The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters - August 30, 2026


PREVIEW： Epochs #278 ｜ Constantine - Part 3


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23 minutes

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159.12

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3,745

Sentence count

103

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1

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14

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20

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Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Toxicity classifications generated with s-nlp/roberta_toxicity_classifier .
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00:00:00.000 Hello and welcome back to Epochs and if you remember we were talking all about the life
00:00:26.860 and times and adventures of Constantine I, Constantine the Great. So we're in the early
00:00:32.900 300s, the early 4th century AD and the Roman world breaking apart and well coming back together 0.63
00:00:40.700 at least for a while. We've had the crisis of the 3rd century haven't we? Where there's sort of an 0.63
00:00:45.120 endless string of more or less military emperors keep usurping one another one after the other
00:00:51.480 after the other their men proclaiming them emperor and just an endless stream of civil wars and
00:00:57.280 barbarian incursions and economic crises all of that came to an end with diocletian
00:01:03.000 he was a super strong emperor super super strong he was able to unite the roman world once more
00:01:09.400 under one strong reign but he had decided hadn't he crucially he was going to change the game he's
00:01:15.300 going to change the nature of roman government entirely fundamentally or a principate so-called
00:01:20.100 principate to a dominate and and the tetrarchy wanted to decided there should be four emperors
00:01:26.300 two senior augusti and two junior caesars four emperors ruling the roman world because it was so 0.61
00:01:32.020 big and there were so many barbarian incursions all the time they would need four johnny on the
00:01:37.880 spots one emperor is just not enough and the idea is that that tetrarchy that rule of four
00:01:43.040 would have to be entirely all on the same page at the same time that was the idea that their
00:01:49.060 government, their policy was a thing of unison. They must all be singing from the same hymn sheet,
00:01:55.720 so to speak. Well, it was all well and good while he lived, Diocletian lived. Again, I've said it 0.99
00:02:00.840 before, haven't I, about how it's a bit like Bismarck, Otto von Bismarck's delicate system
00:02:07.460 of government. It worked whilst he was in control of it because he made it. It was a brainchild of
00:02:12.040 his and it was idiosyncratic and, yeah, delicate. And it worked while he was at the helm. But as
00:02:18.260 Soon as he wasn't likely to fall apart 0.93
00:02:20.020 Well same with Diocletian's tetrarchy
00:02:21.480 Diocletian and Maximian
00:02:23.360 His co-emperor, his first co-emperor
00:02:25.140 Are now out of the picture
00:02:26.380 He's retired 0.99
00:02:27.700 Diocletian is retired, Maximian is dead
00:02:31.080 Last time if you remember
00:02:32.320 There was, we were talking about at one point
00:02:34.920 There were six emperors
00:02:36.240 There were six emperors
00:02:38.000 In the west there was Constantine
00:02:40.160 Who had taken over from his father
00:02:42.420 Constantius
00:02:43.240 There was Maximian, the old Maximian 0.99
00:02:46.620 Who had come out of retirement
00:02:47.640 diocletian's co-emperor and his son maxentius sort of a double act in a way although they
00:02:53.320 didn't see eye to eye so three emperors in the west there should only be two and then in the east
00:02:59.800 you've got galerius who's supposed to be the most senior of all of them he's supposed to be the the
00:03:04.680 new diocletian if you like you've got him and then you've got licinius and maximin in the east so
00:03:11.800 there's six emperors at one point. But okay, Galerius had died of natural causes and Constantine
00:03:18.860 had been forced to execute Maximian for trying a coup against him, against Constantine. So we're
00:03:25.720 down to four again. So we're down to four. Okay, that's basically where we left the story off last
