At this period
there seems to have been no vessels larger than triremes. The naval
preparations of Constantine were in every respect inferior to those of his
rival: he seems to have got no ships from Italy: indeed, the fleets which
Augustus had ordered to be permanently kept up at Misenum and Ravenna, were
no longer in existence. Greece supplied the most if not all Constantine's
vessels: the maritime cities of this country sent their respective quotas
to the Piraeus; and their united forces only amounted to 200 small vessels.
This was a feeble armament compared with the numerous and powerful fleets
that Athens equipped and maintained during the Peloponnesian war. While
this republic was mistress of the sea, her fleet consisted of 300, and
afterwards of 400 gallies, of three ranks of oars, all ready, in every
respect, for immediate service. The scene of the naval battle between
Licinius and Constantine was in the vicinity of Byzantium: as this city was
in possession of the former, Constantine gave positive orders to force the
passage of the Hellespont: the battle lasted two days, and terminated in
the complete defeat of Licinius. Shortly after this decisive victory, the
Roman world was again united under one emperor, and the imperial residence
and seat of government was fixed by Constantine at Byzantium, which
thenceforth obtained the name of Constantinople.
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