

Maybe Mr Dixon Smith is right. Remove Constantine's statue to Australia or Greece. Or anywhere except England. And leave us all to our self-satisfied mediocrity.

Chris Corbett,

Bull Lane,

Lawrence Street,

York.

Updated: 09:07 Saturday, July 31, 2004