Res Gestae

Licinius, abandoning hope on the sea, by way of which he saw that he would be blockaded, fled with his treasures to Chalcedon. Constantine

Later, when they saw Constantine’s legions coming in Liburnian galleys, the survivors threw down their arms and gave themselves up. But on the following day Constantia, sister of Constantine and wife of Licinius, came to her brother’s camp and begged that her husband’s life be spared, which was granted. Thus Licinius became a private citizen,[*](See note 1, on 5, 18, above.) and was entertained at a banquet by Constantine. Martinianus’ life was also spared.

Licinius was sent to Thessalonica; but Constantine, influenced by the example of his father-in-law Herculius Maximianus,[*](See note 4, on § 8 above. The second wife of Constantine’s father was a daughter of Maximianus; see 1, 2, above.) for fear that Licinius might again, with disastrous consequences to the State, resume the purple which he had laid down, and also because the soldiers mutinously demanded his death, had him assassinated at Thessalonica,[*](Cf. Eutr. x. 6, 1, contra religionem sacramenti privatus occisus est. ) and Martinianus in Cappadocia. Licinius reigned nineteen years and was survived by his wife and a son. And yet, after all the other participants in the abominable persecution[*](Of the Christians; see § 8, note 1, above.)

In commemoration of his splendid victory Constantine called Byzantium Constantinople after his own name; and as if it were his native city, he adorned it with great magnificence and wished to make it equal to Rome. Then he sought out new citizens for it from every quarter,[*](Hieronymus says that he nearly depopulated the other cities of the empire.) and lavished such wealth on the city, that thereon he all but exhausted the imperial fortunes. There he also established a senate[*](According to Zos. iii. 2, Julian established a senate at Constantinople; see Amm. xxii. 9, 2, and cf. Paneg. Lat. xi. 24 (Gratiarum actio Juliana), cum Senatui non solum veterem reddideris dignitatem, sed plurimum etiam novi honoris adieceris. ) of the second rank, the members of which had the title of clari.[*](The Roman senators were clarissimi. )

Then he began war against the Goths, rendering aid also to the Sarmatians, who had appealed to him for help.[*](In 334.) The result was that almost a hundred thousand of the Goths were destroyed by hunger and cold through Constantinus Caesar.[*](The son of Constantine the Great, afterwards Constantinus II; see § 19, above.) Then he also received hostages, among whom was Ariaricus, the king’s son.

When peace with the Goths had thus been secured, Constantine turned against the Sarmatians, who were showing themselves to be of doubtful loyalty. But the slaves of the Sarmatians rebelled against all their masters[*](The Limigantes; see Amm., xvii. 13, 1; xvii. 12, 18 ff.) and drove them from the country. These Constantine willingly received, and