for defence against invaders.  It was also a healthy locality, being exposed to no malarial poisons, like the “Eternal City.”  It was delightfully situated, on the confines of Europe and Asia, between the Euxine and the Mediterranean, on a narrow peninsula washed by the Sea of Marmora and the beautiful harbor called the Golden Horn, inaccessible from Asia except by water, while it could be made impregnable on the west.  The narrow waters of the Hellespont and the Bosporus, the natural gates of the city, could be easily defended against hostile fleets both from the Euxine and the Mediterranean, leaving the Propontis (the deep, well-harbored body of water lying between the two straits, in modern times called the Sea of Marmora) with an inexhaustible supply of fish, and its shores lined with vineyards and gardens.  Doubtless this city is more favored by nature for commerce, for safety, and for dominion, than any other spot on the face of the earth; and we cannot wonder that Russia should cast greedy eyes upon it as one of the centres of its rapidly increasing Empire.  This beautiful site soon rivalled the old capital of the Empire in riches and population, for Constantine promised great privileges to those who would settle in it; and he ransacked and despoiled the cities of Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor of what was most precious in Art to make his new capital attractive, and to ornament his new palaces, churches, and theatres.  In this Grecian city he surrounded himself with Asiatic pomp and ceremonies.  He assumed the titles of Eastern monarchs.  His palace was served and guarded with a legion of functionaries that made access to his person difficult.  He created a new nobility, and made infinite gradations of rank, perpetuated by the feudal monarchs of Europe.  He gave pompous names to his officers, both civil and military, using expressions still in vogue in European courts, like “Your Excellency,” “Your Highness,” and “Your Majesty,”—­names which the emperors who had reigned at Rome had uniformly disdained.  He cut himself loose from all the traditions of the past, especially all relics of republicanism.  He divided the civil government of the Empire into thirteen great dioceses, and these he subdivided into one hundred and sixteen provinces.  He separated the civil from the military functions of governors.  He installed eunuchs in his palace, to wait upon his person and perform menial offices.  He made his chamberlain one of the highest officers of State.  He guarded his person by bodies of cavalry and infantry.  He clothed himself in imposing robes; elaborately arranged his hair; wore a costly diadem; ornamented his person with gems and pearls, with collars and bracelets.  He lived, in short, more like a Heliogabalus than a Trajan or an Aurelian.  All traces of popular liberty were effaced.  All dignities and honors and offices emanated from him.  The Caesars had been absolute monarchs, but disguised their power.  Constantine made an ostentatious display of his.