00:03:30.600 time. So let's pick up the story. As always, for this series, I'm going to be reading from Edward
00:03:36.060 Gibbon, the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, his seminal work. So let's let Gibbon pick up the
00:03:42.680 story right about there. He says this, quote, among so many crimes and misfortunes occasioned by the
00:03:50.000 passions of the Roman princes, these emperors, there is some pleasure in discovering a single
00:03:56.260 action which may be ascribed to their virtue. In the sixth year of his reign, Constantine visited
00:04:02.640 the city of Utan, and generously remitted the arrears of tribute, reduced at the same time
00:04:09.680 the proportion of their assessment from 25 to 18,000 heads, subject to the real and personal
00:04:16.380 capitation. Yet even this indulgence affords the most unquestionable proof of the public misery.
00:04:23.620 This tax was so extremely oppressive, either in itself or in the mode of collecting it,
00:04:29.340 that whilst the revenue was increased by extortion, it was diminished by despair.
00:04:35.260 We've said before, haven't we, that all through this period,
00:04:37.380 all through the crisis of the 3rd century and the reign of Diocletian
00:04:40.160 and now onwards into this period, the taxation that fell upon the Roman world,
00:04:46.200 whether you're an actual Roman citizen or not,
00:04:48.720 the level of taxation which is going up and up and up,
00:04:51.280 incidentally, it's not as much as we pay in taxes these days, crazily,
00:04:55.640 But still, they considered it truly extortionate and way over the top
00:05:00.240 And it just caused misery and penury
00:05:02.220 I mean, at least in this day and age, if you really, really can't afford to pay tax
00:05:06.480 If you have no money, the state doesn't still insist you pay up
00:05:10.920 So there's a very, very different type of taxation
00:05:15.020 But okay, it caused despair and, well, civil unrest, a great deal of anger
00:05:20.240 Gibbon goes on saying, a considerable part of the territory of Atun was left uncultivated
00:05:25.300 the great numbers of the provincials rather chose to live as exiles and outlaws than to support the
00:05:31.660 weight of civil society, i.e. their risk execution, rather than pay taxes. It is but too probable
00:05:39.020 that the bountiful emperor relieved by a partial act of liberality, one among the many evils which
00:05:45.680 he had caused by his general maxims of administration. But even those maxims were
00:05:51.160 less the effect of choice than of necessity. And if we accept the death of Maximian, the reign of
00:05:57.000 Constantine in Gaul seems to have been the most innocent and even virtuous period of his life.
00:06:02.320 The provinces were protected by his presence from the inroads of the barbarians, from across the
00:06:07.560 Rhine largely, who either dreaded or experienced his active valour. After a signal victory over the
00:06:13.520 Franks and the Alemanni, several of their princes were exposed by his order to the wild beasts in
00:06:20.060 the amphitheatre at Trevres, and the people seemed to have enjoyed the spectacle without
00:06:25.640 discovering in such a treatment of royal captives anything that was repugnant to the laws of
00:06:30.620 nations or of humanity. It's still only the very, very early 4th century. The idea that
00:06:35.960 you would watch executions, even extremely brutal, almost cruel and unusual ones being
00:06:41.360 torn apart by beasts. Yeah, that's not uncommon. It's not outside the pale. It's the early
00:06:49.000 300s here we're talking about okay Gibbon goes on saying the virtues of Constantine were rendered
00:06:54.660 more illustrious by the vices of Maxentius you remember there's only two emperors in the west
00:07:01.220 now Constantine and Maxentius who was the son of Maximin is ruled in Rome and he wasn't even
00:07:07.740 one of Galerius's picks he sort of usurped took power in Italy and Rome so there's now only him
00:07:15.720 and Constantine surviving in the West? And Gibbon's saying that Constantine is made to look even
00:07:21.400 better than he is because of how bad Maxentius was. Just a quick note to say here, is all of this
