. The story of the ancient nations : a text-book for high schools . ir property to the holy and universalchurch. Licinius, on the other hand, became the representative ofthe pagan interests in the Empire. He drove the Christiansfrom his court and oppressed them. The struggle whichresulted between the two emperors grew into a last terriblecontest between Christianity and paganism. The victoryof Constantine, in a bloody battle in Asia Minor in theyear 324 a. d., was decisive, not only for his own career, butfor Christianity as well. 571. The Capital Changed to Constantinople.—Constan-tine ended
. The story of the ancient nations : a text-book for high schools . ir property to the holy and universalchurch. Licinius, on the other hand, became the representative ofthe pagan interests in the Empire. He drove the Christiansfrom his court and oppressed them. The struggle whichresulted between the two emperors grew into a last terriblecontest between Christianity and paganism. The victoryof Constantine, in a bloody battle in Asia Minor in theyear 324 a. d., was decisive, not only for his own career, butfor Christianity as well. 571. The Capital Changed to Constantinople.—Constan-tine ended the movement which had lowered the influenceof Rome and Italy to a level with that of the provinces, by THE VICTORY OF CHRISTIANITY 453 establishing a new capital of the Empire upon the old siteof Byzantium, calling it Constantines City, or Constan-tinople. For many reasons the change was good. Fromthe new center the boundaries along the Danube could bemore easily reached and defended. Furthermore, Constan-tinople was much nearer the dangerous Persian frontier,. Arch of Constantine at Rome. and had a much better commercial situation than hadRome. The site of Constantinople has from the earliest time con-trolled the entrance to the Black Sea with all its to-day the powers of Europe watch the city jealously,and the present Turkish Empire retains its hold upon Con-stantinople chiefly because the other nations cannot allowthis important strategic point to fall to any one Europeanpower. In addition to the advantages which the site of Constanti-nople offered, Constantine felt that the new emperor withhis absolute powers must have a new abode. For in Romethe old stories of the freedom and privileges of the peoplewere still told, and the city might be a dangerous capital for 454 THE STORY OF ROME an absolute government. In Constantinople, which layupon the border of the Orient, the Oriental court, withits Eastern ceremonies and its reverence of the emperor,would not arouse
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