CHAPTER III.
CONSTANTINOPLE FROM CONSTANTINE TO JUSTINIAN.
A.D. 324-527.
ITH a new capital and a new religion, Constantine may perhaps have flattered himself that he had settled everything on a perfectly satisfactory basis. He certainly had reasons for believing that his city was in all respects well fitted to be the seat of the world's government, and that now at length the Christian Church bid fair to win supremacy over men's minds and consciences. His leading thought, no doubt, was to secure the empire against anarchy and civil strife, and this was to be accomplished by uniting the forces of Roman Imperialism and of the Church. But he saw that he could not do this at Rome, which, with Italy, was still too much under pagan influence, whereas in the East the new faith was already in the ascendant among all classes, and was every day becoming more powerful. Probably the empire was too vast, and made up of provinces too unlike in character, and communication between its different portions was too slow and difficult, to allow it to be effectively directed