00:07:27.900 exactly true and accurate? Or is it that, as we know, don't we, it's not a spoiler, that in the
00:07:32.700 end Constantine wins? He's not Constantine the great for nothing, doesn't tower over, he's not
00:07:37.080 even a household name even to this day for no good reason. Is it because he wins and he gets to
00:07:42.880 rewrite all the histories, really, mostly. He would write that all his enemies along the road,
00:07:49.020 all his enemies during his long journey to soul power, were bad and evil. So bear that in mind,
00:07:56.780 bear all of that in mind. We don't know, right? The early fourth century is so long ago to us,
00:08:02.340 and the literary evidence is relatively scant that we just don't know the exact truth on that
00:08:11.360 count. But okay, Gibbon has done all the reading, literally all the reading, so let him tell us the
00:08:17.580 story. He says this, whilst the Gallic provinces, Gaul that is, enjoyed as much happiness as the
00:08:23.900 condition of the times were capable of receiving, Italy and Africa groaned under the dominion of a
00:08:30.260 tyrant as contemptible as he was odious. We're talking about Maxentius there and remember Africa 0.90
00:08:35.180 just really means the North African coastline, not much more than that. It's just North Africa
00:08:40.320 they're talking about. The zeal of flattery and faction has indeed too frequently sacrificed the 0.84
00:08:46.580 reputation of the vanquished to the glory of their successful rivals, which is what we were talking
00:08:52.140 about. Can we really trust the accounts that Maxentius was as bad as he was when it becomes
00:08:57.580 politically important for Constantine to paint him that way? Okay, give and go as I say. But even
00:09:04.000 those writers who had revealed with the most freedom and pleasure the faults of Constantine
00:09:09.280 unanimously confessed that Maxentius was cruel, rapacious and profligate. He had the good fortune
00:09:16.480 to suppress a slight rebellion in Africa. The governor and a few adherents had been guilty.
00:09:21.740 The province suffered for their crime. The flourishing cities of Serthra and Carthage
00:09:28.020 and the whole extent of the fertile country were wasted by fire and sword. The abuse of victory was
00:09:34.620 followed by the abuse of law and justice. A formidable army of sycophants and deletors
00:09:40.080 invaded Africa. The rich and the noble were easily convicted on a connection with the rebels, 0.90
00:09:47.360 and those among them who experienced their emperor's clemency were only punished by the
00:09:52.120 confiscation of their estates. So signal victory was celebrated by a magnificent triumph and
00:09:58.300 Maxentius exposed to the eyes of the people the spoils and captives of a Roman province.
00:10:04.620 The capital was no less deserving of compassion than that of Africa. The wealth of Rome supplied 0.94
00:10:11.100 an inexhaustible fund for his vain and prodigal expenses, and the ministers of his revenue were
00:10:17.380 skilled in the art of rapine. That's saying that Maxentius lived in an extremely rich, opulent
00:10:25.400 style, and if he needed his men, his ministers, his soldiers, to steal the wealth of the people,
00:10:32.100 whether it be from Romans, Italians, North Africans, then he just did it. It was one of 0.93
00:10:38.480 those types of rulers where nothing, absolutely nothing should get in the way of him enjoying
00:10:44.880 himself, even if it's to almost an insane degree. Many such examples, like Nero or Commodus,
00:10:53.100 Many, many, many examples
00:10:54.740 Gibbon goes on saying
00:10:56.100 It was under his reign that the method of exacting
00:10:59.660 Quote, a free gift, quote
00:11:01.580 From the senators was first invented
00:11:04.260 And as the sum was insensibly increased
00:11:07.620 The pretenses of levying it
00:11:10.120 A victory, a birth, a marriage
00:11:12.340 Or an imperial consulship
00:11:13.740 Were proportionably multiplied
00:11:16.000 So this is a classic example of a ruler saying
00:11:18.580 Oh, there's, you know, exactly as Gibbon said
00:11:20.540 Oh, there's been a birth or a marriage in the royal family
00:11:23.020 So all the rich people, the senators, you've got to give me a big chunk of your money now.
00:11:27.580 Not just a bit of money, a big chunk of your entire wealth now.
