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Illyrian veterans

August 10, 2020

Tiridates’ laugh boomed out. “How could I, with my back to the river?”

Dispatches from the Persian campaign soon began to arrive daily, telling of new victories. As Galerius pushed into Armenia, the people there fell in solidly behind their popular monarch, while ahead of the battle lines small bands of horsemen from the Scythian steppes, many of them descendants of the tribe led by Mamgo, of which Tiridates had spoken, harried the Persian supply lines, cutting out small bands of the enemy wherever they could and destroying them mercilessly.

The sturdy Illyrian veterans whom Galerius had taken from the Danube strongpoints, plus a large body of mounted Gothic auxiliaries, were a far more disciplined and dependable force than the largely untrained levies he had thrown against the Persians in his earlier campaign. When finally the Roman army turned southward from Armenia into the fertile TigrisEuphrates basin, it swept everything before it. The climax of the campaign came when the Persian monarch was caught at his headquarters in a swift night attack, wounded slightly and forced to flee to the fastnesses of the desert, where Galerius prudently refused to follow. There was more than enough booty and glory for all, however, since all of Narses’ belongings, including his wives, his sisters and his children, were captured. And with this stunning stroke of victory, the enemy’s resistance largely collapsed.

Eastern frontier

Only when the eastern frontier was at last secure and its limits extended almost to those established for a brief while by Alexander the Great, did Diocletian leave Antioch for Nicomedia. And then it was only to pause there for a brief period, before going to Rome to celebrate with the ceremony known as a “triumph” this high point in the history of the Empire.

And a high point it was indeed. In the West, Constantius had all but finished subduing the rebels who had followed the upstart Carausius and his lieutenant, Allectus, bringing the fertile and important province of Britain once again into the confines of the Empire. To the North, Constantius had also brought peace to the Rhine frontier by displacing many of the rebellious tribes into the interior of Gaul, settling them in areas where they could no longer join together into a force large enough to cause trouble.

The rebellion in Africa had long since been ended by the forthright action of Maximian and Maxentius. And with the Vicennalia, the twentieth anniversary of Diocletian’s reign, approaching close on the heels of the great Persian victory, it was no more than fitting that both be celebrated in the ancient city which even though Maximian had established his capital at Milan would always be the symbolic heart of the Empire.

As soon as he could obtain leave after the arrival of the court at Nicomedia, Constantine rode the short distance to Drepanum and his mother’s modest cottage there. Helena ran to embrace him as soon as he dismounted. For a long moment she clasped him in her arms, then finally held him off with her hands upon his shoulders while she studied his face with eyes that shone with pride and joy.

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Constantine had somehow expected

Saksagan

August 10, 2020

“You have changed,” she said.

“I’m almost two years older than when you saw me last,” Constantine reminded her. “But I am still a tribune and,” he added with a slight touch of bitterness in his voice, “still the Emperor’s lackey.”

“The change goes deeper than that. You’ve become a man, and more like your father.”

“You haven’t changed, Mother. If anything, you look younger.”

“Having a baby to care for again brings youth to a grandmother. Come inside and see your son.”

Constantine had somehow expected

The baby was sleeping. Constantine had somehow expected him to be a miniature of his mother, but he saw instead a sturdy infant whose resemblance to himself and his own father was startling. If Minervina had given Crispus anything save life thereby losing her own it was his hair, which was light in color like hers.

“He’s the image of you when you were that age,” Helena said happily. “I only pray God that he will grow up to be the fine man you have become.”

“Pray God,” he repeated. “You haven’t become a Christian, have you, Mother?”

“Not yet. But they are a kind and harmless people and much in their teachings appeal to me. Why do you ask?”

“The Emperor dislikes them, I think because Empress Prisca and Lady Valeria have taken up that faith. Galerius is already purging his army of Christians and I hear that Maximian is doing the same. Diocletian is certain to follow.”

“Minervina was a Christian. She was baptized just before death and I’m sure it gave her the strength to die happily.”

