Not only was this terribly harsh on such sons who sought a different career. But by making the recruitment of veteran's sons compulsory, and enforcing it ruthlessly with harsh penalties, widespread fear and hatred caused. Also his taxation reforms created extreme hardship. City dwellers were obliged to pay a tax in gold or silver, the chrysargyron . This tax was levied every four years, beating and torture being the consequences for those to poor to pay.
Parent are siad to have sold their daughters into prositution in order to pay the chrysargyron .
Under Constantine, any girl who ran away with her lover was burned alive. Any chaperone who should assist in such a matter had molten lead poured into her mouth. Rapists were burned at the stake. But also their women victims were punished, if they had been raped away from home, as they, according to Constantine, should have no business outside the safety of their own homes. But Constantine is perhaps most famous for the great city which came to bear his name - Constantinople.