LIFE OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT. BY JOSEPH FLETCHER. "Constantine the Great was a very eminent man: he was not "Long before Constantine's time, the generality of Christians had LONDON: ALBERT COCKSHAW, 41, LUDGATE HILL. AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1852. 221. C, 55. PREFACE. A SMALL work, like the present, needs little preface. The design of the writer is sufficiently indicated by the title-page and its two mottoes-one from the pen of Niebuhr, whose brief but masterly sketch of the reign. of Constantine, in his Lectures on the History of Rome, makes us regret that he has not left behind more copious notices of the period; and the other from that of our own Milton, in whose writings there are so many allusions to the character and legislation of Constantine, all of them distinguished by his characteristic wisdom and genius. Among the many references to the subject of this biography in the literature of our country, there is no separate work devoted to the record of his life. It seemed desirable, therefore, that one should be furnished; not too extended, yet sufficiently copious to put the public generally in possession of the main incidents of his career, and sufficiently authenticated by references to competent authorities to sustain the investigations of the more critical. Besides consulting contemporary historians, the Author has occasionally examined the statements of later ecclesiastical writers, and such modern works as relate to the general subject. He feels greatly indebted to Gibbon, whose account of the life and times of Constantine is so full, and, on the whole, so impartial, that, had the nature of his work admitted of a more biographical disposition of the several parts, little else would have been needed than to extract the portion which relates to him; and to Manso, whose compendious narrative and invaluable appendices have thrown so much light upon controverted facts and dates. It only remains to state, that the Author has avoided citations from original authorities, in the foot-notes, as much as possible; and that he has been spared much labour in the passages quoted from Eusebius, by availing himself of the translations recently published by the Messrs. Bagster, to whose valuable series of the Greek Ecclesiastical Historians he would take this opportunity of directing the attention of the public. CHRISTCHURCH, CONTENTS. www PAGE The interest attaching to the Deeds of Constantine-his Genius, Fortunes, Generalship, and Talent for Government-His Advancement to Supreme Power in the Roman Empire-His Relation to the Christian Religion-The Condition of its Professors before his time-The Change he effected, and its Influence-The twofold Object of the present Birth of Constantine-Disputes respecting the Place of his Birth and the Rank of his Mother-Both points now settled-Obscurity of this Period of his History-Little known of his Mother, Helena-The Family and Character of his Father, Constantius-Early Education of Constan- tine Events during his Infancy and Boyhood-His Father becomes Governor of Dalmatia-Diocletian becomes Emperor-The Influence of this event on Constantine's Fortunes-The new System of Government introduced by Diocletian-The Father of Constantine becomes Cæsar- The Distribution of the Government under the new System-The Character of Constantine at this period-Retained by Diocletian as a kind of Hostage-Serves under Diocletian in the Expedition to Egypt- Afterwards accompanies Galerius in the Persian War-Is promoted to A |