Constantine remembered the basin or font in the small room off the meeting chamber in the ruins of the church at DuraEuropos and Josiah’s explanation of its use. Ever since his conversation with Eusebius in the vestibule of the church at Antioch, he had resolutely put all thoughts of the faith built around the figure of the man called Christ from his mind. Nor did he let it enter now, after warning his mother, but turned to touch the tiny hand of the baby sleeping in his crib. The small fingers curled about his own with a surprisingly strong grip, and having one so small and helpless unconsciously show its confidence in his protection and care somehow warmed him through and through, making him feel that he was home at last.

Artifice of prayer

Saksagan

August 10, 2020

HOW ALL ROMAN CITIZENS BECAME SLAVES

Theodora too unceasingly hardened her heart in the practice of inhumanity. What she did, was never to please or obey anyone else; what she willed, she performed of her own accord and with all her might: and no one dared to intercede for any who fell in her way. For neither length of time, fulness of punishment, artifice of prayer, nor threat of death, whose vengeance sent by Heaven is feared by all mankind, could persuade her to abate her wrath. Indeed, no one ever saw Theodora reconciled to any one who had offended her, either while he lived or after he had departed this earth. Instead, the son of the dead would inherit the enmity of the Empress, together with the rest of his father’s estate: and he in turn bequeathed it to the third generation. For her spirit was over ready to be kindled to the destruction of men, while cure for her fever there was none.

To her body she gave greater care than was necessary, if less than she thought desirable. For early she entered the bath and late she left it; and having bathed, went to breakfast. After breakfast she rested. At dinner and supper she partook of every kind of food and drink; and many hours she devoted to sleep, by day till nightfall, by night till the rising sun. Though she wasted her hours thus intemperately, what time of the day remained she deemed ample for managing the Roman Empire.

And if the Emperor intrusted any business to anyone without consulting her, the result of the affair for that officer would be his early and violent removal from favor and a most shameful death.

It was easy for Justinian to look after everything, not only because of his calmness of temper, but because he hardly ever slept, as I have said, and because he was not chary with his audiences. For great opportunity was given to people, however obscure and unknown, not only to be admitted to the tyrant’s presence, but to converse with him, and in private.

But to the Queen’s presence even the highest officials could not enter without great delay and trouble; like slaves they had to wait all day in a small and stuffy antechamber, for to absent himself was a risk no official dared to take. So they stood there on their tiptoes, each straining to keep his face above his neighbor’s, so that eunuchs, as they came out from the audience room, would see them. Some would be called, perhaps, after several days; and when they did enter to her presence in great fear, they were quickly dismissed as soon as they had made obeisance and kissed her feet. For to speak or make any request, unless she commanded, was not permitted.

Constantine to move swiftly

Saksagan

August 4, 2020

There was every reason for Constantine to move swiftly with all the troops he could safely take from duty along the Rhine, since Maximian’s next move would undoubtedly be the formation of a pact with Maxentius in Rome, giving the two of them control of the entire western half of the Empire. That accomplished, they could then attack Licinius and seize the fertile provinces of Illyr icum before Galerius would be in a position to mount any serious opposition.

Less than a week was required for the descent by water to Arles, but word of Constantine’s coming reached Maximian when someone along the river saw the giant armada floating southward and rode night and day to warn him, sure of gaining a reward. By the time Constantine reached Arles, his fatherinlaw had retreated to Massilia on the coast, taking Fausta and her little daughter with him.

Heavily fortified Constantine

Since Massilia was heavily fortified Constantine decided upon a different tactic than the usual direct assault. Accompanied only by a driver and a trumpeter, he was driven back and forth in his golden chariot before the walls of the city, standing in the vehicle with his cloak of imperial purple billowing out behind him, while he shouted a command for the legions in Massilia to seize the city in his name. When there was no immediate response from Massilia, he reluctantly ordered preparations for an attack the following day. But just before midnight there was a stir in the camp and a cloaked feminine figure, accompanied by a detail of soldiers and a servant bearing a blanketwrapped bundle, came to his tent. It was Fausta with their little daughter.

“You’ve not been harmed?” Constantine asked quickly.

“By my own father?” she demanded, apparently blaming him because she had been routed out in the middle of the night. “What kind of monsters do you think we are in my family?”

