It commemorates the accession of Constantine as Roman emperor in AD 306 on this site, after the death of his father Constantius Chlorus in York.

His right arm is outstretched behind him and his left holds the pommel of a sword, the tip of which is shown to be broken.

This phrase is a translation of the Latin in hoc signo vinces; a reference to a passage from the historian Eusebius of Caesaria, who recounts how Constantine was marching with his army and looked up to the sun and saw a cross of light above it, and with it the Greek words "(ἐν) τούτῳ νίκα" ("In this, conquer").

[8] In June 2020 the Daily Telegraph reported that the statue was 'under review' following complaints received by York Minster about Constantine's support of slavery in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.

[10] In CD Projekt RED's card game, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, Nilfgaardian deck leader Emperor Jan Calveit's artwork by Lorenzo Mastroianni was inspired by this statue.