II。Thedifficultyofallowinganannualsumofaboutninepoundssterling，evenfortheaverageofthecapitationofGaul，mayberenderedmoreevidentbythecomparisonofthepresentstateofthesamecountry，asitisnowgovernedbytheabsolutemonarchofanindustrious，wealthy，andaffectionatepeople。ThetaxesofFrancecannotbemagnified，eitherbyfearorbyflattery，beyondtheannualamountofeighteenmillionssterling，whichoughtperhapstobesharedamongfourandtwentymillionsofinhabitants。^182Sevenmillionsofthese，inthecapacityoffathers，orbrothers，orhusbands，maydischargetheobligationsoftheremainingmultitudeofwomenandchildren；yettheequalproportionofeachtributarysubjectwillscarcelyriseabovefiftyshillingsofourmoney，insteadofaproportionalmostfourtimesasconsiderable，whichwasregularlyimposedontheirGallicancestors。Thereasonofthisdifferencemaybefound，notsomuchintherelativescarcityorplentyofgoldandsilver，asinthedifferentstateofsociety，inancientGaulandinmodernFrance。Inacountrywherepersonalfreedomistheprivilegeofeverysubject，thewholemassoftaxes，whethertheyareleviedonpropertyoronconsumption，maybefairlydividedamongthewholebodyofthenation。ButthefargreaterpartofthelandsofancientGaul，aswellasoftheotherprovincesoftheRomanworld，werecultivatedbyslaves，orbypeasants，whosedependentconditionwasalessrigidservitude。^183Insuchastatethepoorweremaintainedattheexpenseofthemasterswhoenjoyedthefruitsoftheirlabor；andastherollsoftributewerefilledonlywiththenamesofthosecitizenswhopossessedthemeansofanhonorable，oratleastofadecentsubsistence，thecomparativesmallnessoftheirnumbersexplainsandjustifiesthehighrateoftheircapitation。Thetruthofthisassertionmaybeillustratedbythefollowingexample:TheAedui，oneofthemostpowerfulandcivilizedtribesorcitiesofGaul，occupiedanextentofterritory，whichnowcontainsaboutfivehundredthousandinhabitants，inthetwoecclesiasticaldiocesesofAutunandNevers；^184andwiththeprobableaccessionofthoseofChalonsandMacon，^185thepopulationwouldamounttoeighthundredthousandsouls。InthetimeofConstantine，theterritoryoftheAeduiaffordednomorethantwenty—fivethousandheadsofcapitation，ofwhomseventhousandweredischargedbythatprincefromtheintolerableweightoftribute。^186Ajustanalogywouldseemtocountenancetheopinionofaningenioushistorian，^187thatthefreeandtributarycitizensdidnotsurpassthenumberofhalfamillion；andif，intheordinaryadministrationofgovernment，theirannualpaymentsmaybecomputedataboutfourmillionsandahalfofourmoney，itwouldappear，thatalthoughtheshareofeachindividualwasfourtimesasconsiderable，afourthpartonlyofthemoderntaxesofFrancewasleviedontheImperialprovinceofGaul。TheexactionsofConstantiusmaybecalculatedatsevenmillionssterling，whichwerereducedtotwomillionsbythehumanityorthewisdomofJulian。
[Footnote*:TwomasterlydissertationsofM。Savigny，intheMem。oftheBerlinAcademy1822and1823havethrownnewlightonthetaxationsystemoftheEmpire。Gibbon，accordingtoM。
Savigny，ismistakeninsupposingthattherewasbutonekindofcapitationtax；therewasalandtax，andacapitationtax，strictlysocalled。Thelandtaxwas，initsoperation，aproprietor\'sorlandlord\'stax。But，besidesthis，therewasadirectcapitationtaxonallwhowerenotpossessedoflandedproperty。ThistaxdatesfromthetimeoftheRomanconquests；
itsamountisnotclearlyknown。Gradualexemptionsreleaseddifferentpersonsandclassesfromthistax。Oneedictexemptspainters。InSyria，allundertwelveorfourteen，orabovesixty—five，wereexempted；atalaterperiod，allundertwenty，andallunmarriedfemales；stilllater，allundertwenty—five，widowsandnuns，soldiers，veteraniandclerici—wholedioceses，thatofThraceandIllyricum。UnderGaleriusandLicinius，theplebsurbanabecameexempt；thoughthis，perhaps，wasonlyanordinancefortheEast。Bydegrees，however，theexemptionwasextendedtoalltheinhabitantsoftowns；andasitwasstrictlycapitatioplebeia，fromwhichallpossessorswereexempteditfellatlengthaltogetheronthecoloniandagriculturalslaves。
Thesewereregisteredinthesamecatastercapitastrumwiththelandtax。Itwaspaidbytheproprietor，whoraiseditagainfromhiscoloniandlaborers。—M。]
[Footnote181:Geryonesnosesseputa，monstrumquetributum，Hiccapitautvivam，tumihitolletria。
Sidon。Apollinar。Carm。xiii。