Constantine knew well from actual experience what kind of monsters there were in her family, and that they must be destroyed. But happy to have her and the child back, he ignored the sharp note in her voice.

“Thank God, you’re safe anyway,” he said.

“The gods deserve no thanks,” she said tartly. “Father sent me to you.”

“Why?”

“What else would you expect? He only seized control because we received word that you were dead. He was afraid some of your generals might have the same idea.”

Dacius swore a purple

Saksagan

August 4, 2020

“You look as if you were roughly treated,” he said. “Who unloosed your bonds? Maximian?”

Dacius swore a purple oath. “Don’t tell me you were taken in by that playacting just now.”

“Of course not. My guess is that the legions turned against Maximian, after they saw me in the chariot this afternoon and learned that I am alive.”

“The Twentysecond, your old command, was first. I was still in my cell, but I’ll wager the old fox realized the dogs were too close and sent your wife and child to bargain with you for his life.”

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

“About a month ago a courier came to Arles with word that you had been killed. He said he had been caught by the enemy and his papers taken away, but he’d managed to escape. I was so grieved that I failed to question him myself. When Maximian moved to seize the throne, it occurred to me that the message might be false, but by then the courier had disappeared. Soon after that, I was arrested.”

“How did you manage to get word to me from prison?”

“A decurion among the guards owed me a favor; I saved his skin once when he was in training at Nicomedia and broke a rule. What are you going to do with Maximian?”

“I shall make him my pensioner.” Constantine’s voice had a grim note. “To one as ambitious as he is, that should be punishment enough.”

“Death would be more merciful,” Dacius agreed. “But I’ll have him watched just the same. Even a dead scorpion can sting, if you step on his tail hard enough.”

Maximian at Arles

After the treachery of Maximian at Arles and the humiliating necessity for Constantine to reclaim part of his own kingdom by force, some months were required to assert again his full authority there. Pockets of resistance, which had caught fire during the brief rebellion, had to be put down by force and, though Constantine would have preferred to move to Treves, his presence in the south was required for some time.

Fausta was pregnant with their second child now and kept much to her quarters because she did not like others to see her swollen condition. She slept in a room adjoining Constantine’s own chamber and he was surprised one night, upon his return from a four days’ journey of inspection in southern Gaul, when she came into his room as he was preparing for bed. He saw that she had been weeping and went at once to take her in his arms.

Yield up Massilia

Saksagan

August 4, 2020

“Like Dacius?” He could imagine the story Maximian had told her and which she seemed to have believed.

“Or some others.” She had missed entirely the irony in his voice. “Father says he will yield up Massilia to you, so there will be no bloodshed.”

“On what terms?”

“Why must you be so suspicious, when he is only trying to help you? At least show some gratitude to him for guarding your realm when you were reported to have been killed while chasing Germans.”

“This courier who brought word of my death,” Constantine said. “Did you see him?”

“Of course. Do you think I would have accepted the report, if I hadn’t heard it with my own ears?”

“No, I suppose not,” he admitted.

“Then you’re going to accept Father’s offer?”

City of Massilia

“You and the baby plus the city of Massilia in return for his life? I would be less than grateful if I didn’t.”

“I told him you would be generous.”

From outside came the sound of marching men and Dacius soon appeared, at the head of a detail of troops. The old soldier looked somewhat the worse for wear and his face was grim. Behind him, a prisoner, stumbled Maximian looking small and insignificant without his purple cloak.

Dacius halted the detail and saluted. “The city is yours, Augustus,” he reported. “And one prisoner.”

“I demand the arrest of General Dacius for seizing me when I was preparing to surrender Massilia to you.” Maximian stepped forward to embrace his soninlaw, but something in Constantine’s gaze stopped him. “Thank Hercules you are safe, my son I” he said lamely. “We were told that you were dead.”

“Thank you for looking after my family and my kingdom,” Constantine said coldly, and ordered a detail to take Fausta, the baby and Maximian to Arles by chariot. He watched the little party disappear into the night toward where the chariots were located, then turned and, putting his arm about Dacius’ shoulder, guided his old friend into the tent and poured him a cup of wine.

