ed in the division of the empire between the three Constantine fitted out an expedition against the
sons of the Great Constantine and his nephews, usurper, quelled the rebellion in 669, and put
Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, the same provinces Mizizus to death.
sons of the Great Constantine and his nephews, usurper, quelled the rebellion in 669, and put
Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, the same provinces Mizizus to death.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
It
buted to the fact, that the beauty of Constantino- is to me highly probable that Constantine himself
ple was ever increasing, while that of Rome was was quite convinced of his son's guilt: I infer this
constantly decreasing under the rough hands of from his conduct towards the three step-brothers
her barbarian conquerors. (Comp. Ciampini, De of Crispus, whom he always treated with the high-
Sacris Aedificiis a Constantino Magno constructis. ) est respect, and his unity and harmony with his
By making Constantinople the residence of the sons is truly exemplary. It is related that Fausta
emperors, the centre of the empire was removed was suffocated, by Constantine's command, by the
from the Latin world to the Greek; and although steam of a bath; but Gibbon has raised some
Latin continued to be the official language for se weighty doubts about this incredible and unac-
veral centuries, the influence of Greek civilization countable act, and I cannot therefore attach any
soon obtained such an ascendancy over the Latin, importance to the story. "
that while the Roman empiro perished by the bar- During the latter part of his reign, Constantine
barians in the West, it was changed into a Greek enjoyed his power in peace. As early as 315,
empire by the Greeks in the East. There was, Arius denied at Alexandria the divinity of Christ.
however, such a prestige of grandeur connected His doctrine, which afterwards gave rise to so
with Rome, that down to the capture of Constan- many troubles and wars, was condemned by the
tinople by the Turks, in 1453, the rulers of the general council assembled at Nicaea in 325, one of
Enstern empire retained the name of Roman em- the most important events in ecclesiastical history.
perors as a title by which they thought that they Constantine protected the orthodox fathers, though
inherited the government of the world. The same he must be looked upon as still a Pagan, but he
title and the same presumption were assumed by did not persecute the Arians; and the dissensions
the kings of the German barbarians, seated on the of a church to which he did not belong, did not
ruins of Rome, and they were the pride of their occupy much of his attention, since the domestic
successors till the downfall of the Holy Roman peace of the empire was not yet in danger from
empire in Germany in 1806.
them. Notwithstanding the tranquillity of the
The year 324 was signalized by an event which empire, the evident result of a man of his genius
caused the greatest consternation in the empire, being the sole ruler, Constantine felt that none
and which in the opinion of many writers has of his sons was his equal ; and by dividing his
thrown indelible disgrace upon Constantine. His empire among them, he hoped to remove the
accomplished son, Crispus, whose virtues and glory causes of troubles like those to which he
would perhaps have been the joy of a father, but owed his own accession. He therefore assigned
for their rendering him popular with the nation, to Constantine, the eldest, the administration of
and producing ambition in the mind of Crispus Gaul, Britain, Spain, and Tingitania; to Con-
himself, was accused of high treason, and, during stantius, the second, Egypt and the Asiatic pro-
the celebration at Rome of the twentieth anniver- vinces, except the countries given to Hanniba-
sary of Constantine's victory over Maxentius, was lianus; to Constans, the youngest, Italy, Western
arrested and sent to Pola in Istria. There he was Illyricum, and the rest of Africa : they all received
put to death. Licinius Caesar, the son of the em- the title of Augustus. He conferred the title of
peror Licinius and Constantina, the sister of Con- Caesar upon his nephew Dalmatius, who obtained
stantine, was accused of the same crime, and the administration of Eastern Illyricum, Macedo-
suffered the same fate. Many other persons ac- nia, Thrace, and Greece ; and his nephew Hanni-
cused of being connected with the conspiracy were balianus, who received the new title of Nobilissi-
likewise punished with death. It is said, that mus, was placed over Pontus, Cappadocia, and
Crispus had been calumniated by his step-mother, Armenia Minor, with Caesareia as capital. They
Fausta, and that Constantine, repenting the inno- were to govern the empire, after his death, as a
cent death of his son, and discorering that Fausta joint property. Among the three Augusti, Con-
lived in criminal intercourse with a slave, com- stantine, the eldest, was to be the first in rank,
manded her to be suffocated in a warm bath. As but they were to be equal in authority: the Caesar
our space does not allow us to present more than a and the Nobilissimus, though sovereign in their
short sketch of these complicated events, some ad dominions, were inferior in rank, and, with regard
ditions to which are given in the lives of Priscus to the administration of the whole empire, in au-
and Fausta, we refer the reader to the opinion thority also to the Augusti. The failure of this plan
of Niebuhr, who remarks (History of Rome, ed. by of Constantine’s is related in the lives of his sons
Dr. L. Schmitz, vol. v. p. 360), “ Every one knows In 337, Constantine was going to take the field
the miserable death of Constantine's son, Crispus, against Sapor II. , king of Persia, who claimed the
who was sent into exile to Pola, and then put to provinces taken from him by Galerius and Maxi-
death. If however people will make a tragedy of inian. But his health was bad ; and having re-
this event, I must confess that I do not see how it tired to Nicomedeia for the sake of the air and the
can be proved that Crispus was innocent. When waters, he died there, after a short illness, on the
I read of so many insurrections of sons against 22nd of May, 337. Shortly before his death, he
their fathers, I do not see why Crispus, who was declared his intention of becoming a Christian, and
Caesar, and demanded the title of Augustus, which I was accordingly baptized. His death was the sig.
his father refused him, should not have thought,- nal for the massacre of nearly all his kinsmen,
"Well
, if I do not make anything of myself, my which was contrived by his own sons, and subse-
father will not, for he will certainly prefer the sons quently of the violent death of two of his sons,
of Fausta to me, the son of a repudiated woman. ' while the second, Constantius, succeeded in be-
Such a thought, if it did occur to Crispus, must coming sole emperor.
Зн2
## p. 836 (#856) ############################################
836
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
tum.
The following were the most important of the cerns as a secretary for home affairs; the Quaestor,
laws and regulations of Constantine. He devel- or Lord Chancellor and Scal-Keeper; the Comes
oped and brought to perfection the hierarchical Sacrarum Largitionum, or Chancellor of the Ex-
bystem of state dignities established by Diocletian chequer for the public revenue; the Comes Rerum
on the model of the Eastern courts, and of which Privatarum Divinae Domus for the private pro-
the details are contained in the Notitia Dignita- perty of the emperor ; and, finally, two Comites
The principal officers were divided into Domesticorum, or simply Domestici, the com-
three classes : the Illustres, the Spectabiles, and the manders of the imperial life-guard. For further
Clarissimi ; for officers of a lower rank other titles details we refer to the authorities enumerated at
were invented, the pompous sounds of which con- the end of this article, and to Gutherius, “ De
trasted strangely with the pettiness of the func- Officiis Domus Augustae. ”
tions of the bearers. The consulship was a mere
Constantine deserves the name of Great: he rose
title, and so was the dignity of patricius; both of to the highest pinnacle of power, and owed his for-
these titles were in later years often conferred tune to nobody but himself. His birth was a source
upon barbarians. The number of public officers of dangers to him; his exalted qualities caused
was immense, and they all derived their authority jealousy among his enemies, and during the greater
from the supreme chief of the empire, who could part of his reign his life was one continued struggle.
thus depend upon a host of men raised by their He overcame all obstacles through his own exer-
education above the lower classes, and who, hav- tions; his skill vanquished his enemies ; his
ing generally nothing but their appointments, were energy kept the hydra of anarchy headless; his
obliged to do all in their power to prevent revolu- prudence conducted him in safety through con-
tions, by which they would have been deprived spiracies, rebellions, battles, and murder, to the
of their livelihood. A similar artificial system, throne of Rome ; his wisdom created a new organi-
strengthening the government, is established, in zation for an empire, which consisted of huge frag-
our days, in Prussia, Austria, France, and most of ments, and which no human hand seemed powerful
the states of Europe. The dignity and dangerous enough to raise to a solid edifice. Christianity
military power of the praefecti praetorio were abo- was made by him the religion of the state, but
lished. Under Diocletian and Maximian there Paganism was not persecuted though discouraged.