ThereputationofFatherSirmondledmetoexpectmoresatisfactionthanIhavefoundinhisnotep。144onthisremarkablepassage。Thewords，suovelsuorumnomine，betraytheperplexityofthecommentator。]
[Footnote182:Thisassertion，howeverformidableitmayseem，isfoundedontheoriginalregistersofbirths，deaths，andmarriages，collectedbypublicauthority，andnowdepositedintheControleeGeneralatParis。Theannualaverageofbirthsthroughoutthewholekingdom，takeninfiveyears，from1770to1774，bothinclusive，is479，649boys，and449，269girls，inall928，918children。TheprovinceofFrenchHainaultalonefurnishes9906births；andweareassured，byanactualenumerationofthepeople，annuallyrepeatedfromtheyear1773
totheyear1776，thatuponanaverage，Hainaultcontains257，097
inhabitants。Bytherulesoffairanalogy，wemightinfer，thattheordinaryproportionofannualbirthstothewholepeople，isabout1to26；andthatthekingdomofFrancecontains24，151，868
personsofbothsexesandofeveryage。Ifwecontentourselveswiththemoremoderateproportionof1to25，thewholepopulationwillamountto23，222，950。FromthediligentresearchesoftheFrenchGovernment，whicharenotunworthyofourownimitation，wemayhopetoobtainastillgreaterdegreeofcertaintyonthisimportantsubjectNote:OnnosubjecthassomuchvaluableinformationbeencollectedsincethetimeofGibbon，asthestatisticsofthedifferentcountriesofEuropebutmuchisstillwantingastoourown—M。]
[Footnote183:Cod。Theod。l。v。tit。ix。x。xi。Cod。Justinian。
l。xi。tit。lxiii。Coloniappellanturquiconditionemdebentgenitalisolo，propteragriculturumsubdominiopossessorum。
Augustin。deCivitateDei，l。x。c。i。]
[Footnote184:TheancientjurisdictionofAugustodunumAutuninBurgundy，thecapitaloftheAedui，comprehendedtheadjacentterritoryofNoviodunumNevers。SeeD\'Anville，Noticedel\'AncienneGaule，p。491。ThetwodiocesesofAutunandNeversarenowcomposed，theformerof610，andthelatterof160
parishes。Theregistersofbirths，takenduringelevenyears，in476parishesofthesameprovinceofBurgundy，andmultipliedbythemoderateproportionof25，seeMessanceRecherchessurlaPopulation，p。142，mayauthorizesustoassignanaveragenumberof656personsforeachparish，whichbeingagainmultipliedbythe770parishesofthediocesesofNeversandAutun，willproducethesumof505，120personsfortheextentofcountrywhichwasoncepossessedbytheAedui。]
[Footnote185:Wemightderiveanadditionalsupplyof301，750
inhabitantsfromthediocesesofChalonsCabillonumandofMacon，Matisco，sincetheycontain，theone200，andtheother260parishes。Thisaccessionofterritorymightbejustifiedbyveryspeciousreasons。1。ChalonsandMaconwereundoubtedlywithintheoriginaljurisdictionoftheAedui。SeeD\'Anville，Notice，p。187，443。2。IntheNotitiaofGaul，theyareenumeratednotasCivitates，butmerelyasCastra。3。Theydonotappeartohavebeenepiscopalseatsbeforethefifthandsixthcenturies。YetthereisapassageinEumeniusPanegyr。
Vet。viii。7whichveryforciblydetersmefromextendingtheterritoryoftheAedui，inthereignofConstantine，alongthebeautifulbanksofthenavigableSaone。
Note:InthispassageofEumenius，Savignysupposestheoriginalnumbertohavebeen32，000:7000beingdischarged，thereremained25，000liabletothetribute。SeeMem。quotedabove。—
M。]
[Footnote186:EumeniusinPanegyrVet。viii。11。]
[Footnote187:L\'AbbeduBos，Hist。CritiquedelaM。F。tom。i。
p。121]
Butthistax，orcapitation，ontheproprietorsofland，wouldhavesufferedarichandnumerousclassoffreecitizenstoescape。Withtheviewofsharingthatspeciesofwealthwhichisderivedfromartorlabor，andwhichexistsinmoneyorinmerchandise，theemperorsimposedadistinctandpersonaltributeonthetradingpartoftheirsubjects。^188Someexemptions，verystrictlyconfinedbothintimeandplace，wereallowedtotheproprietorswhodisposedoftheproduceoftheirownestates。
Someindulgencewasgrantedtotheprofessionoftheliberalarts:buteveryotherbranchofcommercialindustrywasaffectedbytheseverityofthelaw。ThehonorablemerchantofAlexandria，whoimportedthegemsandspicesofIndiafortheuseofthewesternworld；theusurer，whoderivedfromtheinterestofmoneyasilentandignominiousprofit；theingeniousmanufacturer，thediligentmechanic，andeventhemostobscureretailerofasequesteredvillage，wereobligedtoadmittheofficersoftherevenueintothepartnershipoftheirgain；andthesovereignoftheRomanempire，whotoleratedtheprofession，consentedtosharetheinfamoussalary，ofpublicprostitutes。^!
