Constantinopŏlis, now Stamboul, formerly Byzantium, the capital of Thrace, a noble and magnificent city, built by Constantine the Great, and solemnly dedicated A.D. 330. It was the capital of the eastern Roman empire, and was called after its foundation, Roma nova, on account of its greatness, which seemed to rival Rome. The beauty of its situation, with all its conveniences, have been the admiration of every age. Constantinople became long the asylum of science and of learned men, but upon its conquest by Mahomet II., 28th May, 1453, the professors retired from the barbarity of their victors, and found in Italy the protection which their learning deserved. This migration was highly favourable to the cause of science, and whilst the Pope, the head of the house of Medicis, and the emperor, munificently supported the fugitives, other princes imitated their example, and equally contributed to the revival of literature in Europe.
Constantīnus, surnamed the Great, from the greatness of his exploits, was son of Constantius. As soon as he became independent he assumed the title of Augustus, and made war against Licinius, his brother-in-law and colleague on the throne, because he was cruel and ambitious. He conquered him, and obliged him to lay aside the imperial power. It is said that as he was going to fight against Maxentius, one of his rivals, he saw a cross in the sky, with this inscription, ἐν τουτῳ νικα, in hoc vince. From this circumstance he became a convert to christianity and obtained an easy victory, ever after adopting a cross or abarum as his standard. After the death of Diocletian, Maximian, Maxentius, Maximinus, and Licinius, who had reigned together, though in a subordinate manner, Constantine became sole emperor, and began to reform the state. He founded a city in the most eligible situation, where old Byzantium formerly stood, and called it by his own name, Constantinopolis. Thither he transported part of the Roman senate; and by keeping his court there, he made it the rival of Rome, in population and magnificence, and from that time the two imperial cities began to look upon each other with an eye of envy; and soon after the age of Constantine, a separation was made of the two empires, and Rome was called the capital of the western, and Constantinopolis was called the capital of the eastern, dominions of Rome. The emperor has been distinguished for personal courage, and praised for the protection which he extended to the christians. He at first persecuted the Arians, but afterwards inclined to their opinions. His murder of his son Crispus has been deservedly censured. By removing the Roman legions from the garrisons on the rivers, he opened an easy passage to the barbarians, and rendered his soldiers unwarlike. He defeated 100,000 Goths, and received into his territories 300,000 Samartians, who had been banished by their slaves, and allowed them land to cultivate. Constantine was learned, and preached as well as composed many sermons, one of which remains. He died A.D. 337, after a reign of 31 years of the greatest glory and success. He left three sons, Constantinus, Constans, and Constantius, among whom he divided his empire. The first, who had Gaul, Spain, and Britain for his portion, was conquered by the armies of his brother Constans, and killed in the 25th year of his age, A.D. 340. Magnentius, the governor of the provinces of Rhætia, murdered Constans in his bed, after a reign of 13 years over Italy, Africa, and Illyricum; and Constantius, the only surviving brother, now become the sole emperor, A.D. 353, punished his brother’s murderer, and gave way to cruelty and oppression. He visited Rome, where he displayed a triumph, and died in his march against Julian, who had been proclaimed independent emperor by his soldiers.——The name of Constantine was very common to the emperors of the east, in a later period.——A private soldier in Britain, raised on account of his name to the imperial dignity.——A general of Belisarius.
Constantius Chlorus, son of Eutropius and father of the great Constantine, merited the title of Cæsar, which he obtained by his victories in Britain and Germany. He became the colleague of Galerius, on the abdication of Docletian; and after bearing the character of a humane and benevolent prince, he died at York, and made his son his successor, A.D. 306.——The second son of Constantine the Great. See: [Constantinus].——The father of Julian and Gallus, was son of Constantius by Theodora, and died A.D. 337.——A Roman general of Nyssa, who married Placidia the sister of Honorius, and was proclaimed emperor, an honour he enjoyed only seven months. He died universally regretted, 421 A.D., and was succeeded by his son Valentinian in the west.——One of the servants of Attila.
Consuāles Ludi, or Consuālia, festivals at Rome in honour of Consus, the god of counsel, whose altar Romulus discovered under the ground. This altar was always covered, except at the festival, when a mule was sacrificed, and games and horse-races exhibited in honour of Neptune. It was during these festivals that Romulus carried away the Sabine women who had assembled to be spectators of the games. They were first instituted by Romulus. Some say, however, that Romulus only regulated and reinstituted them after they had been before established by Evander. During the celebration, which happened about the middle of August, horses, mules, and asses were exempted from all labour, and were led through the streets adorned with garlands and flowers. Ausonius, bk. 69, li. 9.—Ovid, Fasti, bk. 3, li. 199.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 9.—Dionysius of Halicarnassus.