were four praefecti, but they were only lieutenants The Christianity of the emperor himself has been
of the two Augusti and their two Caesars. Con- a subject of warm controversy both in ancient and
stantine continued the number, and limited their modern times, but the graphic account which
power by making them civil officers : under him Niebuhr gives of Constantine's belief seems to be
there was the Praefectus Orienti over the Asiatic perfectly just. Speaking of the murder of Licinius
provinces and Thrace; the Praefectus Italiae, over and his own son Crispus, Niebuhr remarks (Hist. of
Italy, Rhaetia, Noricum, and Africa between Rome, vol. v. p. 359), “ Many judge of him by
Egypt and Tingitanja; the Praefectus Illyrico, too severe a standard, because they look upon him
who had Illyricum, Pannon Macedonia, and as a Christian; but I cannot regard him in that
Greece; and the Praefectus Galliae, over Gaul, light. The religion which he had in his head
Britain, Spain, and Tingitania or the westernmost must have been a strange compound indeed. The
part of Africa. Rome and Constantinople had man who had on his coins the inscription Sol
each their separate praefect. Under the praefecti invictus, who worshipped pagan divinities, consult
there were thirteen high functionaries, who were ed the haruspices, indulged in a number of pagan
civil governors of the thirteen dioceses into which superstitions, and, on the other band, built
the empire was divided, and who had either the churches, shut up pagan temples, and interfered
title of comes or count, or of vicarius or vice-prae- with the council of Nicaea, must have been a re-
fecta Between these officers and the praefecti pulsive phaenomenon, and was certainly not a
there were three proconsuls, of Asia, Achaia, and Christian. He did not allow himself to be bap-
Africa, who however were but governors of pro tized till the last moments of his life, and those
vinces, the whole number of which was one hun who praise him for this do not know what they
dred and sixteen, and which were governed, be are doing. He was a superstitious man, and
sides the proconsuls, by thirty-seven consulares, mixed up his Christian religion with all kinds of
five correctores, and seventy-one presidentes. absurd superstitions and opinions. When, there
The military administration was entirely sepa- fore, certain Oriental writers call him loanootoAOS
rated from the civil, and as the Praefecti Praetorio they do not know what they are saying, and to
were changed into civil officers, as has been men- speak of him as a saint is a profanation of the word. ”
tioned above, the supreme military command was The blame which falls upon Constantine for the
conferred at first upon two, then four, and finally death of Maximian, Licinius, and Crispus, will fall
eight Magistri Militum, under whom were the upon many kings, and we have only fabulous ac-
military Comites and Duces. The number of counts of the mental sufferings which his bloody
legions was diminished, but the army was never- deeds might have caused him. Constantine was
theless much increased, especially by barbarian not so great during the latter part of his reign.
auxiliaries, a dangerous practice, which hastened In proportion as he advanced in years he lost that
the overthrow of the Western and shook the
serene generosity which had distinguished him
Eastern empire to its foundations. The increase while he was younger; his temper grew acrimonious,
of the army rendered various oppressive taxes and he gave way to passionate bursts of resent-
necessary, which were unequally assessed, and ment which he would have suppressed while he was
caused many revolts. There were seven high in the bloom of manhood. He felt that the gran-
functionaries, who may be compared with some of deur of Rome could be maintained only in the
the great officers of state in our country, viz, the East, and he founded Constantinople; but the
Praepositus Sacri Cubiculi, or Lord Chamberlain ; spirit of the East overwhelmed him, and he sacri-
the Magister Officiorum, who acted in many con- ficed the heroic majesty of a Roman emperor 10
## p. 837 (#857) ############################################
CONSTANTINUS.
837
CONSTANTINUS.
:
PVC
the showy pomp and the vain ceremonies of an Constantine, he received some exterior marks of
Asiatic court. His life is an example of a great respect from the other emperors, but he had 110
historical lesson : the West may conquer the East, authority over them. Dissatisfied with his share
but the conqueror will die on his trophies by the of the spoil
, he exacted from his younger brother
poison of sensuality.
Constans the rest of Africa and the co-administra-
As Constantine the Great was a successful tion of Italy. Constans refused to give up those
political reformer, and the protector of a new provinces. Constantine declared war against him,
religion, he has received as much undeserved re- and invaded Italy by sea and by land, and
proaches as praise ; the Christian writers generally at Aquileia met with the army of Constans, who
deified him, and the Pagan historians have cast approached from Dacia. Having raslly pursued
infamy on his memory. To judge him fairly was the enemy when they gave way in a mock flight,
reserved for the historians of later times.
Constantine was suddenly surrounded by them and
(Euseb. Vita Constantini ; Eutrop. lib. x. ; fell under their swords. (A. D. 340. ) His body was
Sextus Rufus, Brev. 26; Aurel. Vict. Epit. 40, thrown into the river Alsa, but was afterwards
41, de Cacs. 40, &c. ; Zosim. lib. ii. , Zosimus is found and buried with royal honours. He was
a violent antagonist of Constantine ; Zonar. lib. twice married, but the names of his wives are not
xiii. ; Lactant. de Mort. Persecut. 24—52; Oros. known; they probably both died before him, and he
lib. vii. ; Amm. Marc. lib. xiv. , &c. , Excerpta, p. left no issue. An unknown author pronounced a
710, &c. , ed. Valesius. The accounts of, and the monody on his death, which is contained in Ha-
opinions on, Constantine given by Eumenius, vercamp's edition of Eutropius. (Zosim. lib. ii. ;
Nazarius, &c. , in the Panegyrics (especially vi. - Zonar. lib. xiii. ; Euseb. Vita Const. iv. 40-49;
xi. ), and by the emperor Julian, in his Caesars as Prosper, Chron. Acyndino et Proculo Coss; more
well as in his Orations, are of great importance, authorities are given in the lives of his brothers,
but full of partiality : Julian treats Constantine Constantius and Constans. )
[W. P. ]
very badly, and the Panegyrics are what their
name indicates. Among the ecclesiastical writers,
Eusebius, Lactantius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theo-
phanes, &c. , are the principal; but it has already
been observed that their statements must be pe
rused with great precaution. The Life of Constan-
tine by Praxagoras, which was known to the
Byzantines, is lost. Besides these sources, there
is scarcely a writer of the time of Constantine and
COIN OF CONSTANTINUS II.
the following centuries, who does not give some CONSTANTI'NUS III. , FLAVIUS HE-
account of Constantine; and even in the works of RA'CLIUS, called NOVUS CONSTANTI'NUS,
the later Byzantines, such as Constantine Porphy- emperor of the East, A. D. 641, the son of the emperor
rogenitus and Cedrenus, we find valuable additions Heraclius by his first wife, Eudoxia, was born in
to the history of that great emperor. The most com- May, 612, and succeeded his father on the 11th of
plete list of sources, with critical observations, is con- March (February), 641, together with his younger
tained in Tillemont, Histoire des Empereurs. See half-brother Heracleonas, the succession being thus
also Manso, Leben Constantins des Grossen. ) [W. P. ] established by the testament of their father. Con-
stantine died as early as the 22nd of June (25th
of May) A. D. 641, after a reign of 103 days, either
from ill-health, or probably from poison adminis-
tered to him by his step-mother Martina. His
successor was his brother Heracleonas. (HERA-
CLEONAS; CONSTANS II. ] Constantine distin-
guished himself personally in a war against the
SARTS
Persians. Advised by his rapacious treasurer,
Philagrius, he sacrilegiously ordered the grave of
COIN OP CONSTANTINUS L
his father to be robbed of a golden crown of seventy
CONSTANTI'NUS II. FLAVIUS CLAU'- pounds' weight, which stuck so fast to the head of
DIUS, surnamed the Younger, Roman emperor, the dead emperor, that the corpse was mutilated
A. D. 3374-340, the second son of Constantine in removing the crown from it. (Theophan. Pp.
the Great, and the first whom he had by his second 251, 275, &c. , ed. Paris; Cedren. p. 430, &c. , ed.
wife, Fausta, was born at Arelatum, now Arles, in Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. pp. 71, 87, &c. , ed. Paris;
Gaul, on the 7th of August, A. D. 312. As early Glycas, p. 276, ed. Paris. )
[W. P. ]
as A. D. 316, he was created Caesar, together with CONSTANTINUS IV. , FLA'VIUS, sur-
his elder brother, Crispus, and the younger Lici- named POGONA'TUS or BARBA'TUS, em-
nius, and he held the consulship several times. In peror of the East, A. D. 668—685, the eldest son
commemoration of the fifth anniversary of his of Constans II. , succeeded his father in 668.