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Inflicted on practically

Saksagan

July 21, 2020

Later Theodora saw her mistake and tried to console them, to the public detriment, for she made their new husbands Dukes. Even this brought no comfort to the young women, for endless and intolerable woes were inflicted on practically all their subjects by these men; as I have told elsewhere. Theodora, however, cared nothing for the interest of office or government, or anything else, if only she accomplished her will.

She had accidentally become pregnant by one of her lovers, when she was still on the stage; and perceiving her ill luck too late tried all the usual measures to cause a miscarriage, but despite every artifice was unable to prevail against nature at this advanced stage of development. Finding that nothing else could be done, she abandoned the attempt and was compelled to give birth to the child. The father of the baby, seeing that Theodora was at her wit’s end and vexed because motherhood interfered with her usual recreations, and suspecting with good reason that she would do away with the child, took the infant from her, naming him John, and sailed with the baby to Arabia. Later, when he was on the verge of death and John was a lad of fourteen, the father told him the whole story about his mother.

Conceiving the possibility

So the boy, after he had performed the last rites for his departed father, shortly after came to Constantinople and announced his presence to the Empress’s chamberlains. And they, not conceiving the possibility of her acting so inhumanly, reported to the mother that her son John had come. Fearing the story would get to the ears of her husband, Theodora bade her son be brought face to face with her. As soon as he entered, she handed him over to one of her servants who was ordinarily entrusted with such commissions. And in what manner the poor lad was removed from the world, I cannot say, for no one has ever seen him since, not even after the Queen died. The ladies of the court at this time were nearly all of abandoned morals.

They ran no risk in being faithless to their husbands, as the sin brought no penalty: even if caught in the act, they were unpunished, for all they had to do was to go to the Empress, claim the charge was not proven, and start a countersuit against their husbands. The latter, defeated without a trial, had to pay a fine of twice the dower, and were usually whipped and sent to prison; and the next time they saw their adulterous wives again, the ladies would be daintily entertaining their lovers more openly than ever. Indeed, many of the latter gained promotion and pay for their amorous services. After one such experience, most men who suffered these outrages from their wives preferred thereafter to be complaisant instead of being whipped, and gave them every liberty rather than seem to be spying on their affairs.

Hundred Harlots

Saksagan

July 21, 2020

HOW SHE SAVED FIVE HUNDRED HARLOTS FROM A LIFE OF SIN

I have told earlier in this narrative what she did to Belisarius, Photius and Buzes.

There were two members of the Blue faction, Cilicians by birth, who with a mob of others offered violence to Callinicus, Governor of the second Cilicia; and when his groom, who was standing near his master, tried to protect him, they slew the fellow before the eyes of the Governor and all the people. The Governor, convicting the two of this and many previous murders, sentenced them to death. Theodora heard of this, and to show her preference f or the. Blues,. crucified Callinicus, without troubling to remove him from his office, on the spot where the murderers had been buried.

The Emperor affected to lament and mourn the death of his Governor, and sat around grumbling and making threats against those responsible for the deed. But he did nothing, except to seize the estate of the dead man.

Theodora also devoted considerable attention to the punishment of women caught in carnal sin. She picked up more than five hundred harlots in the Forum, who earned a miserable living by selling themselves there for three obols, and sent them to the opposite mainland, where they were locked up in the monastery called Repentance to force them to reform their way of life. Some of them, however, threw themselves from the parapets at night and thus freed themselves from an undesired salvation.

There were in Constantinople two girls: sisters, of a very illustrious family -not only had their father and grandfather been Consuls, but even before that their ancestors had been Senators.

These girls had both married early, but became widows when their husbands died; and immediately Theodora, accusing them of living too merrily, chose new husbands for them, two common and disgusting fellows, and commanded the marriage to take place. Fearing this repulsive fate, the sisters fled to the Church of St. Sophia, and running to the holy water, clung tightly to the font. Yet such privations and ill treatment did the Empress inflict upon them there, that to escape from their sufferings they finally agreed to accept the proposed nuptials.

