Constantīnus

, surnamed the Great , from the greatne of his exploits, was son of Constant i us. As soon as he became independent he a umed the title of August us, and made war against Licinius, his brother-in-law and colleague on the throne, because he was cruel and ambitious. He conquered him, and obliged him to lay aside the imperial power. It is said that as he was going to fight against Maxentius, one of his rivals, he saw a cro in the sky, with this inscription, ἐν τουτῳ νικα , in hoc vince . From this circumstance he became a convert to christianity and obtained an easy victory, ever after adopting a cro or abarum as his standard. After the death of Diocletian, Maximian, Maxentius, Maximin us, and Licinius, who had reigned together, though in a subordinate manner, Const an tine became sole emperor, and began to reform the state. He founded a city in the most eligible situation, where old Byzantium formerly stood, and called it by his own name, Constant i no polis . Thither he transported part of the Roman senate; and by keeping his court there, he made it the rival of Rome, in population and magnificence, and from that time the two imperial cities began to look upon each other with an eye of envy; and soon after the age of Const an tine, a separation was made of the two empires, and Rome was called the capital of the western, and Constant i no polis was called the capital of the eastern, dominions of Rome. The emperor has been distinguished for personal courage, and praised for the protection which he extended to the christians. He at first persecuted the Arians, but afterwards inclined to their opinions. His murder of his son Crispus has been deservedly censured. By removing the Roman legions from the garrisons on the rivers, he opened an easy pa age to the barbarians, and rendered his soldiers unwarlike. He defeated 100,000 Goths, and received into his territories 300,000 Samartians, who had been banished by their slaves, and allowed them land to cultivate. Const an tine was learned, and preached as well as composed many sermons, one of which remains. He died A.D. 337, after a reign of 31 years of the greatest glory and succe . He left three sons, Constant in us, Constans, and Constant i us, among whom he divided his empire. The first, who had Gaul, Spain, and Britain for his portion, was conquered by the armies of his brother Constans, and killed in the 25th year of his age, A.D. 340. Magnentius, the governor of the provinces of Rhætia, murdered Constans in his bed, after a reign of 13 years over Italy, Africa, and Illyricum; and Constant i us, the only surviving brother, now become the sole emperor, A.D. 353, punished his brother’s murderer, and gave way to cruelty and oppre ion. He visited Rome, where he displayed a triumph, and died in his march against Julian, who had been proclaimed independent emperor by his soldiers.――The name of Const an tine was very common to the emperors of the east, in a later period.――A private soldier in Britain, raised on account of his name to the imperial dignity.――A general of Belisarius.