Caesarship, in 321, the orator Nazarius delivered Constans having lost his life by assassination at
a panegyric (Panegyr. Veter. ix. ), which, however, Syracuse, his murderers, who seemed to have had
is of little importance. In 335 he was entrusted great power, and who were assisted by the Greek
with the administration of Gaul, Britain, and army stationed in Sicily, chose as emperor one
Spain. After the death of his father, 337, he receiv- Mizizus, Mecentius, or Mezzetius, an Armenian.
ed in the division of the empire between the three Constantine fitted out an expedition against the
sons of the Great Constantine and his nephews, usurper, quelled the rebellion in 669, and put
Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, the same provinces Mizizus to death. After a short stay at Syracuse,
which he had governed under his father, and a Constantine sailed back to Constantinople, carry-
part of Africa. Being the eldest surviving son of ing with him the body of his father ; but no sooner
CONUT
Va seront
عمرو
## p. 838 (#858) ############################################
838
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
.
was he gone, than an Arabic fleet, perhaps invited nothing of the last five years of the reign of Con-
thither by the rebels, appeared off Syracuse. stantine: he died in the month of September, 685,
The place was taken by surprise and partly de- and was succeeded by his son, Justinian II.
stroyed, and the riches and statues, the plunder of Besides the wars which signalized the reign
Rome, collected there by Constans, were carried of Constantine IV. , there is an event not less
by the Arabs to Alexandria. The Greek troops remarkable, which most probably took place during
in Asia revolted soon after the return of the em- the same period. We allude to the new division
peror. They would be governed by a “Trinity,' of the empire, which had hitherto been adminis
and not by a sole sovereign, and demanded that tered according to the ancient system, so that, for
Constantine should divide his authority with his instance, all the Asiatic dominions were ruled by
two brothers, Heraclius and Tiberiu who had the a civil governor or proconsul, and the whole army
title but not the power of Augusti. This rebellion stationed in that part of the empire had likewise
was likewise soon quelled, and Constantine par- but one chief commander, the praefect of Asia.
doned both his brothers. At the same time, an The constant incursions of the Arabs required the
Arabic army commanded by Ukbah and Dinár presence of different moveable corps stationed in
in vaded the remaining part of the Greek dominions the frontier provinces, the commanders of which
in Africa (Mauretania), penetrated as far as the were irdependent of one another : these bodies
shores of the Atlantic, and ravaged the country so were called themata (Oépara), from thema (@fua),
fearfully, that both the Greek and Berber inhabi- a position. This name was afterwards given to
tants rose in despair, and, under the command of a the districts in which such corps were stationed,
native chief named Kussileh, surprised the Mos and its use became so general, that at last the
lems, and killed nearly all of them. This however whole empire was divided into twenty-nine the
was no advantage to the emperor, since Kussileh mata, seventeen of which were in the eastern and
succeeded in seizing the supreme power in that southem or Asiatic part of the empire, and twelve
country.
in the northern and western parts, from the Cim-
In 071 the Arabs equipped a powerful fleet merian Bosporus to Sicily. This important change
with the intention of laying siege to Constantino- in the administration of the empire took place in
ple. They conquered Smyrna and nearly all the the latter years of the reign of Heraclius, or in the
islands of the Grecian archipelago, and began the reign of Constantine IV. , that is, from about 635
blockade of Constantinople in the spring of 672; to 685. But although we do not precisely know
but, after a protracted siege of five months, were com- the year, there are many reasons for believing that
pelled to sail back, after sustaining immense losses Constantine IV. was the originator of that plan.
from the Greek fire, which had just been invented (CONSTANTINUS VII. ] (Cedren. p. 436, &c. , ed.
by Callinicus, a native of Heliopolis in Syria, and Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 89, &c. , ed. Paris ; Gly-
was first employed in that siege. Yezid, the son cas, p. 278, &c. , ed. Paris ; Theophan. p. 289, &c. ,
of the khalif Mu'awiyalı, who commanded the ed. Paris; Paulus Diacon. De Gestis Longobard.
Arabic forces, returned in the following spring, v. 30. )
[W. P. ]
and, during a period of seven years, regularly ap-
CONSTANTI'NUS V. , surnamed COPRO'.
peared before Constantinople in the spring, and NYMUS (& Kompavupos), because he polluted the
sailed to his winter-quarters in the autumn, but baptismal font at the time of his baptism, emperor
was not able to take the city. During the last of the East, A. D. 741–775, was ihe only son of
siege, in 679, the Arabic fleet lost so many ships the emperor Leo III. Isaurus. He was born in 719,
by the Greek fire, that Yezid was compelled to and succeeded his father in 741. The unfortunate
make a hasty retreat, and not having a sufficient commencement of his reign is related in the life of
number of ships for his numerous forces, despatched the emperor ARTAVASDES, p. 370, b. The down-
a body of 30,000 men by land for Syria, while he fall of this usurper in 743 and the complete success
embarked the rest on board his fleet. But his of Constantine caused much grief to pope Zacharias,
fleet was destroyed by a storm, and the land army who had recognized Artavasdes because he pro-
was overtaken and cut to pieces by a Greek army tected the worship of images, while Constantine
commanded by Florus, Petronas, and Cyprianus. was an iconoclast, at whose instigation a council
This unfortunate campaign, and the war at the held at Constantinople in 754 condemned the wor-
same time with the Maronites or Druses of Mount ship of images throughout the whole Eastern em-
Lebanon, pressed so heavily upon the khalif pire. Constantine was most cruel in his proceed-
Mu'awiyah, that, wishing for peace, he signed the ings against the orthodox : he anathematized
conditions offered him by Constantine, and he thus Joannes Damascenus and put to death Constan-
became liable, for the period of thirty years, to an tine, the patriarch of Constantinople, St. Stepha-
annual tribute of 3000 pounds of gold accompanied nus, and many other fathers who had declared for
by rich presents of slaves and horses. By this the images. In 751 Eutychius, exarch of Ravenna,
glorious peace the authority of the Greek emperor was driven out by Astolf (Astaulphus), king of the
rose to such a height, that all the minor powers of Longobards, who united that province with his
Asia sought his protection. But his name was dominions after the dignity of exarch had been in
less dreaded in Europe, for he was compelled by existence during a period of 185 years. A war
the Bulgarians to cede to them that country south haring broken out between Astolf and Pipin the
of the Danube which is still called Bulgaria. Short, king of the Franks, the latter conquered
In 680 Constantine assembled the sixth general the exarchate and gave it to pope Stephen (755),
council at Constantinople, by which the Monoth the first pope who ever had temporal dominions,
elists were condemned and peace was restored the duchy of Rome being still a dependency of the
to the church. In 681 the emperor's brothers, Eastern empire. Constantine sent ambassadors to
Heraclius and Tiberius, were both deprived of their Pipin, Astolf, and the pope, to claim the restitution
dignity of Augustus, which title Constantine con- of the exarchate ; but the negotiations proved abor-
ferred upon his son Justinian. We know almost tive, since the emperor could not give them suffi-
## p. 839 (#859) ############################################
CONSTANTINUS.
839
CONSTANTINUS.
cient weight by the display of a formidable army | suffered a severe defeat from the eunuch Joannes
in Italy ; for his troops were engaged in disastrous in Armenia, evacuated that country, and fied in
wars with the Arabs, who mvaged Pamphylia, confusion to Syria ; but in the following year, a
Cilicia, and Isauria; with the Slavoninns, who powerful Arabian army, divided into three strong
conquered Grecce; and with the Bulgarians, who bodies, and commanded by Harún-ar-Rashid, the
penetrated several times as far as the environs of son of the khalif Mahadí, penetrated as fiir as the
Constantinople. The Bulgarian king, Paganns, Bosporus, and compelled Irene to pay an annual
however, suffered a severe defeat from Constantine tribute of 60,000 pieces of gold. The peace, how-
in 765, in which he was treacherously killed, and ever, was broken some years afterwards, and the
Constantine entered his capital in triumph ; but in new war lasted till the end of the reign of Con-
the following year he sustained a severe defeat stantine, who in 790 lost half of his feet in the
from the Bulgarians, and was compelled to fly gulf of Attalia, but obtained several victories over
ingloriously, after losing his feet and army: the Arabs by land. He was likewise victorious
Constantine still flattered himself with regaining in a war with the Slavonians, who had conquered
Ravenna, either by force or arms; but after Charle- all Greece, but were driven back by Stauracius
;
magne becaine king of the Franks he relinquished in 784.