Asthisgeneraltaxuponindustrywascollectedeveryfourthyear，itwasstyledtheLustralContribution:andthehistorianZosimus^189lamentsthattheapproachofthefatalperiodwasannouncedbythetearsandterrorsofthecitizens，whowereoftencompelledbytheimpendingscourgetoembracethemostabhorredandunnaturalmethodsofprocuringthesumatwhichtheirpropertyhadbeenassessed。ThetestimonyofZosimuscannotindeedbejustifiedfromthechargeofpassionandprejudice；but，fromthenatureofthistributeitseemsreasonabletoconclude，thatitwasarbitraryinthedistribution，andextremelyrigorousinthemodeofcollecting。
Thesecretwealthofcommerce，andtheprecariousprofitsofartorlabor，aresusceptibleonlyofadiscretionaryvaluation，whichisseldomdisadvantageoustotheinterestofthetreasury；
andasthepersonofthetradersuppliesthewantofavisibleandpermanentsecurity，thepaymentoftheimposition，which，inthecaseofalandtax，maybeobtainedbytheseizureofproperty，canrarelybeextortedbyanyothermeansthanthoseofcorporalpunishments。Thecrueltreatmentoftheinsolventdebtorsofthestate，isattested，andwasperhapsmitigatedbyaveryhumaneedictofConstantine，who，disclaimingtheuseofracksandofscourges，allotsaspaciousandairyprisonfortheplaceoftheirconfinement。^190
[Footnote188:SeeCod。Theod。l。xiii。tit。i。andiv。]
[Footnote!:TheemperorTheodosiusputanend，byalaw。tothisdisgracefulsourceofrevenue。Godef。adCod。Theod。xiii。tit。
i。c。1。Butbeforehedeprivedhimselfofit，hemadesureofsomewayofreplacingthisdeficit。Arichpatrician，Florentius，indignantatthislegalizedlicentiousness，hadmaderepresentationsonthesubjecttotheemperor。Toinducehimtotolerateitnolonger，heofferedhisownpropertytosupplythediminutionoftherevenue。Theemperorhadthebasenesstoaccepthisoffer—G。]
[Footnote189:Zosimus，l。ii。p。115。ThereisprobablyasmuchpassionandprejudiceintheattackofZosimus，asintheelaboratedefenceofthememoryofConstantinebythezealousDr。
Howell。Hist。oftheWorld，vol。ii。p。20。]
[Footnote190:Cod。Theod。l。xi。titvii。leg。3。]
Thesegeneraltaxeswereimposedandleviedbytheabsoluteauthorityofthemonarch；buttheoccasionalofferingsofthecoronarygoldstillretainedthenameandsemblanceofpopularconsent。Itwasanancientcustomthatthealliesoftherepublic，whoascribedtheirsafetyordeliverancetothesuccessoftheRomanarms，andeventhecitiesofItaly，whoadmiredthevirtuesoftheirvictoriousgeneral，adornedthepompofhistriumphbytheirvoluntarygiftsofcrownsofgold，whichaftertheceremonywereconsecratedinthetempleofJupiter，toremainalastingmonumentofhisglorytofutureages。Theprogressofzealandflatterysoonmultipliedthenumber，andincreasedthesize，ofthesepopulardonations；andthetriumphofCaesarwasenrichedwithtwothousandeighthundredandtwenty—twomassycrowns，whoseweightamountedtotwentythousandfourhundredandfourteenpoundsofgold。Thistreasurewasimmediatelymelteddownbytheprudentdictator，whowassatisfiedthatitwouldbemoreserviceabletohissoldiersthantothegods:hisexamplewasimitatedbyhissuccessors；andthecustomwasintroducedofexchangingthesesplendidornamentsforthemoreacceptablepresentofthecurrentgoldcoinoftheempire。^191Thespontaneousofferingwasatlengthexactedasthedebtofduty；
