. Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church . we refuse to be-lieve that the castles and strong places, set at inter-vals along the banks of the Rhine, were henceforthregarded rather as ornaments to the frontier than asa source of protection. The bridge, too, whichConstantine built at Cologne, was likewise built for * Gravate apud anitinim tmitn etiam nialipereiint.—Pan., x., Pati., vii., 12. X Odia perpetua et inexpiabiles iras. § Compendium est devincendorum hostium duces sustulisse.—Pan.,vii., II. The Succession of Constantine 55 business and
. Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church . we refuse to be-lieve that the castles and strong places, set at inter-vals along the banks of the Rhine, were henceforthregarded rather as ornaments to the frontier than asa source of protection. The bridge, too, whichConstantine built at Cologne, was likewise built for * Gravate apud anitinim tmitn etiam nialipereiint.—Pan., x., Pati., vii., 12. X Odia perpetua et inexpiabiles iras. § Compendium est devincendorum hostium duces sustulisse.—Pan.,vii., II. The Succession of Constantine 55 business and not, as the orator suggests, for theglory of the Empire and the beauty of the land-scape. When we read of the war galleys, whichceaselessly patrolled the waters of the Rhine, andof the soldiery stationed along its banks from sourceto mouth,* we may judge how anxiously the watchwas kept, how nervously alert the Caesar or Augustusof the West required to be to guard the frontier,and how profound a respect he entertained for thefree German whom he called barbarian. * Pati., vii., i^.. CHAPTER IV CONSTANTINE AND HIS COLLEAGUES WHILE Constantine thus peacefully succeededhis father in the command of Gaul, Spain,and Britain, Italy was the scene of continued dis-turbance and of a successful usurpation. We haveseen how Severus, an officer of the eastern armyand a trusted friend of Galerius, had been chosen totake over the command which Maximian so unwill-ingly laid down at Milan. He was proclaimed Caesar,with Italy and Africa for his portion, and the admin-istration passed into his hands. But he preferred,apparently, to remain on the lUyrian border ratherthan shew himself in Rome, and, in his absence,Maxentius, a son of Maximian, took the opportunityof claiming the heritage of which he considered him-self to have been robbed. No single historian has had a good word to say forMaxentius, who is described by Lactantius as aman of depraved mind, so consumed with prideand stubbornness th
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