OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

value. Yet, since the growth of Constantinople cannotbe ascribed to the general increase of man-kind and of industry, it must be admitted, thatthis artificial colony was raised at the expense ofthe ancient cities of the empire. Many opulentsenators of Rome , and of the eastern provinces,were probably invited by Constantine to adoptfor their country the fortunate spot which he hadchosen for his own residence. The invitations ofa master are scarcely to be distinguished fromcommands; and the liberality of the emperor ob-tained a ready and cheerful obedience. He be-stowed on his favourites the palaces which he hadbuilt in the several quarters of the city, assignedthem lands and pensions for the support of theirdignity , 11 and alienated the demesnes of Pontusand Asia, to grant hereditary estates by the easytenure of maintaining a house in the capital . 1But these encouragements and obligations soonbecame superfluous, and were gradually abolish-ed. Wherever the seat of government is fixed, a

>> Themist. Orat. iii, p. 48, edit. Hardouin. Sozomen , I. ii, c. 3. Zo-sim. I. ii, p. 107. Anonym. Valesian. p. 715. If we could credit Co-dinus (p. 10), Constantine built houses for the senators on the exactmodel of their Roman palaces, and gratified them, as well as himself,with the pleasure of an agreeable surprise ; but the whole story is fullof fictions and inconsistencies.

• The law by which the younger Theodosius , in the year 438, abo-lished this tenure, may be found among the Novell * of that emperor atthe head of the Theodosian Code, tom . vi, nov. 12. M. de Tillemont(Hist, des Empercurs, tom. iv, p 371) has evidently mistaken the na-ture of these estates. With a grant from the imperial demesnes, thelame condition was accepted as a favour which would justly have beendeemed a hardship, if it had been imposed upon private property. ,

26

CHAP.

XVII.