Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/19

 *THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, CHAPTER XIV. TROUBLES AFTER THE ABDICATION OF DIOCLETIAN. DEATH OF CONSTANTIUS. ELEVATION OF CONSTAN- TINE AND MAXENTIUS. SIX EMPERORS AT THE SAME TIME. DEATH OF MAXIM IAN AND GALERIUS. VIC- TORIES OF CONSTANTINE OVER MAXENTIUS AND LICI- NIUS. REUNION OF THE EMPIRE UNDER THE AUTHO- RITY OF CONSTANTINE. X HE balance of power established by Diocletian sub- Period of sisted no longer than while it was sustained bv the firm '^'^l' ^^^"^^ and dexterous hand of the founder. It required such a fusion. fortunate mixture of different tempers and abilities, as 305l_323 could scarcely be found or even expected a second time ; two emperors without jealousy, two Caesars with- out ambition, and the same general interest invariably pursued by four independent princes. The abdication of Diocletian and Maximian was succeeded by eighteen years of discoi'd and confusion. The empire was af- flicted by five civil wars ; and the remainder of the time was not so much a state of tranquillity, as a sus- pension of arms between several hostile monarchs, who, viewing each other with an eye of fear and hatred, VOL. II. B
 * ^ •' and con-