For no place was sacred or inviolable to Theodora. Thus involuntarily these ladies were mated to beggarly and negligible men, far beneath their rank, although they had many well-born suitors. Their mother, who was also a widow, attended the ceremony without daring to protest or even weep at their misfortune.

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Roman citizen of good standing

Saksagan

July 21, 2020

Then there was Basanius, one of the Green faction, a prominent young man, who incurred her anger by making some uncomplimentary remark. Basanius, warned of her displeasure, fled to the Church of Michael the Archangel. She immediately sent the Prefect after him, charging Basanius however not with slander, but pederasty. And the Prefect, dragging the man from the church, had him flogged intolerably while all the populace, when they saw a Roman citizen of good standing so shamefully mistreated, straightway sympathized with him, and cried so loud to let him go that Heaven must have heard their reproaches. Whereupon the Empress punished him further, and had him castrated so that he bled to death, and his estate was confiscated; though his case had never been tried. Thus, when this female was enraged, no church offered sanctuary, no law gave protection, no intercession of the people brought mercy to her victim; nor could anything else in the world stop her.

Certain Diogenes

Thus she took a hatred of a certain Diogenes, because he belonged to the Greens: a man urbane and beloved by all, including the Emperor himself. None the less she wrathfully denounced him as homosexual. Bribing two of his servants, she presented them as accusers and witnesses against their master. However, as he was tried publicly and not in secret, as was her usual practise in such cases, the judges chosen were many and of distinguished character, because of Diogenes’s high rank; and after cross-examination of the evidence of the servants, they decided it was insufficient to prove the case, especially as the latter were only children.

So the Empress locked up Theodorus, one of Diogenes’s friends, in one of her private dungeons; and there first with flattery, then with flogging, tried to overwhelm him. When he still resisted, she ordered a cord of oxhide to be wound around his head and then turned and tightened. But though they twisted the cord till his eyes started from their sockets and Theodora thought he would lose them completely, still he refused to confess what he had not done. Accordingly the judges, for lack of proof, acquitted him, while all the city took holiday to celebrate his release. And that was that.

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False reports and misleading statements

Saksagan

July 21, 2020

The officers called Referendars were no longer satisfied to perform their duties of presenting to the Emperor the request of petitioners, and referring to the magistrates what he had decided in the petitioner’s case; but gathering worthless testimony from all quarters, with false reports and misleading statements, deceived Justinian, who was naturally inclined to listen to that sort of thing; and then they would go back to the litigants, without telling them what had been said during their interview with the Emperor, to extort as much money as they desired. And no one dared oppose them.

The soldiers of the Pretorian guard, attending the judges of the imperial court in the palace, also used their power to influence decisions. Everybody, one might say, stepped from his rank and found he was now at liberty to walk roads where before there had been no path; all bars were down, even the names of former restrictions were lost. The government was like a Queen surrounded by romping children. But I must pass over further illustrations, as I said at the beginning of this chapter.

A native of Cilicia

I must, however, mention the man who first taught the Emperor to sell his decisions. This was Leo, a native of Cilicia, and devilish eager to enrich himself. This Leo was the prince of flatterers, and apt at insinuating himself into the good will of the ignorant. Gaining the confidence of the Emperor, he turned the tyrant’s folly toward the ruin of the people. This man was the first to show Justinian how to exchange justice for money.

As soon as the latter thus learned how to be a thief, he never stopped; but advancing on this road, the evil grew so great that if anyone wished to win an unjust case against an honest man, he went first to Leo, and agreeing that a share of the disputed property would be given to be divided between this man and the monarch, left the palace with his wrongful case already won. And Leo soon built up a great fortune in this way, became the lord of much land, and was most responsible for bringing the Roman state to its knees.

There was no security in contracts, no law, no oath, no written pledge, no penalty, no nothing: unless money had first been given to Leo and the Emperor. And even buying Leo’s support gave no certainty, for Justinian was quite willing to take money from both sides: he felt no guilt at robbing either party, and then, when both trusted him, he would betray one and keep his promise to the other, at random. He saw nothing disgraceful in such double dealing, if only it brought him gain. That is the sort of person Justinian was.

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