THE FOURTH CENTURY A.D. 303 Feb. 305 May 1. 306 July Dioclesian, after having favoured the Christians for eighteen years, is prevailed on by Galerius to commence the tenth and last persecution, which is carried on for ten years with unexampled severity. Dioclesian, on account of his age and infirmities, resigns the empire,* and Maximian reluctantly follows his example. They are succeeded by Galerius in the east, who rules in the room of Diocle sian, and in the west by the mild Constantius, who succeeds the savage Maximian. The two Cæsarsnominated to succeed to their former governments are Maximin and Severus.t Constantius, accompanied by his son Constantine, sails over into Britain, and gains an easy victory over the barbarians of Caledonia. He dies in the imperial palace of York, and is 25. immediately succeeded in the government by his son Constantine, surnamed the Great. * Charles V., emperor of Germany, afterwards did the same. A striking resemblance may be traced between these two emperors, both in their moral and intellectual character. †The dominions assigned to Severus were Italy and Africa; to Maximin, Syria and Egypt; Gaul, Spain and Britain, were the provinces of Constantius; and Illyricum, Pannonia, Thrace, Macedon, Greece, Asia Minor, Judea, &c., were subject to Galerius. 306 Oct. 28. 307 Feb.7. 307 Nov. 11. 309 310 Feb. In consequence of the intolerable despotism of Severus in his government, Maxentius the son of Maximian, is declared emperor. Maximian himself re-assumes the purple, and is made colleague with his son Maxentius. Severus marches against Maxentius; his army revolts, and he finally surrenders to Maximian, who puts him to death. Maximian gives the title of Augustus to Constantine. Galerius marches against Rome, but is quickly obliged to retire. Maximian attempts to depose his son, but is prevented by the army, who oblige him to retire into Gaul. Galerius raises his friend Licinius to the rank of Augustus, and Maximin demands and obtains the same honour; Rome is therefore now for the first, and indeed for the last time, governed by six emperors. * Maximian again resigns the throne; but again repenting, seizes on that of his son-in-law, Constantine, in his absence, who returns, and once more deposes him. Constantine, having detected Maximian in an attempt to murder him, permits him to choose the manner of his death; and he is consequently strangled. * Viz. Maximian, Maxentius and Constantine in the west; and Galerius, Maximin and Licinius in the east. 311 Galerius, being seized with a dreadful disorder,* revokes the decree formerly issued against the Christians, and unites with Constantine and Licinius in enacting a new one in their favour. 312 Oct.28 313 314 Galerius dies, and his provinces are divided between Licinius and Maximin, who finally form alliances with the other two emperors; Licinius with Constantine, and Maximin with Maxentius. Civil war between Constantine and Maxentius. Constantine, having already defeated Maxentius in the battles of Turin and Verona, gains a complete victory over him near Rome.† War between Maximin and Licinius, in which Licinius is entirely victorious over Maximin, who, it is said, had vowed to Jupiter that, if he conquered, he would extirpate the Christian naine. With this victory the tenth general persecution by the Roman emperors, ended. The two remaining emperors engage in a civil war with each other. Constantine is victorious at the battles of Cibalis and Mardia, and Licinius is obliged to sue for a treaty of peace, which ConStantine grants. 1 315 Constantine abolishes punishment by crucifixion. 323 Second civil war between Constantine and Licinius, who had lately begun in his turn to persecute the Christians. Licinius, who had put the * See 44 A.D.; note. +It was in the civil war against Maxentius, that Constantine is reported to have seen the miracle of the cross. 323 324 truth or falsehood of Christianity on the event of this war, is totally defeated at the battle of Hadrianople and the siege of Byzantium, and loses, in the issue, both his crown and life. By this victory of Constantine the Roman world is again united under the authority of one sovereign, thirty-seven years after Dioclesian had divided his power and provinces with his associate Maximian. Constantine publishes his edict of toleration, and invites all his subjects to embrace the Christian faith; which becomes, from this time, the established religion of the Roman world. Constantine lays the foundation of New Rome, since called, after his name, Constantinople. 325 The first general council * is assembled by Constantine at Nice, in Bithynia, to settle the contest between Arius and the Trinitarian bishops; in which the decision is against the Arians. 328 The seat of the empire is removed from Rome 330 to Constantinople. or 334 331 332 387 May 22 Constantinople is finished and dedicated. Constantine orders all heathen temples to be destroyed. The Gothic war is undertaken to aid the Sarmatians against the Goths. Constantine is at first beaten, but is afterwards victorious against Ararius the Gothic king. Constantine dies, greatly lamented by his sub* This council sat from the 19th of June to the 25th of August. The celebrated Nicene creed was composed by it. S 340 350 351 353 354 355 |jects, and is succeeded by his three sons, Constantine, Constantius and Constans. His kinsmen are all murdered by Constantius, through the perfidious counsel of his ministers, with the exception of his two nephews, Gallus, and Julian, afterwards called the apostate. Civil war between the three sovereigns of Rome. Constantine is defeated and killed by Constans at Aquileia. Constans is murdered in Spain. Magnentius and Vetranio assume the purple. Vetranio is deposed. Constantius makes war against Magnentius. Magnentius is defeated and slain. Gallus, accused of aspiring to the empire, is arrested and beheaded in prison. His brother Julian is also imprisoned. Julian is released from prison and banished to May Athens; an asylum very much to his taste. He is recalled, created Cæsar, and made governor of Gaul. Nov. 360 361 Dec 11 The legions of Gaul are ordered to march into the East; they proclaim Julian emperor. Constantius dies: Julian enters Constantinople, and is acknowledged sovereign by the whole army. Julian devotes himself to the restoration of paganism, whence he has obtained the surname of the Apostate." * When we consider the treatment which he and |