494 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
sometimes in Gaul; whereas the Caesars could not leave their pro- 
vinces except at the bidding of the Augusti. The East and West had 
each one, not two centres. 
I think we are justified in supposing that the centralisation was 
strict; that there was one treasury, one hierarchy of officials, in each 
half of the world. I believe I can point to a distinct proof of this in 
the circumstances related by Eutropius in regard to the division which 
took place after the resignation of Diocletian and Maximian (305). 
Kutropius, x., 1: 
‘‘ Divulsusque inter eos [ Constantius and Galerius ] Romanus orbis 
ut Gallias Italiam Africam Constantius, Illyricum Asiam Orientem 
Galerius obtineret, sumptis duobus Caesaribus. Constantius tamen 
contentus dignitate Augusti Italiae atque Africae administrandae sollici- 
tudinem recusavit: vir egregius et praestantissimae civitatis: divinis 
provincialium ac privatorum studiis fiscl commoda nen admodum 
affectans,”’ &c. 
By these words Eutropius cannot merely have meant that Con- 
stantius, instead of holding court in Italy as Maximian had done, re- 
mained in Gaul—a post of less honour—and assigned Italy and Africa 
to Severus as his representative there. They must rather mean this: 
instead of taking upon himself the care of the whole Western world, 
Italy and Africa as well as Gaul (just as Maximian had administered 
Gaul as well as Italy and Africa), he confined himself to Gaul, and 
gave to Severus the entire administration of Italy and Africa; so that, 
but for the difference in title, Severus was on a par with Constantius. 
This arrangement meant the institution of two centres, two ex- 
chequers, and two sets of officials, in the West. And therefore from 
this year (805-6) I would date the usage of three praetorian prefects. 
The special mention of this act of Constantius implies that Galerius 
did not place Maximin in the same position. 
But in 308, when Maximin and Constantine were recognised as 
Augusti by Galerius, there were four Augusti. It follows that there 
were four centres, and four sets of officials. This state of things lasted 
(Licinius succeeding Galerius) until 312, in which year, by the battle 
of the Mulvian Bridge, Constantine became sole master of the Western 
world. But we may suppose that he found it convenient to continue 
the double set of officials for Gaul and Italy. In 313, Maximin was 
defeated and died, and Licinius may have also continued the double 
set of officials. But in 315, after Licinius’ defeat at Cibala, a change 
was made in the distribution of dominion. Dardania Moesia, and 
Macedonia (Eutropius, x., 5) were added to the dominions of the 
Western Augustus: Moesia here means Upper Moesia, for Anonymus 
Valesius says that Licinius retained ‘‘the East, Asia, Thrace, Lower 
Moesia, Scythia (Lesser); and Zosimos says ‘‘ Thrace and the Kast,” 
which is the same thing. 
We may suppose that after this new division Licinius had only 
one praectorian prefect, and one set of officials, and that Constantine 
