Beautiful Egypt 35 – The Greatest of Caesars – December, 22, 2013

   In the previous article, we tackled the end of the four emperors who had ruled the Roman Empire in the East and the West. However, the rule remained to be fourfold until Emperor Constantine assumed the power alone. History attaches much importance to Constantine, whose rule marked the beginning of the history of the Byzantine Empire established in the East. He was the last heathen emperor and the first emperor to follow Christianity.

Constantinus the Father; a Caesar then an Emperor (293 – 306 AD)

   In 285 AD, Diocletian appointed Commander Maximianus as a co ruler with him in the West, while Diocletian ruled the East. Each of them had his own royal responsibilities and the armies needed to manage the empire’s affairs.

   In 288 AD, Emperor Maximianus appointed Constantinus, the imperial ruler of Gaul region (which includes now France, Belgium and the German part located west of the Rayne River). During this time, Constantinus got separated from Helena in order to get married to Theodora, the daughter of Emperor Maximianus’ wife.

   Due to the lack of trust among the emperors and Caesars ruling the empire, Constantine lived in the Diocletian’s palace in order to guarantee that his father Constantinus would not betray him. In Diocletian’s palace, Constantine received lofty education; he studied Latin literature, Greek language and Philosophy. In Nicomedia – the headquarters of Diocletian – Constantine met with the pagan and Christian scholars.

   Constantine was a prominent figure in the royal court, he led many of Diocletian’s and Gallerius’ wars in Asia; he fought the Berbers in Danube, the Persians in Syria under the leadership of Diocletian, and in the Mesopotamia region under the leadership of Gallerius, until he rose up to the rank “first level military commander” in 305 AD. Constantine was a contemporary of the horrific persecution period instigated in 303 AD against Christians by Diocletian.

   In 305 AD, Diocletian declared his desire to abdicate the throne, and at the same time, he declared Maximianus’s abdication to the throne as well. The people thought that Diocletian would crown both Constantine and Maxintius, the son of Maximianus, as two successors for them. Nonetheless, he granted both Constantinus and Gallerius the title Caesar, then he appointed Severus and Maximianus II Daza as two Caesars. Thus, the rule of Rome remained to be fourfold.

Constantine became a Caesar

   Constantine joined his father in Gaul region, then they went to Britain where his father fell ill and died, after giving a will that his son should succeed him in ruling the country. The army crowned Constantine as an Emperor of Gaul region, Spain and Britain in 306 AD.

   Constantine sent a letter to Gallerius, informing him about his father’s death and his coronation as an August, a legal heir to his father. Gallerius’ rage was raised, yet his rejection meant only waging wars at that time, so he granted Severus the title of August, and Constantine the title of Caesar.

Maxintius, the son of Maximianus, revolts against Constantine

   Maxintius felt jealousy of Constantine, so he proclaimed himself an Emperor. Gallerius rejected this act yet he couldn’t prevent him, so he sent an army led by Severus, who was arrested and imprisoned by his army troops as they were loyal to Emperor Maximianus, Maxintius’ father, who returned from his retirement due to his son’s revolution. Maximianus convinced Constantine to support the power of Maxintius for getting married to Maximianus’ daughter. Constantine agreed and did not engage in the war.

   In 308 AD, Gallerius held a meeting in the presence of Diocletian and Maximianus, which ended up by: compelling Maximianus to retire again and to leave the power, changing the title of Constantine from August – like his father’s – to Caesar and appointing Licinius as an August of the West. This did not last for long as Constantine rejected it.

   In 310 AD, Maximianus revolted against Constantine while he was in a camp against the enemies. When Constantine was informed about such revolution, he left the camp and came back immediately to find Maximianus had fled to Marseille, France. In Marseille, the people of the city opened the rear gates to Emperor Constantine; he entered the city and arrested Maximianus who was taken back to Constantine’s palace and then committed suicide.

   Another account of Maximianus’ death tells that after Constantine forgave him, Maximianus plotted to kill Constantine while asleep, yet, Fosta knew about that and warned her husband Constantine. He made one of his servants to sleep in his bed, and once Maximianus realized that he had killed the servant, he immediately committed suicide.

Constantine Fights Maxintius

   In 311 AD, Maxintius declared war against Constantine, taking his father’s death a reason for the war, yet he received no support from his people in Italy while preparing for the war as his rule was unjust and oppressing to the flock. Declaring the war, Constantine formed an alliance with Licinius, which was deemed a disgrace by Maximianus II, who formed an alliance as well with Maxintius and supported him militarily.

   Although Constantine had received several warnings from his advisers not to engage in a war against Maxintius, yet he decided to confront him in a war, acting indifferently to the warnings.

   The army of Constantine reached the battlefield with a sign that was odd to the Roman armies. Lactantius mentioned that Constantine had had a dream on the night before the war, commanding him to put the sign of the cross on his soldiers’ shields. While Historian Eusebius of Caesarea recounts that Constantine had seen the sign of the cross in the sky, and heard a voice saying “By this, you shall overcome”. Eusebius went on describing the events; referring to a dream followed in which Constantine saw Lord Christ asking him to make this sign to his soldiers.

   Indeed, he ordered all his soldiers to put this sign on their shields, instead of the sign used before which was to an idol, he made himself a badge carrying the letters X and P, which are the first two letters of Lord Christ’s name in Greek (Xpistos). Constantine achieved a great victory despite the firmness of Maxintius’ armies which couldn’t resist Constantine and his rushing soldiers, and thus, Maxintius’ armies were broken and Maxintius himself drowned during his attempt to flee on the Tiber River’s bridge.

   Due to his tolerant policies, the Roman Senate bestowed two titles on Constantine; “the Greatest of Caesars” and “the Greatest Name” which required writing his name first in any official paper. He issued a decree to restore all the possessions lost and to set free all the opposition imprisoned during Maxintius’ reign.

The Edict of Milan for Religious Tolerance 313 AD

   In 313 AD, Constantine met Licinius in Milan, where he issued an edict known as the Edict of Milan; it was an official edict granting religious tolerance towards Christians. According to the edict, Christians enjoyed freedom in following the religion they wanted. It also granted Christians the right to restore all their possessions confiscated during the age of Diocletian. During that meeting, Licinius heard about the raid of Maximianus II on the European province, so he hurried with his army to fight him and he won the battle, arrested Maximianus II and threw him in prison. Maximianus II killed himself afterwards.

A Civil War

   No sooner had the country affairs settled, than Licinius felt jealousy and envy because of Constantine’s high status, so he waged a war against him. In 320 AD, Licinius disobeyed the Edict of Milan for Religious Tolerance and re-persecuted the Christians. This turmoil led to a civil war waged in 324 AD, and ended in the defeat of Licinius and his death.

Constantine Rules Alone and Builds Constantinople

   Thus, Constantine became the only ruler of Rome, and a new phase begin to emerge in the East, in 330 AD, he established Constantinople city which became later the empire’s capital in the East and it was called “the New Rome”.

   Amid these events, Egypt was greatly impacted by these changes; it started to enjoy some quietness and peace after ten tough years dominated by unprecedented persecutions…and…

   Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!

The General Bishop

Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center