Read the _History of Constantine the Great_ by Praxagoras of
Athens,[232] in two books. In this he tells us that Constantine’s
father, Constantius, was governor of Britain and Spain; Maximin[233]
of Rome, the rest of Italy, and Sicily; the other Maximin[234] of
Greece, Asia Minor, and Thrace; Diocletian, as the eldest, governed
Bithynia, Arabia, Libya, and that part of Egypt that is watered
by the Nile. Constantine was sent by his father to Diocletian in
Nicomedia to be educated. At that time Maximin,[235] governor of Asia
Minor, who happened to be there, determined to lay a plot against
the youth and set him to fight with a savage lion. But Constantine
overcame and slew the beast, and having discovered the plot, took
refuge with his father, after whose death he succeeded to the throne.
Soon after his accession, he subdued the Celts and Germans,
neighbouring and barbarous nations. Having learnt that Maxentius,
who had made himself master of Rome after Maximin,[236] treated his
subjects with cruelty and brutality, he marched against him, to
punish him for his conduct. He was speedily victorious and put his
enemy to flight, who fell into the pit which he had prepared for
others and met the death which he had designed for his enemies. The
Romans cut off his head, hung it on a spear, and carried it through
the city. This part of the empire with joyful eagerness submitted to
Constantine.
In the meantime, Maximin (who had plotted against Constantine) had
died and was succeeded in his government by Licinius. Constantine,
hearing that he also treated his subjects with cruelty and
inhumanity, unable to tolerate such brutality towards those of the
same race, marched against him, to put an end to his tyranny and
replace it by constitutional government. Licinius, being informed of
the expedition, became alarmed, attempted to disguise his cruelty
under the cloak of humanity, and took an oath that he would treat
his subjects kindly and would strictly keep his promise. Constantine
accordingly for the time abandoned his expedition. Soon afterwards,
however, since the wicked cannot remain quiet, Licinius broke his
oath and abandoned himself to every kind of villainy. Whereupon
Constantine attacked and defeated him in several great battles and
shut him up and besieged him in Nicomedia, whence he approached
Constantine in the garb of a suppliant. His kingdom was taken away
from him and bestowed upon Constantine, who thus secured and became
sole ruler of the different parts of the great empire, which had long
desired an emperor worthy of it. He inherited his father’s kingdom
and that of Rome after the overthrow of Maximin,[237] and obtained
possession of Greece, Macedonia, and Asia Minor by the deposition of
Licinius. He further assumed control of that part which had belonged
to Diocletian, and had been held by Licinius, who had seized it by
right of war from Maximin,[238] Diocletian’s successor.
Being thus sole master of a united empire, he founded Byzantium
and called it after his own name. Praxagoras says that although
Constantine was a heathen, in virtue, goodness, and prosperity he far
excelled all his predecessors on the throne. With these words the
history concludes.
Praxagoras, according to his own statement, was twenty-two years old
when he wrote this history. He was also the author of two books on
_The Kings of Athens_, written when he was nineteen, and six books
on _Alexander King of Macedon_, written when he was thirty-one. His
style is clear and agreeable, but somewhat wanting in vigour. He
writes in the Ionic dialect.