There can be little doubt that Diocletian's reforms helped
to prolong the existence of the empire. In one respect, however, they must be
pronounced a failure. They did not end the disputes about the succession. Only
two years after the abdication of Diocletian there were six rival pretenders
for the title of Augustus. Their dreary struggles continued, until at
length two emperors were left—Constantine in the West, Licinius in the East.
After a few years of joint rule another civil war made Constantine supreme. The
Roman world again had a single master.
REIGN OF CONSTANTINE
Constantine was an able general and a wise statesman. Two
events of lasting importance have made his reign memorable. It was Constantine
who recognized Christianity as one of the religions of the empire and thus
paved the way for the triumph of that faith over the ancient paganism. His work
in this connection will be discussed presently. It was Constantine, also, who
established a new capital for the Roman world at Byzantium on the Bosporus.
He christened it "New Rome," but it soon took the emperor's name as
Constantinople, the "City of Constantine."
