His brief speech finished the official panegyrists had spent hours earlier delivering the customary final orations in honor of the dead Constantine turned toward the steps. Dacius, however, was before him.
“Hail, Constantinel Caesar!” he shouted from the platform and below him the soldiers began to take up the cry. It subsided, however, when Crocus raced up the steps of the platform and, seizing Constantine’s arm, held it high.
“Hail, Constantine! Imperator and Augustus!” the Gallic king shouted. Whipping off his own purple cloak, he draped it about
Constantine’s shoulders and knelt to lift Constantine’s hand and place it upon his forehead in the traditional gesture of fealty.
The sudden appearance of the colorful Gallic king and his dramatic gesture was the spark needed to ignite a tremendous flame of enthusiasm in the crowd.
Imperator and Augustus
“Hail, Constantine! Imperator and Augustus!” They seized the cry and sent it echoing back to the edge of the field again and again, until finally Constantine threw up his arms in a gesture of acknowledgment, and acceptance.
Fausta had been right, he told himself exultantly. He could be Augustus of Britain here and now, if he wished. But a larger goal was still unattained and he did not let what was happening today obscure his vision of tomorrow.
The burdens of a ruler, Constantine learned in the first few hours of his reign, were many and varied. First there were the ceremonial duties, receiving and confirming in his old position the Governor General of the province of Britain, who ruled there as viceroy, and confirming the commissions of the commanders of the three military districts, whose duty it was to protect the people and put down any flareup of rebellion. Next came the renaming for the moment at least of the leading judges, who would dispense the famous Roman justice in their various districts.
Read More about Deference to Galerius