this hope, and united his dominions on the conti- At an early age, Constantine was betrothed to
nent of southern Italy with the island of Sicily, Rotrudis, daughter of Charlemagne; but quarrels
putting all those provinces under the authority of having broken out with that emperor on the sub-
the Patricius or governor-general of Sicily. The ject of the Greek dominions in Italy, the match
continental part of the new province or Thema of was broken off, and Constantine married Maria,
Sicily was sometimes called Sicilia secunda, whence an Armenian lady, whom he repudiated three
arose the name of both the Sicilies, which is still years afterwards, and married one Theodata. In
the regular designation of the kingdom of Naples. 787, the sect of the Iconoclasts was condemned in
In 774, the empire was once more invaded by the the seventh general council held at Nicaea, and
Bulgarians under their king Telericus; but Con- the worship of images was restored throughout
stantine checked his progress, and in the following the empire. When Constantine came of age, be
year fitted out a powerful expedition to chastise was of course intrusted with the administration of
the barbarian. Having resolved to take the com- the empire; but Irene's influence was so great,
mand of it in person, he set out for the Haemus ; that she remained the real sovereign. Tired
but some ulcers on his legs, the consequence of his of his vassalage, Constantine intrigued against her,
debaucheries, having suddenly burst, he stopped at and had already resolved to arrest her, when the
Arcadiopolis, and finally went on board his fleet plot was discovered; his partisans were severely
off Selembria, where he died from an inflammatory punished, and he himself received the chastisement
fever on the 14th of September, 775.
of a boy from the hands of his mother. Infuriated
Constantine V. was a cruel, profligate, and most by this outrage, the young emperor requested the
fanatical man; but he was, nevertheless, well assistance of his Armenian life-guard, and, hav-
adapted for the business of government. He was ing found them all devoted to him, seized upon
addicted to unnatural vices; his passion for horses his mother, and confined her in one of her palaces,
procured him the nickname of Caballinus. He was where she was kindly treated, but was allowed to
thrice married : viz. to Irene, daughter of the have no other company but that of her attendants.
khagan or khan of the Khazars ; a lady called A reconciliation took place some time afterwards,
Maria ; and Eudoxia Melissena. His successor but Irene finally contrived the ruin of her son.
was his eldest son, Leo IV. , whom he had by After succeeding in being recognized as the
Irene. During the reign of Constantine V. the lawful master of the empire, Constantine put him-
beautiful aqueduct of Constantinople, built by the self at the head of his army, and set out to meet
emperor Valens, which had been ruined by the the Bulgarians, who were plundering all Thrace.
barbarians in the time of the emperor Heraclius, He obtained some advantages over them, but lost
was restored by order of Constantine. (Theophan. a pitched battle, saw his army cut to pieces, and
p. 346, &c. , ed. Paris; Cedren. p. 549, &c. , ed. with difficulty escaped to Constantinople. There
Paris ; Nicephor. Gregoras, p. 38, &c. , ed. Paris ; he received intelligence that a conspiracy against
Glycas, p. 283, ed. Paris; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 105, his life, formed by his four uncles and supported
ed. Paris. )
(W. P. ] by the Armenian guard, was on the eve of
CONSTANTI'NUS VI. , FLA’VIUS, emperor breaking out. His measures were at once quick
of the East, A. D. 780-797, the son of Leo IV. and energetic : he seized the conspirators, dis-
Chazarus Isaurus and Irene, was born in 771, and armed the Armenians, whose commander, Alexis,
succeeded his father in 780, under the guardian- bad his eyes put out, and punished his uncles with
ship of his mother, a highly-gifted but ambitious equal severity: one of them was blinded, and the
and cruel woman, a native of Athens. The reign three others had their tongues cut off, and they
of Constantine VI. presents a hideous picture of were all forced to become ecclesiastics, in order to
wars, civil and religious troubles, and pitiless crimes. incapacitate them for reigning. They were after-
Elpidus, governor of the thema of Sicily, revolted wards banished, and died in obscurity.
in 781; and it seems that his intention was either The reconciliation which had taken place be-
to place himself or one of the four paternal uncles tween Constantine and his mother was a hollow
of the young emperor on the throne; but the one ; Irene could not forget that she had once
eunuch Theodore, an able general, defeated him in ruled, and during an expedition of her son against
several engagements in 782, and Elpidus filed with the Arabs she forned another conspiracy. On Con-
his treasures to the Arabs in Africa, by whom he stantine's return in 797, he was suddenly assailed
was treated till his death with the honours due to by assassins while he was sitting in the Hippo-
an emperor. The power of the Arabs grew every drome to look at the races. He escaped unhurt, tied
year more dangerous to the empire. In 781 they from the city, and directed his course to Phrygia.
## p. 840 (#860) ############################################
840
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
9
Before arriving there, he was joined by the empressphorus, the sons of Bardas Phocas ; the Chris
:
and a host of partisans. Relying on the promises tian princes of Iberin recognised the supremacy of
of Irene, he returned to Constantinople, but was the emperor ; alliances of the Greeks with the
surprised in his palace by a band of assassins hired Petchenegues or Patzinacitae in southern Russia
by Irene and her favourite, the general Stauracius. checked both the Russians and the Bulgarians in
His eyes were put out by their order with so their hostile designs against the empire; and Con-
much violence that he died on the same day. By stantine had the satisfaction of receiving in his
a singular coincidence of circumstances, he was palace ambassadors of the khalifs of Baghdúd and
murdered in the “ Porphyra," the name of the Africa, and of the Roman emperor Otho the Great.
apartment where the empresses were accustomed Luitprand, the emperor's ambassador, has left us a
to be confined, and where he was born. His
most interesting account of his mission to Constan-
only son, Leo, having died in his lifetime, he was tinople. (Annales Luitprandi. ) One of the most
succeeded by his mother Irene. Constantine VI. praiseworthy acts of Constantine was the restoration
was the last of the Isaurian dynasty. Zonaras to their lawſul proprietors of estates confiscated
and Cedrenus say, that he survived his excaeca- during rebellions, and held by robbers and swind-
tion for a considerable time; but their opinion lers without any titles, or under fraudulent ones.
seems to be untenable, although Le Beau believes Constantine's end was hastened by poison, ad-
it to be correct. (Theophan. p. 382, &c. , ed. Paris ; ministered to him by an ungrateful son, Romanus
Cedren. p. 469, &c. , ed. Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. (his successor), in consequence of which he died
93, &c. , ed. Paris ; Joel, p. 178, ed. Paris ; Gly- on the 15th of November, A. D. 959. His wife
cas, p. 285, ed. Paris.
[W. P. ] was Helena, by whom hie had the above-mentioned
CONSTANTI'NUS VII. FLAVIUS POR- son Romanus, a daughter Theodora, married to
PHY ROGE'NITUS (ó lopovpogévvntos ), em- Joannes Zimiscus, and other children.
peror of the East, A. D. 911-959, the only son Constantine Porphyrogenitus hoids a high rank
of the emperor Leo VI. Philosophus, of the in literature. His productions are no master-
Macedonian dynasty, and his fourth wife, Zoe, works in point of style and thought, but they treat
was born in a. D. 905; the name Topoupové ventos, of important and interesting subjects, and without
that is, “ born in the purple,” was given to him him our knowledge of his time would be reduced
because he was born in an apartment of the im- to a few vague notions; for he not only composed
perial palace called Trópoupa, in which the empresses works himself
, but caused others to be composed
awaited their confinement. The name Porphyro or compiled by the most able men among his
genitus is also given to Constantine VI. , but it is subjects. His own works are-
generally employed to distinguish the subject of Ι. Ιστορική διήγησις του βίου και πράξεων του
this article. Constantine succeeded his father in Βασιλείου του αοιδίμου βασιλέως (Viα Basili),
911, and reigned under the guardianship of his the life of Basilius I. Macedo, the grandfather of
paternal uncle, Alexander, who was already Augus- Constantine Porphyrogenitus, a work of great im-
tus, governed the empire as an absolute monarch, portance for the reign and character of that great
and died in the following year, 912. After his emperor, although it contains many things which
death the government was usurped by Romanus cannot be relied upon, as Constantine was rather
Lecapenus, who excluded Constantine from the credulous, and embellished the truth from motives
administration, leaving him nothing but an hono- of filial piety or vanity. Editions: 1. By Leo
rary retreat in the imperial palace, and who ruled Allatius in his Lúupektol, with a Latin translation,
as emperor till 944, when he was deposed and Cologne, 1653, 8vo. ; the text divided into 70
exiled by his sons Stephanus and Constantine, sections or chapters. 2. By Combefisius, in his
both Augusti, and who expected to be recognised “ Scriptores post Theophanem,” Paris, 1685, fol. ;
as emperors. (ROMANUS LECAPENUS. ] They divided into 101 sections or chapters; with a new
were deceived ; the people declared for the son of translation and notes of the editor.
