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| Fifth Five Years.
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§7. Fifth Five
Years.
The beginning of this period was
the beginning of the series of acts which have taken most from the
reputation of Constantine. Sometime in 326, perhaps while at Rome, he
ordered the death of his son Crispus.3034
| 3034 Crispus was alive and in power March 1, 326, as appears from coins
(cf. Eckhel, 8, p. 101–2). Whether he was put to death before the
Vicennalia does not appear, but that he was is not probable. For death
of Crispus and its date, compare Zos. 2. 29; Vict. Cæs.;
Soz. 1. 5; Vict. Epit. p. 50; Chron. Pasch.; Eutrop. 10.
6, &c., and discussion under Character. | The same year (Hieron. Chron.)
the Cæsar Licinius, his sister’s son, was put to death
(Eutrop. 10. 6; Hieron.; Prosper.), and shortly after3035
| 3035 The same year according to Greg. Tur. (1. 34). Cf. Eutrop. and
Sidon. 327, and even 328, is the date given by some (cf. Clinton, v. 1,
p. 382, and Wordsworth). | his wife Fausta died or was put to
death.3036
| 3036 Disputed, but generally allowed. On this series of deaths, compare
the somewhat opposite views of Görres and Seeck in the articles
mentioned under Literature for latest views. | But apart from this shadow, the
period was hardly less brilliant, in its way, than preceding ones. It
was a time of gigantic and, as some said, extravagant internal
improvements. Among various enterprises was the refounding, in 327, of
Drepanum, his mother’s city, as Helenopolis (Hieron. An. 2343;
Chron. Pasch. p. 283(?); Socr. H. E. 1. 18; Soz. 2. 2;
Theoph. p. 41), and greatest of all, the transformation of the
insignificant Byzantium into the magnificent Constantinople,3037
| 3037 The date of the beginning of the work is curiously uncertain.
Socrates (1. 6) puts it directly after the Council of Nicæa, and
Philostorgius in 334, while there is almost equal variety among the
modern historians. Burckhardt says Nov. 4, 326; De Broglie, 328 or 329;
Wordsworth as early as 325. It is possible that the strangeness which
he felt in visiting Rome in 326, and the hostility with which he was
met there (Zos. 2. 29, 30), may have been a moving cause in the
foundation of this “New Rome,” and that it was begun soon
after his visit there. He first began to build his capital near the
site of Ilium (Soz. 2. 3; Zos. 2. 30), but “led by the hand of
God” (Soz.), he changed his plan to that city whose site he so
much admired (Soz.). | which was dedicated in 330 (Idatius;
Chron. Pasch. p. 285; Hesych. §42; Hieron.; cf. Clinton).3038
| 3038 For accounts of the founding of Constantinople, see Soz. 2. 3;
Philostorgius, 2. 9; Malalas, 13. 5; Glycas, p. 462–64; Cedrenus,
p. 495–98; Theoph. 41–42. Compare Zosimus, 2. 30; Anon.
Vales. p. 475–76; Socrates, 1. 16; Orosius, c. 28; Praxagoras,
Zononas, Codinus, Nicephoras Callistus, &c. | It was probably during this period,
too, that the work of improvement in Jerusalem was undertaken, and
Helena made her famous visit thither (Euseb. V. C. 3. 42; Soz.
21; Socr. 1. 17; Ephraem. p. 24: Theoph. 37–8,
&c.).E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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