h terror and lamentation. Gifts were also
demanded from the cities or provinces on various occasions, such as the
accession of an emperor, the birth of an emperor's heir, the free gift
of the city of Rome, for example, being fixed at about three hundred
thousand dollars; and, in fine, the imperial despotism reduced the
people to want, and hastened, even more than the inroads of the
barbarians, the destruction of civil society.

Constantine in his old age adopted the luxury and pomp which Diocletian
introduced from the East; he wore false hair of various colors carefully
arranged, a diadem of costly gems, and a robe of silk embroidered with
flowers of gold. His family, at an earlier period, consisted of Crispus,
a son by his first wife Minervina, and the three sons of Fausta,
Constantine, Constantius, and Constans. Besides these there were three
daughters. Crispus, however, who was beloved by the people and the army,
excited the jealousy of Fausta. Constantine was led to believe that his
son was engaged in a conspiracy against his life, and Crispus was
executed by his father's orders, together with Caesar Licinius, the son
of Constantine's favorite sister. Helena, the aged mother of
Constantine, undertook to avenge her grandson. Fausta was finally proved
to be unfaithful to her husband, and put to death, with many of her
friends and followers. These fearful scenes within the palace recalled
to the Roman people the memory of Nero and Caligula.

The three sons of Fausta were now the heirs of the throne, and, with
their two cousins, Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, were carefully
instructed by Christian professors, Greek philosophers, and Roman
jurisconsults, the emperor himself teaching them the science of
government and of man. They also studied the art of war in defending the
frontiers of the empire; but no important war disturbed the last
fourteen years of this reign. Constantine reigned thirty years, the
longest period of any since Augustus; and he died May 22, A.D. 337, at
his palace at Nicomedia, aged sixty-four years.

Constantine, although professing the Christian faith, was not baptized
until a short time before his death, when he received that solemn rite
with many professions of penitence, and of a desire to live in future
according to the precepts of religion. He seems to have possessed many
excellent qualities, was brave, active, and untiring, ruled with
firmness, and gave a large portion of his time to the care