On 26 Nov. 329 he laid the foundations of a new capital of the Empire, at Byzantium, upon the Bosporus, in Thrace. The city of Byzantium had been almost entirely destroyed by Severus; it was rebuilt by Constantine, enlarged and adorned with open squares, fountains, a circus and palaces, and called by his own name. Con stantine divided the Empire into four parts, governed by four praetorian prefects. Toward the close of his life he favored the Arians, to which he was induced by Eusebius of Nico media ; and he even banished many Roman Catholic bishops. In the year 337 he fell ill in the neighborhood of Nicomedia, was baptized, and died after a reign of 31 years.
Constantine committed a great political error in dividing his empire among his three sons, Constantine, Constantius and Constans. His zeal for Christianity appears to have been ex cited not less by the knowledge that the religion which was embraced by a majority of the in habitants of the Roman Empire must prevail, and that, of course, the strength of the govern ment must be increased by protecting it, than by a wish to apply its consoling powers to the relief of a heavy conscience. He has been accused of
inordinate ambition, excessive liberality and an Oriental fondness for parade. But he was brave at the head of his army, mild and indulgent in his intercourse with his subjects, the favorite of his people, the terror of his foes. He was fond of the sciences as well as of arms, and gave them his protection. He read much, and wrote nearly all his own letters. In Eusebius we find many proofs of his theological learning. Some of the martyrologists have counted him among the saints, and fix 20 May as his festival. The Greeks and Russians observe it upon the 21st of the same month. Among all the writers who have attempted to describe the character, influ ence and policy of Constantine, Gibbon, from the extent of his researches and the profound ness of his views, appears to deserve the first place, though his impartiality is more than doubtful. Consult Eusebius, 'Vita Constantini'; Gibbon, and Fall of the Roman Em ; Firth, 'Constantine the Great' (New York 1905) ; (Cambridge Medimval History' (Vol. I, ib. 1911) ; Fletcher, 'Life of Constan tine the Great' (1852).