Consul, a magistrate at Rome, with regal authority for the space of one year. There were two consuls, a consulendo, annually chosen in the Campus Martius. The two first consuls were Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, chosen A.U.C. 244, after the expulsion of the Tarquins. In the first ages of the republic, the two consuls were always chosen from patrician families, or noblemen; but the people obtained the privilege, A.U.C. 388, of electing one of their consuls from their own body; and sometimes both were plebeians. The first consul among the plebeians was Lucius Sextius. It was required that every candidate for the consulship should be 43 years of age, called legitimum tempus. He was always to appear at the election as a private man, without a retinue; and it was requisite, before he canvassed for the office, to have discharged the inferior functions of questor, edile, and pretor. Sometimes these qualifications were disregarded. Valerius Corvinus was made a consul in his 23rd year, and Scipio in his 24th. Young Marius, Pompey, and Augustus, were also under the proper age when they were invested with the office, and Pompey had never been questor or pretor. The power of the consuls was unbounded, and they knew no superior but the gods and the laws; but after the expiration of their office, their conduct was minutely scrutinized by the people, and [♦]misbehaviour was often punished by the laws. The badge of their office was the prætexta, a robe fringed with purple, afterwards exchanged for the toga picta or palmata. They were preceded by 12 lictors, carrying the fasces, or bundle of sticks, in the middle of which appeared an axe. The axe, as being the characteristic rather of tyranny than of freedom, was taken away from the fasces by Valerius Poplicola, but it was restored by his successor. The consuls took it by turns, monthly to be preceded by the lictors while at Rome, lest the appearance of two persons with their badges of royal authority should raise apprehensions in the multitude. While one appeared publicly in state, only a crier walked before the other, and the lictors followed behind without the fasces. Their authority was equal; yet the Valerian law gave the right of priority to the older, and the Julian law to him who had the most children, and he was generally called consul major or prior. As their power was absolute, they presided over the senate, and could convene and dismiss it at pleasure. The senators were their counsellors; and among the Romans, the manner of reckoning their years was by the name of the consuls, and by Marcus Tullius Cicerone & L. Antonio Consulibus, for instance, the year of Rome 691 was always understood. This custom lasted from the year of Rome 244 till the year 1294, or 541st year of the christian era, when the consular office was totally suppressed by Justinian. In public assemblies the consuls sat in ivory chairs and held in their hands an ivory wand, called scipio eburneus, which had an eagle on its top, as a sign of dignity and power. When they had drawn by lot the provinces over which they were to preside during their consulship, they went to the Capitol to offer their prayers to the gods, and entreat them to protect the republic; after this they departed from the city, arrayed in their military dress, and preceded by the lictors. Sometimes the provinces were assigned them, without drawing by lot, by the will and appointment of the senators. At their departure they were provided by the state with whatever was requisite during their expedition. In their provinces they were both attended by the 12 lictors, and equally invested with regal authority. They were not permitted to return to Rome without the special command of the senate, and they always remained in their province till the arrival of their successor. At their return they harangued the people, and solemnly protested that they had done nothing against the laws or interest of their country, but had faithfully and diligently endeavoured to promote the greatness and welfare of the state. No man could be consul two following years; yet this institution was sometimes broken, and we find Marius re-elected consul, after the expiration of his office, during the Cimprian war. The office of consul, so dignified during the times of the commonwealth, became a mere title under the emperors, and retained nothing of its authority but the useless ensigns of original dignity. Even the office of consul, which was originally annual, was reduced to two or three months by Julius Cæsar; but they who were admitted on the 1st of January denominated the year, and were called ordinarii. Their successors, during the year, were distinguished by the name of suffecti. Tiberius and Claudius abridged the time of the consulship, and the emperor Commodus made no less than 25 consuls in one year. Constantine the Great renewed the original institution, and permitted them to be a whole year in office.——Here is annexed a list of the consuls from the establishment of the consular power to the battle of Actium, in which it may be said that the authority of the consuls was totally extinguished.
[♦] ‘misbehavour’ replaced with ‘misbehaviour’
The first two consuls, chosen about the middle of June, A.U.C. 244, were Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. Collatinus retired from Rome as being of the family of the Tarquins, and Publius Valerius was chosen in his room. When Brutus was killed in battle, Spurius Lucretius was elected to succeed him; and after the death of Lucretius, Marcus Horatius was chosen for the rest of the year with Valerius Publicola. The first consulship lasted about 16 months, during which the Romans fought against the Tarquins, and the Capitol was dedicated.
A.U.C. 246. Publius Valerius Publicola 2; Titus Lucretius. Porsenna supported the claims of Tarquin. The noble actions of Cocles, Scævola, and Clœlia.
A.U.C. 247. Publius Lucretius, or Marcus Horatius; Publius Valerius Publicola 3. The vain efforts of Porsenna continued.
A.U.C. 248. Spurius Lartius; Titus Herminus. Victories obtained over the Sabines.