o
built the walls of Rome in their present position.

DIOCLETIAN (284-305).

With this ruler, the last vestige of the old republican form of
government at Rome disappears. Old Rome was dead. Her Senate had lost
the last remnant of its respectability. Seeing the necessity of a more
united country and a firmer rule, DIOCLETIAN associated with himself
MAXIMIAN, a gigantic soldier, who signalized his accession by subduing
a dangerous revolt in Gaul. He also appointed two officers, GALERIUS and
CONSTANTIUS, whom he called CAESARS,--one to have charge of the East,
and the other of the West. By means of these assistants he crushed all
revolts, strengthened the waning power of the Empire, and imposed peace
and good order upon the world.

Diocletian and Maximian afterwards resigned, and allowed their two
Caesars to assume the rank of AUGUSTI, and they in their turn appointed
Caesars as assistants.

Soon after his accession Constantius died, and his son CONSTANTINE was
proclaimed Caesar, against the wishes of Galerius. A bitter struggle
followed, in which Constantine finally overcame all his opponents, and
was declared sole Emperor. For his successes he was named the GREAT.

CONSTANTINE THE GREAT (306-337).

Constantine determined to build for his Empire a new capital, which
should be worthy of him. He selected the site of BYZANTIUM as offering
the greatest advantages; for, being defended on three sides by the sea
and the Golden Horn, it could easily be made almost impregnable, while
as a seaport its advantages were unrivalled,--a feature not in the least
shared by Rome. The project was entered upon with energy; the city was
built, and named CONSTANTINOPLE. To people it, the seat of government
was permanently removed thither, and every inducement was offered to
immigration. Thus was born the GREEK EMPIRE, destined to drag out a
miserable existence for nearly a thousand years after Rome had fallen a
prey to the barbarians. Its founder died, after a reign of thirty years,
in his sixty-fourth year (337).

Constantine is entitled to great credit for the uniform kindness with
which he treated his Christian subjects. It is said that his mother,
HELENA, was a Christian, and that it was to her influence that this
mildness was due. The sect, notwithstanding many persecutions, had kept
on increasing, until now we find them a numerous and quite influential
body. It was during his reign that the DECREE OF MILAN was issued, in
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