Leo; Constantine left his solitude, and, supported II. Nepi Twv euatwv, “ De Thematibus.
buted to the fact, that the beauty of Constantino- is to me highly probable that Constantine himself
ple was ever increasing, while that of Rome was was quite convinced of his son's guilt: I infer this
constantly decreasing under the rough hands of from his conduct towards the three step-brothers
her barbarian conquerors. (Comp. Ciampini, De of Crispus, whom he always treated with the high-
Sacris Aedificiis a Constantino Magno constructis. ) est respect, and his unity and harmony with his
By making Constantinople the residence of the sons is truly exemplary. It is related that Fausta
emperors, the centre of the empire was removed was suffocated, by Constantine's command, by the
from the Latin world to the Greek; and although steam of a bath; but Gibbon has raised some
Latin continued to be the official language for se weighty doubts about this incredible and unac-
veral centuries, the influence of Greek civilization countable act, and I cannot therefore attach any
soon obtained such an ascendancy over the Latin, importance to the story. "
that while the Roman empiro perished by the bar- During the latter part of his reign, Constantine
barians in the West, it was changed into a Greek enjoyed his power in peace. As early as 315,
empire by the Greeks in the East. There was, Arius denied at Alexandria the divinity of Christ.
however, such a prestige of grandeur connected His doctrine, which afterwards gave rise to so
with Rome, that down to the capture of Constan- many troubles and wars, was condemned by the
tinople by the Turks, in 1453, the rulers of the general council assembled at Nicaea in 325, one of
Enstern empire retained the name of Roman em- the most important events in ecclesiastical history.
perors as a title by which they thought that they Constantine protected the orthodox fathers, though
inherited the government of the world. The same he must be looked upon as still a Pagan, but he
title and the same presumption were assumed by did not persecute the Arians; and the dissensions
the kings of the German barbarians, seated on the of a church to which he did not belong, did not
ruins of Rome, and they were the pride of their occupy much of his attention, since the domestic
successors till the downfall of the Holy Roman peace of the empire was not yet in danger from
empire in Germany in 1806.
them. Notwithstanding the tranquillity of the
The year 324 was signalized by an event which empire, the evident result of a man of his genius
caused the greatest consternation in the empire, being the sole ruler, Constantine felt that none
and which in the opinion of many writers has of his sons was his equal ; and by dividing his
thrown indelible disgrace upon Constantine. His empire among them, he hoped to remove the
accomplished son, Crispus, whose virtues and glory causes of troubles like those to which he
would perhaps have been the joy of a father, but owed his own accession. He therefore assigned
for their rendering him popular with the nation, to Constantine, the eldest, the administration of
and producing ambition in the mind of Crispus Gaul, Britain, Spain, and Tingitania; to Con-
himself, was accused of high treason, and, during stantius, the second, Egypt and the Asiatic pro-
the celebration at Rome of the twentieth anniver- vinces, except the countries given to Hanniba-
sary of Constantine's victory over Maxentius, was lianus; to Constans, the youngest, Italy, Western
arrested and sent to Pola in Istria. There he was Illyricum, and the rest of Africa : they all received
put to death. Licinius Caesar, the son of the em- the title of Augustus. He conferred the title of
peror Licinius and Constantina, the sister of Con- Caesar upon his nephew Dalmatius, who obtained
stantine, was accused of the same crime, and the administration of Eastern Illyricum, Macedo-
suffered the same fate. Many other persons ac- nia, Thrace, and Greece ; and his nephew Hanni-
cused of being connected with the conspiracy were balianus, who received the new title of Nobilissi-
likewise punished with death. It is said, that mus, was placed over Pontus, Cappadocia, and
Crispus had been calumniated by his step-mother, Armenia Minor, with Caesareia as capital. They
Fausta, and that Constantine, repenting the inno- were to govern the empire, after his death, as a
cent death of his son, and discorering that Fausta joint property. Among the three Augusti, Con-
lived in criminal intercourse with a slave, com- stantine, the eldest, was to be the first in rank,
manded her to be suffocated in a warm bath. As but they were to be equal in authority: the Caesar
our space does not allow us to present more than a and the Nobilissimus, though sovereign in their
short sketch of these complicated events, some ad dominions, were inferior in rank, and, with regard
ditions to which are given in the lives of Priscus to the administration of the whole empire, in au-
and Fausta, we refer the reader to the opinion thority also to the Augusti. The failure of this plan
of Niebuhr, who remarks (History of Rome, ed. by of Constantine’s is related in the lives of his sons
Dr. L. Schmitz, vol. v. p. 360), “ Every one knows In 337, Constantine was going to take the field
the miserable death of Constantine's son, Crispus, against Sapor II. , king of Persia, who claimed the
who was sent into exile to Pola, and then put to provinces taken from him by Galerius and Maxi-
death. If however people will make a tragedy of inian. But his health was bad ; and having re-
this event, I must confess that I do not see how it tired to Nicomedeia for the sake of the air and the
can be proved that Crispus was innocent. When waters, he died there, after a short illness, on the
I read of so many insurrections of sons against 22nd of May, 337. Shortly before his death, he
their fathers, I do not see why Crispus, who was declared his intention of becoming a Christian, and
Caesar, and demanded the title of Augustus, which I was accordingly baptized. His death was the sig.
his father refused him, should not have thought,- nal for the massacre of nearly all his kinsmen,
"Well
, if I do not make anything of myself, my which was contrived by his own sons, and subse-
father will not, for he will certainly prefer the sons quently of the violent death of two of his sons,
of Fausta to me, the son of a repudiated woman. ' while the second, Constantius, succeeded in be-
Such a thought, if it did occur to Crispus, must coming sole emperor.
Зн2
## p. 836 (#856) ############################################
836
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
tum.
The following were the most important of the cerns as a secretary for home affairs; the Quaestor,
laws and regulations of Constantine. He devel- or Lord Chancellor and Scal-Keeper; the Comes
oped and brought to perfection the hierarchical Sacrarum Largitionum, or Chancellor of the Ex-
bystem of state dignities established by Diocletian chequer for the public revenue; the Comes Rerum
on the model of the Eastern courts, and of which Privatarum Divinae Domus for the private pro-
the details are contained in the Notitia Dignita- perty of the emperor ; and, finally, two Comites
The principal officers were divided into Domesticorum, or simply Domestici, the com-
three classes : the Illustres, the Spectabiles, and the manders of the imperial life-guard. For further
Clarissimi ; for officers of a lower rank other titles details we refer to the authorities enumerated at
were invented, the pompous sounds of which con- the end of this article, and to Gutherius, “ De
trasted strangely with the pettiness of the func- Officiis Domus Augustae. ”
tions of the bearers. The consulship was a mere
Constantine deserves the name of Great: he rose
title, and so was the dignity of patricius; both of to the highest pinnacle of power, and owed his for-
these titles were in later years often conferred tune to nobody but himself. His birth was a source
upon barbarians. The number of public officers of dangers to him; his exalted qualities caused
was immense, and they all derived their authority jealousy among his enemies, and during the greater
from the supreme chief of the empire, who could part of his reign his life was one continued struggle.
thus depend upon a host of men raised by their He overcame all obstacles through his own exer-
education above the lower classes, and who, hav- tions; his skill vanquished his enemies ; his
ing generally nothing but their appointments, were energy kept the hydra of anarchy headless; his
obliged to do all in their power to prevent revolu- prudence conducted him in safety through con-
tions, by which they would have been deprived spiracies, rebellions, battles, and murder, to the
of their livelihood. A similar artificial system, throne of Rome ; his wisdom created a new organi-
strengthening the government, is established, in zation for an empire, which consisted of huge frag-
our days, in Prussia, Austria, France, and most of ments, and which no human hand seemed powerful
the states of Europe. The dignity and dangerous enough to raise to a solid edifice. Christianity
military power of the praefecti praetorio were abo- was made by him the religion of the state, but
lished. Under Diocletian and Maximian there Paganism was not persecuted though discouraged.
