CONSTANTINE I., FrAvms VALERIOS AURELIUS, surnamed "the great," a Roman emperor, was b. 272 or 274 A.D., at Naissus, in Mwsia. He was the eldest sou of Con stantins Chlorus, and first distinguished himself by his military talents under Diocletian, in that monarch's famous Egyptian expedition, 296; subsequently he served under Galerius in the Persian war. In 805, the two emperors, Diocletian and Maximian, abdicated, and were succeeded by Constantins Chlorus and Galerius. Galerius, who could not endure the brilliant and energetic genius of C., took every means of exposing him to danger, and it is believed that this was the period when he acquired that mix ture of reserve, cunning, and wisdom, which was so conspicuous in his conduct in after years. At last C. fled to his father, who ruled in the west, and joined him at Boulogne just as he was setting out on an expedition against the Picts in North Britain. Constantius died at York, July 25, 306, having proclaimed his son C. his successor. The latter now wrote a conciliatory letter to Galerius, and requested to be acknowledged as Augustus. Galerius did not dare to quarrel with C., yet he granted him the title of Ctesar only. Political complications now increased, and in a short time no less than six emperors were "in the field "—viz., Galerius, Licinius, and Maximin in the east, and Maximian, Maxentius his son, and Constantine in the west, 308 A.D. Maxentius having quarreled with his father, forced him to flee from Rome ; be took refuge with C., but was ungrateful enough to plot the destruction of his benefactor. This being discovered, he fled to Marseilles, the inhabitants of which city gave him up to C., who put him to death, 309 A.D. professed great anger at the death of his father, and assembled a large army, with which he threatened Gaul. Crossing the Alps by Mont Mils, C. thrice defeated Maxentius—first near Turin, then under the walls of Verona, and finally in the vicinity of Rome, 28th Oct., 312, Maxentius himself in the last of these engagements being drowned in an attempt to escape across the Tiber. C. now entered the capital, disbanded the Prmtorians, and adopted other judicious measures for allaying the public exitement. He was also honored with the title of pontilex maximus, or supreme dig nitary of the pagan hierarchy.
0. was now sole emperor of the west. Similarly, by the death of Galerius in 311, and of Maximin in 313, Licinius became sole emperor of the east. In 314, a war broke out between the two rulers, in which Lieinius• had the worst, and was fain to conclude a peace by the cession of Illyrieum, Pannonia, and Greece. C. gave Licinius his sister Constantina in marriage, and for the next nine years devoted himself vigorously to the correction of abuses in the administration of the laws, to the strengthening of the frontiers of his empire, and to the chastising the barbarians, who learned to fear and respect his power. In 323, he renewed the war with Licinius, whom he defeated, and
ultimately put to death. C. was now at the summit of his ambition, the sole governor of the Roman world. He chose Byzantium for his capital, and in 330, solemnly inau gurated it as the seat of government, under the name of Constantinople or City of Con stantine. In 324, he committed a deed that has thrown a dark shade over his memory. He had a gallant and accomplished son, named Crispus, who was exceedingly popular, and him, along with Constantina and others, he put to death on a charge of treason. Niebuhr shows that it was not unlikely Crispus cherished ambitious designs. Next year occurred the great council of Nice. C. sided with the orthodox fathers, probably for very heterodox reasons. As yet lie was a pagan, but his sense of justice, and his conviction of the growing importance of the Christians, both as a moral and political element in the life of the empire, had from the very first induced him to protect them. As early as 313, lie had everywhere granted them toleration, and since then continued to favor them more and more decidedly. As president of the Nicene council, he opposed the Arians, on political grounds, as the weaker party; but not being theologi interested in the dissensions, he refrained from active persecution. During the latter years of his life, Christianity became the state religion, the pagan temples were closed, and sacrifices forbidden. Yet it was only a short time before his death, which occurred 22d July, 337, that he would allow himself to be baptized.
The question has been much discussed, whether or not C. was a Christian. The truth seems to be, that lie looked upon religion as a statesman, who feels that his first duty is to rule the nation over'which lie is set in an orderly and peaceable manner. Had paganism been still in its prime, and possessed any real political vitality, it is not likely that a man of C.'s secular temperament would have troubled himself in regard to the new faith; but when he found that the latter was making rapid progress in spite of the fiercest persecution, he must have felt it wisest, and probably also conceived it right, to protect and favor it. But he continued to the last addicted to many pagan superstitions. As an emperor, however, he ranks very high. He was by his people, for whose welfare he seems to have honestly labored. Severe and even sanguinary towards individuals, he was just and moderate towards nations. He conquered every enemy, organized a new and better mode of government for his vast dominions, crushed all conspiracies and revolts, and passed the close of his life in peace.