CHAPTER XVIII

AFTER THE ABDICATION OF DIOCLETIAN AND MAXIMIAN, CONSTANTIUS BECAME CHIEF AUGUSTUS, AND WAS BLESSED WITH A NUMEROUS OFFSPRING

THE immediate consequence of this conduct was a recompense from the hand of God, insomuch that he came into the supreme authority of the empire. For those princes who were his superiors in respect of age, for some unknown reason, resigned their power; and this sudden change took place in the first year which followed their persecution of the churches.

From that time Constantius alone received the honours of chief Augustus, having been previously indeed distinguished by the diadem of the imperial Cæsars, among whom he held the first rank; but after his worth had been proved in this capacity, he was invested with the highest dignity of the Roman empire, being named chief Augustus of the four who were afterwards elected to that honour. Moreover he surpassed most of the emperors in regard to the number of his family, having gathered around him a very large circle of male and female children. And, lastly, when he had attained to a happy old age, and was about to pay the common debt of nature, and exchange this life for another, God once more manifested His power in a special manner on his behalf, by providing that his eldest son Constantine should be present during his last moments, and ready to receive the imperial power from his hands.