andinsteadofbeingconfinedtotheoccasionofatriumph，itwassupposedtobegrantedbytheseveralcitiesandprovincesofthemonarchy，asoftenastheemperorcondescendedtoannouncehisaccession，hisconsulship，thebirthofason，thecreationofaCaesar，avictoryovertheBarbarians，oranyotherrealorimaginaryeventwhichgracedtheannalsofhisreign。ThepeculiarfreegiftofthesenateofRomewasfixedbycustomatsixteenhundredpoundsofgold，oraboutsixty—fourthousandpoundssterling。Theoppressedsubjectscelebratedtheirownfelicity，thattheirsovereignshouldgraciouslyconsenttoacceptthisfeeblebutvoluntarytestimonyoftheirloyaltyandgratitude。^192
[Footnote191:SeeLipsiusdeMagnitud。Romana，l。ii。c。9。TheTarragoneseSpainpresentedtheemperorClaudiuswithacrownofgoldofseven，andGaulwithanotherofnine，hundredpoundsweight。IhavefollowedtherationalemendationofLipsius。
Note:Thiscustomisofstillearlierdate，theRomanshadborroweditfromGreece。WhoisnotacquaintedwiththefamousorationofDemosthenesforthegoldencrown，whichhiscitizenswishedtobestow，andAeschinestodeprivehimof?—G。]
[Footnote192:Cod。Theod。l。xii。tit。xiii。ThesenatorsweresupposedtobeexemptfromtheAurumCoronarium；buttheAuriOblatio，whichwasrequiredattheirhands，waspreciselyofthesamenature。]
Apeopleelatedbypride，orsouredbydiscontent，areseldomqualifiedtoformajustestimateoftheiractualsituation。ThesubjectsofConstantinewereincapableofdiscerningthedeclineofgeniusandmanlyvirtue，whichsofardegradedthembelowthedignityoftheirancestors；buttheycouldfeelandlamenttherageoftyranny，therelaxationofdiscipline，andtheincreaseoftaxes。Theimpartialhistorian，whoacknowledgesthejusticeoftheircomplaints，willobservesomefavorablecircumstanceswhichtendedtoalleviatethemiseryoftheircondition。ThethreateningtempestofBarbarians，whichsosoonsubvertedthefoundationsofRomangreatness，wasstillrepelled，orsuspended，onthefrontiers。Theartsofluxuryandliteraturewerecultivated，andtheelegantpleasuresofsocietywereenjoyed，bytheinhabitantsofaconsiderableportionoftheglobe。Theforms，thepomp，andtheexpenseoftheciviladministrationcontributedtorestraintheirregularlicenseofthesoldiers；andalthoughthelawswereviolatedbypower，orpervertedbysubtlety，thesageprinciplesoftheRomanjurisprudencepreservedasenseoforderandequity，unknowntothedespoticgovernmentsoftheEast。Therightsofmankindmightderivesomeprotectionfromreligionandphilosophy；andthenameoffreedom，whichcouldnolongeralarm，mightsometimesadmonish，thesuccessorsofAugustus，thattheydidnotreignoveranationofSlavesorBarbarians。^193
[Footnote193:ThegreatTheodosius，inhisjudiciousadvicetohisson，Claudianiniv。Consulat。Honorii，214，&c。，
distinguishesthestationofaRomanprincefromthatofaParthianmonarch。Virtuewasnecessaryfortheone；birthmightsufficefortheother。]
ChapterXVIII:CharacterOfConstantineAndHisSons。
PartI。
CharacterOfConstantine。—GothicWar。—DeathOfConstantine。—DivisionOfTheEmpireAmongHisThreeSons。—
PersianWar。—TragicDeathsOfConstantineTheYoungerAndConstans。—UsurpationOfMagnentius。—CivilWar。—VictoryOfConstantius。
