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CONSTANTIUS AND GALEBIUS.
where constitutions have been drawn up which, when applied
to life and actual circumstances, produced results far different
from those which had been anticipated. Galerius and Con-
stantius, both Illyrians, had been appointed Caesars in A.D.
292, the former for the East, the latter for the West. Galerius
had been a common Illyrian soldier, and bore the name of
Armentarius, from his having at one time been a cow-herd.
Constantius5 was a man of noble birth; his father was a man
of rank in the diocese of Illyricum, and his mother a niece of the
emperor Claudius Gothicus. Constantius was a man of refined
education, manners, and sentiment, and altogether very differ-
ent from Galerius. Both, however,were distinguished generals,
though Grilerius was rough and daring, while Constantius was
distinguished by wisdom and foresight.
The resignation of sovereign power by Diocletian and
Maximian was quite in accordance with the system which
the former had set on foot. Constantius and Galerius now
succeeded as Augusti, and the places of the Caesars became
vacant. The Augusti might reside wherever they pleased;
they were not bound cither to Rome, to Milan, or to
Nicomedia. Constantius therefore remained in his court at
Treves; and in his place a Caesar was to be appointed to
conduct the government of Italy and Africa. Galerius,
without consulting his colleague, appointed the two Caesars,
the men whom ,he selected for that dignity being both na-
tives of Illyricum, where the Latin language was spoken
in the most barbarous manner. Maximinus Daza, his nephew,
a common soldier, was made Caesar of the East, Syria and
Egypt being assigned to him. The Caesar of the West
was Flavius Severus, whose authority extended over Italy
and Africa. Galerius remained at Nicomedia, and reserved
for himself Greece, Illyricum, and Asia Minor. He con-
tinued the persecution of the Christians with greater fury
than Diocletian; but he too could effect nothing, and was
in the end obliged to give way.
Diocletian and Constantius did not interfere with these pro-
ceedings, but the aged Maximian resolved to oppose them.
He went from Lucania to Rome, resumed his dignity as
5 His surname of Clilorus occurs only in the Byzantine writers, and is neither
mentioned by earlier writers, nor does it appear on any coins. Nobody knows
the origin of it. — N.
CONSTANTINE.
313
Augustus, and prevailed upon the senate to proclaim his son
Maxentius as Caesar, instead of Severus. Constantius died
soon after these occurrences in A.D. 306. at York; and the
IeMons proclaimed his son Constantine (the Great) Augustus.
Galerius, out of jealousy, refused to acknowledge him as such,
treated him only as Caesar and made an attempt upon his life;
raised Sevcrus to the rank of Augustus, and instigated him
against Maximian and Maxentius. Severus, however, died
while attempting to invade Italy.
Constantine for the present brooked the degradation; he
was the son of Constantius by his first and legitimate wife He-
lena, a woman of low birth, and a native of Boussillon, on the
frontier between France and Spain. Diocletian had required
Constantius and Galerius, Ontheirclevationto the rank of Caesars,
to divorce their wives, and to marry ladies of the families of the
Augusti. Constantius accordingly married Theodora, a step-
daughter of Maximian, and Galerius Valeria, a daughter of Dio-
cletian. At the time of his father’s death, A.D. 306, Constantine
was thirty-two years old. He was a truly distinguished man, and
had acquired great reputation under Diocletian, so that the
attention of the whole Roman world was drawn towards him.
He was not aman of extensive Iiteraryacquirements, like some
of his predecessors, but he was at the same time anything but
a rude barbarian ; he spoke Latin and Greek without being a
learned man.
LECTURE CXXX.
WHILE Constantine did not interfere with what was going on
in the south, and was satisfied with establishing his power in
the three western provinces, Galerius undertook to avenge the
death of Sevcrus upon Maxentius, and advanced with an army
into Italy as far as Narni. But he found Iiimselfso completely
surrounded by the forces of the aged Maximian, met with so
little support, and his army was so small, that he had no choice
but to retreat. A peace was then brought about, the terms of
which are not known. After the death of Severus, Galerius
had given Illyricum to C-Valerius Licinius, on whom he also