were four praefecti, but they were only lieutenants The Christianity of the emperor himself has been
of the two Augusti and their two Caesars. Con- a subject of warm controversy both in ancient and
stantine continued the number, and limited their modern times, but the graphic account which
power by making them civil officers : under him Niebuhr gives of Constantine's belief seems to be
there was the Praefectus Orienti over the Asiatic perfectly just. Speaking of the murder of Licinius
provinces and Thrace; the Praefectus Italiae, over and his own son Crispus, Niebuhr remarks (Hist. of
Italy, Rhaetia, Noricum, and Africa between Rome, vol. v. p. 359), “ Many judge of him by
Egypt and Tingitanja; the Praefectus Illyrico, too severe a standard, because they look upon him
who had Illyricum, Pannon Macedonia, and as a Christian; but I cannot regard him in that
Greece; and the Praefectus Galliae, over Gaul, light. The religion which he had in his head
Britain, Spain, and Tingitania or the westernmost must have been a strange compound indeed. The
part of Africa. Rome and Constantinople had man who had on his coins the inscription Sol
each their separate praefect. Under the praefecti invictus, who worshipped pagan divinities, consult
there were thirteen high functionaries, who were ed the haruspices, indulged in a number of pagan
civil governors of the thirteen dioceses into which superstitions, and, on the other band, built
the empire was divided, and who had either the churches, shut up pagan temples, and interfered
title of comes or count, or of vicarius or vice-prae- with the council of Nicaea, must have been a re-
fecta Between these officers and the praefecti pulsive phaenomenon, and was certainly not a
there were three proconsuls, of Asia, Achaia, and Christian. He did not allow himself to be bap-
Africa, who however were but governors of pro tized till the last moments of his life, and those
vinces, the whole number of which was one hun who praise him for this do not know what they
dred and sixteen, and which were governed, be are doing. He was a superstitious man, and
sides the proconsuls, by thirty-seven consulares, mixed up his Christian religion with all kinds of
five correctores, and seventy-one presidentes. absurd superstitions and opinions. When, there
The military administration was entirely sepa- fore, certain Oriental writers call him loanootoAOS
rated from the civil, and as the Praefecti Praetorio they do not know what they are saying, and to
were changed into civil officers, as has been men- speak of him as a saint is a profanation of the word. ”
tioned above, the supreme military command was The blame which falls upon Constantine for the
conferred at first upon two, then four, and finally death of Maximian, Licinius, and Crispus, will fall
eight Magistri Militum, under whom were the upon many kings, and we have only fabulous ac-
military Comites and Duces. The number of counts of the mental sufferings which his bloody
legions was diminished, but the army was never- deeds might have caused him. Constantine was
theless much increased, especially by barbarian not so great during the latter part of his reign.
auxiliaries, a dangerous practice, which hastened In proportion as he advanced in years he lost that
the overthrow of the Western and shook the
serene generosity which had distinguished him
Eastern empire to its foundations. The increase while he was younger; his temper grew acrimonious,
of the army rendered various oppressive taxes and he gave way to passionate bursts of resent-
necessary, which were unequally assessed, and ment which he would have suppressed while he was
caused many revolts. There were seven high in the bloom of manhood. He felt that the gran-
functionaries, who may be compared with some of deur of Rome could be maintained only in the
the great officers of state in our country, viz, the East, and he founded Constantinople; but the
Praepositus Sacri Cubiculi, or Lord Chamberlain ; spirit of the East overwhelmed him, and he sacri-
the Magister Officiorum, who acted in many con- ficed the heroic majesty of a Roman emperor 10
## p. 837 (#857) ############################################
CONSTANTINUS.
837
CONSTANTINUS.
:
PVC
the showy pomp and the vain ceremonies of an Constantine, he received some exterior marks of
Asiatic court. His life is an example of a great respect from the other emperors, but he had 110
historical lesson : the West may conquer the East, authority over them. Dissatisfied with his share
but the conqueror will die on his trophies by the of the spoil
, he exacted from his younger brother
poison of sensuality.
Constans the rest of Africa and the co-administra-
As Constantine the Great was a successful tion of Italy. Constans refused to give up those
political reformer, and the protector of a new provinces. Constantine declared war against him,
religion, he has received as much undeserved re- and invaded Italy by sea and by land, and
proaches as praise ; the Christian writers generally at Aquileia met with the army of Constans, who
deified him, and the Pagan historians have cast approached from Dacia. Having raslly pursued
infamy on his memory. To judge him fairly was the enemy when they gave way in a mock flight,
reserved for the historians of later times.
Constantine was suddenly surrounded by them and
(Euseb. Vita Constantini ; Eutrop. lib. x. ; fell under their swords. (A. D. 340. ) His body was
Sextus Rufus, Brev. 26; Aurel. Vict. Epit. 40, thrown into the river Alsa, but was afterwards
41, de Cacs. 40, &c. ; Zosim. lib. ii. , Zosimus is found and buried with royal honours. He was
a violent antagonist of Constantine ; Zonar. lib. twice married, but the names of his wives are not
xiii. ; Lactant. de Mort. Persecut. 24—52; Oros. known; they probably both died before him, and he
lib. vii. ; Amm. Marc. lib. xiv. , &c. , Excerpta, p. left no issue. An unknown author pronounced a
710, &c. , ed. Valesius. The accounts of, and the monody on his death, which is contained in Ha-
opinions on, Constantine given by Eumenius, vercamp's edition of Eutropius. (Zosim. lib. ii. ;
Nazarius, &c. , in the Panegyrics (especially vi. - Zonar. lib. xiii. ; Euseb. Vita Const. iv. 40-49;
xi. ), and by the emperor Julian, in his Caesars as Prosper, Chron. Acyndino et Proculo Coss; more
well as in his Orations, are of great importance, authorities are given in the lives of his brothers,
but full of partiality : Julian treats Constantine Constantius and Constans. )
[W. P. ]
very badly, and the Panegyrics are what their
name indicates. Among the ecclesiastical writers,
Eusebius, Lactantius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theo-
phanes, &c. , are the principal; but it has already
been observed that their statements must be pe
rused with great precaution. The Life of Constan-
tine by Praxagoras, which was known to the
Byzantines, is lost. Besides these sources, there
is scarcely a writer of the time of Constantine and
COIN OF CONSTANTINUS II.
the following centuries, who does not give some CONSTANTI'NUS III. , FLAVIUS HE-
account of Constantine; and even in the works of RA'CLIUS, called NOVUS CONSTANTI'NUS,
the later Byzantines, such as Constantine Porphy- emperor of the East, A. D. 641, the son of the emperor
rogenitus and Cedrenus, we find valuable additions Heraclius by his first wife, Eudoxia, was born in
to the history of that great emperor. The most com- May, 612, and succeeded his father on the 11th of
plete list of sources, with critical observations, is con- March (February), 641, together with his younger
tained in Tillemont, Histoire des Empereurs. See half-brother Heracleonas, the succession being thus
also Manso, Leben Constantins des Grossen. ) [W. P. ] established by the testament of their father. Con-
stantine died as early as the 22nd of June (25th
of May) A. D. 641, after a reign of 103 days, either
from ill-health, or probably from poison adminis-
tered to him by his step-mother Martina. His
successor was his brother Heracleonas. (HERA-
CLEONAS; CONSTANS II. ] Constantine distin-
guished himself personally in a war against the
SARTS
Persians. Advised by his rapacious treasurer,
Philagrius, he sacrilegiously ordered the grave of
COIN OP CONSTANTINUS L
his father to be robbed of a golden crown of seventy
CONSTANTI'NUS II. FLAVIUS CLAU'- pounds' weight, which stuck so fast to the head of
DIUS, surnamed the Younger, Roman emperor, the dead emperor, that the corpse was mutilated
A. D. 3374-340, the second son of Constantine in removing the crown from it. (Theophan. Pp.
the Great, and the first whom he had by his second 251, 275, &c. , ed. Paris; Cedren. p. 430, &c. , ed.
wife, Fausta, was born at Arelatum, now Arles, in Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. pp. 71, 87, &c. , ed. Paris;
Gaul, on the 7th of August, A. D. 312. As early Glycas, p. 276, ed. Paris. )
[W. P. ]
as A. D. 316, he was created Caesar, together with CONSTANTINUS IV. , FLA'VIUS, sur-
his elder brother, Crispus, and the younger Lici- named POGONA'TUS or BARBA'TUS, em-
nius, and he held the consulship several times. In peror of the East, A. D. 668—685, the eldest son
commemoration of the fifth anniversary of his of Constans II. , succeeded his father in 668.
