distinguished himself in the service of Diocletian in the Egyptian and Persian wars ; went afterwards to Gaul and Britain, and in the Praetorium at York was pro- claimed emperor by his dying father and by the Roman troops. His father before him held a favorable opinion of the Christians as peaceable and honorable citizens, and protected them in the West during the Diocletian persecution in the East. This re- spectful tolerant regard descended to Constantino, and the good eflects of it, compared with the evil results of the opposite course of his antagonist Galerius, could but encourage him to pursue it. He reasoned, as Eusebius reports from his own mouth, in the following manner : '* My father revered the as well as of his natural birth, since he was there proclaimed Caesar by the soldiers. The other opinion rests also on ancient testimonies, and is held by Pagi, Tillemont, and most of the recent historians. * Ambrose (De obitu Theodos.) calls her sfabulariam, when Constantius made her acquaintance. ^ This is the more probable view, and rests on good authority. Zosimus and oven the Paschal Chronicle call Helena the concubine of Constantius, and Constantino illegitimate. But in this case it would be difficult to understand that he was so well treated at the court of Diocletian and elected Caesar without opposition, since Con- stantius had three sons and three daughters by a legal wife, Theodora. It is pos- sible, however, that Helena was first a concubine and afterwards legally married. Constantine, when emperor, took good care of her position and bestowed upon her the title of Augusta and empi-ess with appropriate honors. 20 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590. Cliristian God and umformly prosjpered, while the emperors who worshipped the heathen gods, died a miserable death ; therefore, that I may enjoy a happy life and reign, I will imi- tate the example of my father and join myself to the cause of the Christians, who are growing daily, while the heathen are diminishing." This low utilitarian consideration weighed Iieavily in the mind of an ambitious captain, who looked for- ward to the highest seat of power within the gift of his age. Whether his mother, whom he always revered, and who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in her eightieth year (A.D. 325), planted the germ of the Christian faith in her son, as Theodoret supposes, or herself became a Christian through his influence, as Eusebius asserts, must remain undecided. According to the heathen Zosimus, whose statement is unquestionably false and malicious, an Egyptian, who came out of Spain (probably the l)ishop Hosius of Cordova, a native of Egypt, is intended), per- suaded him, after the murder of Crispus (which did not occur before 326), that by converting to Christianity he might obtain forgiveness of his sins. The first public evidence of a positive leaning towards the Christian religion he gave in his contest with the pagan Maxen- tius, who had usurj^ed the government of Italy and Africa, and is