Thecharacteroftheprincewhoremovedtheseatofempire，andintroducedsuchimportantchangesintothecivilandreligiousconstitutionofhiscountry，hasfixedtheattention，anddividedtheopinions，ofmankind。BythegratefulzealoftheChristians，thedelivererofthechurchhasbeendecoratedwitheveryattributeofahero，andevenofasaint；whilethediscontentofthevanquishedpartyhascomparedConstantinetothemostabhorredofthosetyrants，who，bytheirviceandweakness，dishonoredtheImperialpurple。Thesamepassionshaveinsomedegreebeenperpetuatedtosucceedinggenerations，andthecharacterofConstantineisconsidered，eveninthepresentage，asanobjecteitherofsatireorofpanegyric。Bytheimpartialunionofthosedefectswhichareconfessedbyhiswarmestadmirers，andofthosevirtueswhichareacknowledgedbyhismost—implacableenemies，wemighthopetodelineateajustportraitofthatextraordinaryman，whichthetruthandcandorofhistoryshouldadoptwithoutablush。^1Butitwouldsoonappear，thatthevainattempttoblendsuchdiscordantcolors，andtoreconcilesuchinconsistentqualities，mustproduceafiguremonstrousratherthanhuman，unlessitisviewedinitsproperanddistinctlights，byacarefulseparationofthedifferentperiodsofthereignofConstantine。
[Footnote1:OnnesetromperapointsurConstantin，encroyanttoutlemalru\'enditEusebe，ettoutlebienqu\'enditZosime。
Fleury，Hist。Ecclesiastique，tom。iii。p。233。EusebiusandZosimusformindeedthetwoextremesofflatteryandinvective。
Theintermediateshadesareexpressedbythosewriters，whosecharacterorsituationvariouslytemperedtheinfluenceoftheirreligiouszeal。]
Theperson，aswellasthemind，ofConstantine，hadbeenenrichedbynaturewithherchoicesendowments。Hisstaturewaslofty，hiscountenancemajestic，hisdeportmentgraceful；hisstrengthandactivityweredisplayedineverymanlyexercise，andfromhisearliestyouth，toaveryadvancedseasonoflife，hepreservedthevigorofhisconstitutionbyastrictadherencetothedomesticvirtuesofchastityandtemperance。Hedelightedinthesocialintercourseoffamiliarconversation；andthoughhemightsometimesindulgehisdispositiontoraillerywithlessreservethanwasrequiredbytheseveredignityofhisstation，thecourtesyandliberalityofhismannersgainedtheheartsofallwhoapproachedhim。Thesincerityofhisfriendshiphasbeensuspected；yetheshowed，onsomeoccasions，thathewasnotincapableofawarmandlastingattachment。Thedisadvantageofanilliterateeducationhadnotpreventedhimfromformingajustestimateofthevalueoflearning；andtheartsandsciencesderivedsomeencouragementfromthemunificentprotectionofConstantine。Inthedespatchofbusiness，hisdiligencewasindefatigable；andtheactivepowersofhismindwerealmostcontinuallyexercisedinreading，writing，ormeditating，ingivingaudiencestoambassadors，andinexaminingthecomplaintsofhissubjects。Eventhosewhocensuredtheproprietyofhismeasureswerecompelledtoacknowledge，thathepossessedmagnanimitytoconceive，andpatiencetoexecute，themostarduousdesigns，withoutbeingcheckedeitherbytheprejudicesofeducation，orbytheclamorsofthemultitude。Inthefield，heinfusedhisownintrepidspiritintothetroops，whomheconductedwiththetalentsofaconsummategeneral；andtohisabilities，ratherthantohisfortune，wemayascribethesignalvictorieswhichheobtainedovertheforeignanddomesticfoesoftherepublic。Helovedgloryasthereward，perhapsasthemotive，ofhislabors。Theboundlessambition，which，fromthemomentofhisacceptingthepurpleatYork，appearsastherulingpassionofhissoul，maybejustifiedbythedangersofhisownsituation，bythecharacterofhisrivals，bytheconsciousnessofsuperiormerit，andbytheprospectthathissuccesswouldenablehimtorestorepeaceandordertototthedistractedempire。InhiscivilwarsagainstMaxentiusandLicinius，hehadengagedonhissidetheinclinationsofthepeople，whocomparedtheundissembledvicesofthosetyrantswiththespiritofwisdomandjusticewhichseemedtodirectthegeneraltenoroftheadministrationofConstantine。^2