Caesarship, in 321, the orator Nazarius delivered Constans having lost his life by assassination at
a panegyric (Panegyr. Veter. ix. ), which, however, Syracuse, his murderers, who seemed to have had
is of little importance. In 335 he was entrusted great power, and who were assisted by the Greek
with the administration of Gaul, Britain, and army stationed in Sicily, chose as emperor one
Spain. After the death of his father, 337, he receiv- Mizizus, Mecentius, or Mezzetius, an Armenian.
ed in the division of the empire between the three Constantine fitted out an expedition against the
sons of the Great Constantine and his nephews, usurper, quelled the rebellion in 669, and put
Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, the same provinces Mizizus to death. After a short stay at Syracuse,
which he had governed under his father, and a Constantine sailed back to Constantinople, carry-
part of Africa. Being the eldest surviving son of ing with him the body of his father ; but no sooner
CONUT
Va seront
عمرو
## p. 838 (#858) ############################################
838
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
.
was he gone, than an Arabic fleet, perhaps invited nothing of the last five years of the reign of Con-
thither by the rebels, appeared off Syracuse. stantine: he died in the month of September, 685,
The place was taken by surprise and partly de- and was succeeded by his son, Justinian II.
stroyed, and the riches and statues, the plunder of Besides the wars which signalized the reign
Rome, collected there by Constans, were carried of Constantine IV. , there is an event not less
by the Arabs to Alexandria. The Greek troops remarkable, which most probably took place during
in Asia revolted soon after the return of the em- the same period. We allude to the new division
peror. They would be governed by a “Trinity,' of the empire, which had hitherto been adminis
and not by a sole sovereign, and demanded that tered according to the ancient system, so that, for
Constantine should divide his authority with his instance, all the Asiatic dominions were ruled by
two brothers, Heraclius and Tiberiu who had the a civil governor or proconsul, and the whole army
title but not the power of Augusti. This rebellion stationed in that part of the empire had likewise
was likewise soon quelled, and Constantine par- but one chief commander, the praefect of Asia.
doned both his brothers. At the same time, an The constant incursions of the Arabs required the
Arabic army commanded by Ukbah and Dinár presence of different moveable corps stationed in
in vaded the remaining part of the Greek dominions the frontier provinces, the commanders of which
in Africa (Mauretania), penetrated as far as the were irdependent of one another : these bodies
shores of the Atlantic, and ravaged the country so were called themata (Oépara), from thema (@fua),
fearfully, that both the Greek and Berber inhabi- a position. This name was afterwards given to
tants rose in despair, and, under the command of a the districts in which such corps were stationed,
native chief named Kussileh, surprised the Mos and its use became so general, that at last the
lems, and killed nearly all of them. This however whole empire was divided into twenty-nine the
was no advantage to the emperor, since Kussileh mata, seventeen of which were in the eastern and
succeeded in seizing the supreme power in that southem or Asiatic part of the empire, and twelve
country.
in the northern and western parts, from the Cim-
In 071 the Arabs equipped a powerful fleet merian Bosporus to Sicily. This important change
with the intention of laying siege to Constantino- in the administration of the empire took place in
ple. They conquered Smyrna and nearly all the the latter years of the reign of Heraclius, or in the
islands of the Grecian archipelago, and began the reign of Constantine IV. , that is, from about 635
blockade of Constantinople in the spring of 672; to 685. But although we do not precisely know
but, after a protracted siege of five months, were com- the year, there are many reasons for believing that
pelled to sail back, after sustaining immense losses Constantine IV. was the originator of that plan.
from the Greek fire, which had just been invented (CONSTANTINUS VII. ] (Cedren. p. 436, &c. , ed.
by Callinicus, a native of Heliopolis in Syria, and Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 89, &c. , ed. Paris ; Gly-
was first employed in that siege. Yezid, the son cas, p. 278, &c. , ed. Paris ; Theophan. p. 289, &c. ,
of the khalif Mu'awiyalı, who commanded the ed. Paris; Paulus Diacon. De Gestis Longobard.
Arabic forces, returned in the following spring, v. 30. )
[W. P. ]
and, during a period of seven years, regularly ap-
CONSTANTI'NUS V. , surnamed COPRO'.
peared before Constantinople in the spring, and NYMUS (& Kompavupos), because he polluted the
sailed to his winter-quarters in the autumn, but baptismal font at the time of his baptism, emperor
was not able to take the city. During the last of the East, A. D. 741–775, was ihe only son of
siege, in 679, the Arabic fleet lost so many ships the emperor Leo III. Isaurus. He was born in 719,
by the Greek fire, that Yezid was compelled to and succeeded his father in 741. The unfortunate
make a hasty retreat, and not having a sufficient commencement of his reign is related in the life of
number of ships for his numerous forces, despatched the emperor ARTAVASDES, p. 370, b. The down-
a body of 30,000 men by land for Syria, while he fall of this usurper in 743 and the complete success
embarked the rest on board his fleet. But his of Constantine caused much grief to pope Zacharias,
fleet was destroyed by a storm, and the land army who had recognized Artavasdes because he pro-
was overtaken and cut to pieces by a Greek army tected the worship of images, while Constantine
commanded by Florus, Petronas, and Cyprianus. was an iconoclast, at whose instigation a council
This unfortunate campaign, and the war at the held at Constantinople in 754 condemned the wor-
same time with the Maronites or Druses of Mount ship of images throughout the whole Eastern em-
Lebanon, pressed so heavily upon the khalif pire. Constantine was most cruel in his proceed-
Mu'awiyah, that, wishing for peace, he signed the ings against the orthodox : he anathematized
conditions offered him by Constantine, and he thus Joannes Damascenus and put to death Constan-
became liable, for the period of thirty years, to an tine, the patriarch of Constantinople, St. Stepha-
annual tribute of 3000 pounds of gold accompanied nus, and many other fathers who had declared for
by rich presents of slaves and horses. By this the images. In 751 Eutychius, exarch of Ravenna,
glorious peace the authority of the Greek emperor was driven out by Astolf (Astaulphus), king of the
rose to such a height, that all the minor powers of Longobards, who united that province with his
Asia sought his protection. But his name was dominions after the dignity of exarch had been in
less dreaded in Europe, for he was compelled by existence during a period of 185 years. A war
the Bulgarians to cede to them that country south haring broken out between Astolf and Pipin the
of the Danube which is still called Bulgaria. Short, king of the Franks, the latter conquered
In 680 Constantine assembled the sixth general the exarchate and gave it to pope Stephen (755),
council at Constantinople, by which the Monoth the first pope who ever had temporal dominions,
elists were condemned and peace was restored the duchy of Rome being still a dependency of the
to the church. In 681 the emperor's brothers, Eastern empire. Constantine sent ambassadors to
Heraclius and Tiberius, were both deprived of their Pipin, Astolf, and the pope, to claim the restitution
dignity of Augustus, which title Constantine con- of the exarchate ; but the negotiations proved abor-
ferred upon his son Justinian. We know almost tive, since the emperor could not give them suffi-
## p. 839 (#859) ############################################
CONSTANTINUS.
839
CONSTANTINUS.
cient weight by the display of a formidable army | suffered a severe defeat from the eunuch Joannes
in Italy ; for his troops were engaged in disastrous in Armenia, evacuated that country, and fied in
wars with the Arabs, who mvaged Pamphylia, confusion to Syria ; but in the following year, a
Cilicia, and Isauria; with the Slavoninns, who powerful Arabian army, divided into three strong
conquered Grecce; and with the Bulgarians, who bodies, and commanded by Harún-ar-Rashid, the
penetrated several times as far as the environs of son of the khalif Mahadí, penetrated as fiir as the
Constantinople. The Bulgarian king, Paganns, Bosporus, and compelled Irene to pay an annual
however, suffered a severe defeat from Constantine tribute of 60,000 pieces of gold. The peace, how-
in 765, in which he was treacherously killed, and ever, was broken some years afterwards, and the
Constantine entered his capital in triumph ; but in new war lasted till the end of the reign of Con-
the following year he sustained a severe defeat stantine, who in 790 lost half of his feet in the
from the Bulgarians, and was compelled to fly gulf of Attalia, but obtained several victories over
ingloriously, after losing his feet and army: the Arabs by land. He was likewise victorious
Constantine still flattered himself with regaining in a war with the Slavonians, who had conquered
Ravenna, either by force or arms; but after Charle- all Greece, but were driven back by Stauracius
;
magne becaine king of the Franks he relinquished in 784.
