Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (64)Silchester
Segontiaci
Caer Segonte
Vindonum
roman road
Constantius
Murimintum
coin
roman coin
Silcester, the ancient Vindonum, the chief City of the Segontiaci; the Britons called it Caer Segonte, i. e. the City of the Segontians, as Ninnius tells us, and we at this Day, Silcester. That this Place was the Vindonum of the Ancients, seems evident by its Distances from Gallena or Guallenford, and venta or Winchester, as Antoninus has set them down in his Itinerary; and so much the more, because there is a military Way still visible between this Place and Winchester.
Ninnius tells us, that this City was built by Constantius, the Son of Constantine the Great, and that it was once called Murimintum, perhaps for Muri Viridun, i. e. the Walls of Vindonum, and that he sowed it with three Grains of Wheat, that none of the Inhabitants might ever grow poor. The same Author says, that Constantius died here, and that his Sepulchre was to be seen at the Gate of it, with an Inscription bearing his Name; but we will not warrant the Truth of these Things, because he is full of Fables in other Things, and in this there is an apparent Falshood, for Constantius died in the East, as he was advancing against Julian the Apostate.
However, this is certain, That Silcester was a Town of some Repute in those Times; for some Coins of Constantine junr. who was Constantius's Brother, have been found here, which on the Reverse have the Figure of a Building, with this Inscription,
PROVIDENTIAE CAESS.Britain was in that Emperor's Division of the Roman Provinces, and 'tis probable an honorary Sepulchre or Borrow might be made here for Constantius after his Death, as was the Custom; and the Soldiers of the Garrison had their solemn Exercises yearly round it in honour of the Dead; but all writers agree, that Constantius died Mopsuestia or Mebsete in Cicilia, and was from thence carried to the Burial place of his Ancestors at Constantinople.
When the Roman Empire began to decay, and the barbarous Nations made frequent Incursions into their provinces, the British Armies chose one Constantine their Emperor, for the sake of his Name only, and against his Will, in this City Caer Segont: About A.D. 107. he sailed into Gaul, and getting all the Roman Forces as far as the Alps to join him, defended Valence against the Emperor Honorius's Forces, set a Garrison upon the Rhine, and built several Fortesses in the Passages of the Alps. His Son Constans, from a Monk, he made Augustus, and by his Help was very successful in Spain.
While Constantine was thus carrying on his Victories, Alaric, the King of the Goths, had reduced Honorius, the Western Emperor, to so great Straits, that he hearing of Constantine's Success, thought it his Interest to flatter him for the present, and send him an Imperial Robe; Constantine pleading, that what he had done was by the Compulsion of the Soldiery: Animated with this Luck, he passed the Alps with a Design to march to Rome; but hearing of the Death of Alaric, he retreated, and fixed his Imperial Seat at Arles, commanding it to be called after his own Name, and summoning a Meeting of seven Provinces.
Constantine being thus settled, Gerontius, who had hither to assisted him in his Usurpation, upon some Discontent revolted, and raised a Faction against his Master; and having traiterously slain Constans his Son at Vienne, besieged the Father in Arles. In the mean Time Honorius, having a little recovered himself from his Wars with Alaric, sent Constantius his General to reduce Constantine, who was then besieged in Arles; which so suprized Gerontius, that he withdrew his Forces, and laid violent Hands on himself, and Constantius carrying on the Siege, Constantine was brought to such Straits that he quitted his Honour, and taking upon him the Order of Priesthood, thought to secure his Life by entring into the Church; but the City being thereupon surrendered, he was taken and carried to Rome, where he was beheaded with Julian his Son, whom he had declared, Nobilissimum, (a Title next to that of Caesar) and Sebastian his Brother, as we learn from Nicephoras, Orofius, &c.
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