314
DEATH OF MAXIMIAN.
conferred the title of Augustus; the East was assigned to Max-
iminus Daza, and Constantine likewise was now recognised as
Augustus. The Roman world thus had six Augusti and no
Caesars; but peace did not exist, and the ingenious combina-
tion of Diocletian had led to nothing.
Maximian had given his daughter Fausta in marriage to
Constantine, who divorced his first wife Minervina. But the
marriage with Fausta contributed little towards a good under-
standing. Hostilities however broke out first between Maximian
and-his son Maxentius, a man like Caracalla, who, besides many
other vices, had an inclination to brutality and personal tyranny,
and was devoid of any kindly or indulgent feeling, even to-
wards his father. The claim of Maximian to conduct the affairs
of the state was met by the son’s demand that he should resign
all power and retire to a private station. The praetorians, who
had been raised by Maxentius from the obscurity into which
they had been thrown by the regulations of Diocletian, now
formed a party, which supported Maxcntius, and joined him in
his demand that Maximian should withdraw from public life.
Maximian accordingly left Rome and went to Constantine, his
son-in-law, in Gaul. He was received there with friendship,
but either because he formed hostile plans against Constantinc
—which is not at all improbable—or for some other reason,
Constantine became his enemy, and endeavoured to secure
himself against any attacks on his part. Maximian, who could
not maintain himself at Arles, fled to Marseilles. There he
was besieged by Constantine, and sacrificed by his troops. FIe
fell into the hands of his son-in-law, who at first quieted him
with kind promises, but soon afterwards put him to death, under
the pretence that he had formed a fresh conspiracy.
Shortly after these occurrences Galerius died, and a war then
broke out between Constantinc and Maxcntius, which is me-
morable on account of its great results in history and also on
account of the triumphal arch of Constantine, still extant, and
Raphael’s painting of the battle. Maxcntius ruled over Italy
as a tyrant, and the oppression of the people was increasing,
as had been the case ever since the time when the empire was
divided among many emperors, who were often at war with
one another. That country had formerly been exempt from
the land-tax, and paid only indirect taxes and a tax on in-
heritances. But Maxentius, although he possessed the wealthy
WARS BETVirEEK THE SEVERAL EMPERORS.
315
province of Afiica, yet did not think Iiis revenue large enough,
and intended to impose upon Italy a land and poll tax. The
people, unwi∏ing to Tear suclι a heavy burden, called in Con-
stantine to assist them in resisting those measures. Constantine
advanced with a considerable army; crossed mount Cenis, de-
feated the troops of Maxentius near Turin, and then directed
his inarch towards the strongly fortified town of Verona. He
besieged the place, defeated the army which was sent to its
relief, and led his troops towards Rome along the Flaminian
road. Maxentius met him near Ponte Mollo, at a distance of
three miles from the ancient Colline gate. There a decisive
battle was fought, in which the whole army of Maxentius was
routed : Maxentius himself perished in the Tiber.
Constantine took possession of Rome amid the joyous shouts
of the people, and remained in Italy for some time. But a war
soon broke out in the East between Licinius and Maximinus :
the former had the European portions of Galerius' empire, the
latter the Asiatic pιovinces and Egypt. A battle was fought
near Heraclea in Thrace, which was gained by Licinius, though
his army was greatly inferior to that of Iiis opponent. Maxi-
minus fled to Tarsus, where he surrendered at discretion, and
was sentenced to death.
Ofthe six emperors two only, Constantine in the West, and
Licinius in the East, were now surviving, and between them
the empire was divided. But although Licinius had married
Constantia, a sister of Constantine, peace did not long last
between them. A war broke out in a.d. 314, in which Con-
stantine conquered his enemy in two battles, near Cibalis, and
in the plain of Mardia. Licinius now sued for peace, which
he obtained on condition of giving up Illyricum, Greece, and
Macedonia, so that henceforth his empire embraced Thrace,
Asia Minor, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. This eastern
empire was of such an extent, and had, under favourable cir-
cumstances, such great internal resources, as no European
monarchy can boast of. The peace lasted for nearly nine years,
after which a fresh war commenced, a.d. 323. This war was
the first since the battle of Actium in which the Roman sove-
reigns had a great navy at their command, for both Constantine
and Licinius had large fleets. That of Constantine was under
the command of Crispus, his first-born son by Minervina.
The first encounter between the rival emperors was the