this hope, and united his dominions on the conti- At an early age, Constantine was betrothed to
nent of southern Italy with the island of Sicily, Rotrudis, daughter of Charlemagne; but quarrels
putting all those provinces under the authority of having broken out with that emperor on the sub-
the Patricius or governor-general of Sicily. The ject of the Greek dominions in Italy, the match
continental part of the new province or Thema of was broken off, and Constantine married Maria,
Sicily was sometimes called Sicilia secunda, whence an Armenian lady, whom he repudiated three
arose the name of both the Sicilies, which is still years afterwards, and married one Theodata. In
the regular designation of the kingdom of Naples. 787, the sect of the Iconoclasts was condemned in
In 774, the empire was once more invaded by the the seventh general council held at Nicaea, and
Bulgarians under their king Telericus; but Con- the worship of images was restored throughout
stantine checked his progress, and in the following the empire. When Constantine came of age, be
year fitted out a powerful expedition to chastise was of course intrusted with the administration of
the barbarian. Having resolved to take the com- the empire; but Irene's influence was so great,
mand of it in person, he set out for the Haemus ; that she remained the real sovereign. Tired
but some ulcers on his legs, the consequence of his of his vassalage, Constantine intrigued against her,
debaucheries, having suddenly burst, he stopped at and had already resolved to arrest her, when the
Arcadiopolis, and finally went on board his fleet plot was discovered; his partisans were severely
off Selembria, where he died from an inflammatory punished, and he himself received the chastisement
fever on the 14th of September, 775.
of a boy from the hands of his mother. Infuriated
Constantine V. was a cruel, profligate, and most by this outrage, the young emperor requested the
fanatical man; but he was, nevertheless, well assistance of his Armenian life-guard, and, hav-
adapted for the business of government. He was ing found them all devoted to him, seized upon
addicted to unnatural vices; his passion for horses his mother, and confined her in one of her palaces,
procured him the nickname of Caballinus. He was where she was kindly treated, but was allowed to
thrice married : viz. to Irene, daughter of the have no other company but that of her attendants.
khagan or khan of the Khazars ; a lady called A reconciliation took place some time afterwards,
Maria ; and Eudoxia Melissena. His successor but Irene finally contrived the ruin of her son.
was his eldest son, Leo IV. , whom he had by After succeeding in being recognized as the
Irene. During the reign of Constantine V. the lawful master of the empire, Constantine put him-
beautiful aqueduct of Constantinople, built by the self at the head of his army, and set out to meet
emperor Valens, which had been ruined by the the Bulgarians, who were plundering all Thrace.
barbarians in the time of the emperor Heraclius, He obtained some advantages over them, but lost
was restored by order of Constantine. (Theophan. a pitched battle, saw his army cut to pieces, and
p. 346, &c. , ed. Paris; Cedren. p. 549, &c. , ed. with difficulty escaped to Constantinople. There
Paris ; Nicephor. Gregoras, p. 38, &c. , ed. Paris ; he received intelligence that a conspiracy against
Glycas, p. 283, ed. Paris; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 105, his life, formed by his four uncles and supported
ed. Paris. )
(W. P. ] by the Armenian guard, was on the eve of
CONSTANTI'NUS VI. , FLA’VIUS, emperor breaking out. His measures were at once quick
of the East, A. D. 780-797, the son of Leo IV. and energetic : he seized the conspirators, dis-
Chazarus Isaurus and Irene, was born in 771, and armed the Armenians, whose commander, Alexis,
succeeded his father in 780, under the guardian- bad his eyes put out, and punished his uncles with
ship of his mother, a highly-gifted but ambitious equal severity: one of them was blinded, and the
and cruel woman, a native of Athens. The reign three others had their tongues cut off, and they
of Constantine VI. presents a hideous picture of were all forced to become ecclesiastics, in order to
wars, civil and religious troubles, and pitiless crimes. incapacitate them for reigning. They were after-
Elpidus, governor of the thema of Sicily, revolted wards banished, and died in obscurity.
in 781; and it seems that his intention was either The reconciliation which had taken place be-
to place himself or one of the four paternal uncles tween Constantine and his mother was a hollow
of the young emperor on the throne; but the one ; Irene could not forget that she had once
eunuch Theodore, an able general, defeated him in ruled, and during an expedition of her son against
several engagements in 782, and Elpidus filed with the Arabs she forned another conspiracy. On Con-
his treasures to the Arabs in Africa, by whom he stantine's return in 797, he was suddenly assailed
was treated till his death with the honours due to by assassins while he was sitting in the Hippo-
an emperor. The power of the Arabs grew every drome to look at the races. He escaped unhurt, tied
year more dangerous to the empire. In 781 they from the city, and directed his course to Phrygia.
## p. 840 (#860) ############################################
840
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
9
Before arriving there, he was joined by the empressphorus, the sons of Bardas Phocas ; the Chris
:
and a host of partisans. Relying on the promises tian princes of Iberin recognised the supremacy of
of Irene, he returned to Constantinople, but was the emperor ; alliances of the Greeks with the
surprised in his palace by a band of assassins hired Petchenegues or Patzinacitae in southern Russia
by Irene and her favourite, the general Stauracius. checked both the Russians and the Bulgarians in
His eyes were put out by their order with so their hostile designs against the empire; and Con-
much violence that he died on the same day. By stantine had the satisfaction of receiving in his
a singular coincidence of circumstances, he was palace ambassadors of the khalifs of Baghdúd and
murdered in the “ Porphyra," the name of the Africa, and of the Roman emperor Otho the Great.
apartment where the empresses were accustomed Luitprand, the emperor's ambassador, has left us a
to be confined, and where he was born. His
most interesting account of his mission to Constan-
only son, Leo, having died in his lifetime, he was tinople. (Annales Luitprandi. ) One of the most
succeeded by his mother Irene. Constantine VI. praiseworthy acts of Constantine was the restoration
was the last of the Isaurian dynasty. Zonaras to their lawſul proprietors of estates confiscated
and Cedrenus say, that he survived his excaeca- during rebellions, and held by robbers and swind-
tion for a considerable time; but their opinion lers without any titles, or under fraudulent ones.
seems to be untenable, although Le Beau believes Constantine's end was hastened by poison, ad-
it to be correct. (Theophan. p. 382, &c. , ed. Paris ; ministered to him by an ungrateful son, Romanus
Cedren. p. 469, &c. , ed. Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. (his successor), in consequence of which he died
93, &c. , ed. Paris ; Joel, p. 178, ed. Paris ; Gly- on the 15th of November, A. D. 959. His wife
cas, p. 285, ed. Paris.
[W. P. ] was Helena, by whom hie had the above-mentioned
CONSTANTI'NUS VII. FLAVIUS POR- son Romanus, a daughter Theodora, married to
PHY ROGE'NITUS (ó lopovpogévvntos ), em- Joannes Zimiscus, and other children.
peror of the East, A. D. 911-959, the only son Constantine Porphyrogenitus hoids a high rank
of the emperor Leo VI. Philosophus, of the in literature. His productions are no master-
Macedonian dynasty, and his fourth wife, Zoe, works in point of style and thought, but they treat
was born in a. D. 905; the name Topoupové ventos, of important and interesting subjects, and without
that is, “ born in the purple,” was given to him him our knowledge of his time would be reduced
because he was born in an apartment of the im- to a few vague notions; for he not only composed
perial palace called Trópoupa, in which the empresses works himself
, but caused others to be composed
awaited their confinement. The name Porphyro or compiled by the most able men among his
genitus is also given to Constantine VI. , but it is subjects. His own works are-
generally employed to distinguish the subject of Ι. Ιστορική διήγησις του βίου και πράξεων του
this article. Constantine succeeded his father in Βασιλείου του αοιδίμου βασιλέως (Viα Basili),
911, and reigned under the guardianship of his the life of Basilius I. Macedo, the grandfather of
paternal uncle, Alexander, who was already Augus- Constantine Porphyrogenitus, a work of great im-
tus, governed the empire as an absolute monarch, portance for the reign and character of that great
and died in the following year, 912. After his emperor, although it contains many things which
death the government was usurped by Romanus cannot be relied upon, as Constantine was rather
Lecapenus, who excluded Constantine from the credulous, and embellished the truth from motives
administration, leaving him nothing but an hono- of filial piety or vanity. Editions: 1. By Leo
rary retreat in the imperial palace, and who ruled Allatius in his Lúupektol, with a Latin translation,
as emperor till 944, when he was deposed and Cologne, 1653, 8vo. ; the text divided into 70
exiled by his sons Stephanus and Constantine, sections or chapters. 2. By Combefisius, in his
both Augusti, and who expected to be recognised “ Scriptores post Theophanem,” Paris, 1685, fol. ;
as emperors. (ROMANUS LECAPENUS. ] They divided into 101 sections or chapters; with a new
were deceived ; the people declared for the son of translation and notes of the editor.
Leo; Constantine left his solitude, and, supported II. Nepi Twv euatwv, “ De Thematibus.