00:11:30.840 And something else has happened.
00:11:32.560 Something of note has happened.
00:11:33.840 So in the end, you can just start making it up exactly the way Nero did or Domitian or Commodus.
00:11:39.720 Just say, ah, it's actually suddenly I've remembered it's a really auspicious day for Jupiter today, isn't it?
00:11:46.480 Or Saturn.
00:11:47.620 Something's happened and Saturn is displeased or very happy or whatever.
00:11:51.100 You can just make anything up.
00:11:52.040 And now you've got to give me loads of money
00:11:53.920 It's quite simple
00:11:55.780 Now, that sort of thing, usually
00:11:58.440 Doesn't go down very well
00:12:00.680 It won't last night 0.99
00:12:02.160 You'll get yourself assassinated or murdered 0.98
00:12:03.600 If you keep doing that 0.98
00:12:04.380 Only princes, only rulers
00:12:06.720 Of whatever stripe
00:12:08.240 Whose power and power base
00:12:11.020 Is extremely secure
00:12:13.100 Can get away with that sort of behaviour
00:12:15.220 For very long
00:12:15.940 Certainly in the ancient and medieval world
00:12:18.280 Gibbon goes on saying
00:12:19.620 Maxentius had imbibed the same implacable aversion to the senate which had characterized most of the
00:12:26.860 former tyrants of Rome nor was it possible for his ungrateful temper to forgive the generous
00:12:32.120 fidelity which had raised him to the throne and supported him against all his enemies because
00:12:37.280 remember he was a usurper himself he only came to power through the goodwill of the praetorian guard
00:12:44.840 the senate of Rome seems like some sort of popular support in Rome and even wider Italy
00:12:49.600 So you might think that he would maybe on one level be their puppet
00:12:54.500 On another level at least be generous and kind to them
00:12:59.600 At least be a bit like Augustus and pretend you're being kind and generous to them
00:13:04.540 Pretend you respect them
00:13:06.240 At least that
00:13:06.900 No, no, no
00:13:07.720 Maxentius is just acting like a full-blown tyrant
00:13:10.480 I mean, Gibbon there's called it ungrateful
00:13:12.660 His ungrateful temper
00:13:14.460 Well, it's a bit more than ungrateful, isn't it?
00:13:17.940 It's taking the absolute mickey
00:13:19.340 I would say, but okay, let's read on. The lives of the senators were exposed to his jealous
00:13:25.760 suspicions. The dishonor of their wives and daughters heightened the gratification of his
00:13:31.880 sensual passions. I think you all know what is being said there. It may be presumed that an
00:13:37.480 imperial lover was seldom reduced to sire in vain, but whenever persuasion proved ineffectual,
00:13:44.600 he had recourse to violence. A rapist, he's calling him a rapist there, in fact a serial 0.96
00:13:49.720 rapist. And there remains one memorable example of a noble matron who preserved her chastity 0.99
00:13:56.080 by a voluntary death, rather commit suicide than give in to Maxentius's advances. The soldiers 0.51
00:14:03.840 were the only order of men whom he appeared to respect or studied to please. He filled Roman 0.97
00:14:10.060 Italy with armed troops, connived at their tumults, suffered them with impunity to plunder 0.88
00:14:16.140 and even to massacre the defenseless people, and indulged them in the same licentiousness 0.68
00:14:22.380 which their emperor enjoyed. Again, rape we're talking about here, so rape and murder and rapine 0.99
00:14:28.620 and pillage and all these sorts of things. So Maxentius is showing himself, if you believe the
00:14:34.600 accounts that passed through the filter of Constantine's camp at some point, if you believe 0.90
00:14:40.020 it, he's just a really, really bad military dictator, nothing more than an evil, baddie 0.91
00:14:46.480 military dictator. Maxentius often bestowed on his military favourites the splendid villa or the 0.54
00:14:54.620 beautiful life of a senator. A prince of such a character, alike incapable of governing either in
00:15:00.920 peace or in war might purchase the support but could never obtain the esteem of the army so the
00:15:07.660 army that he needs for his power base is his power base may be able to pay for them but they will
00:15:14.780 never truly love him truly love him i called into accounts the men loved marius or caesar because 0.76
00:15:23.320 he's just too much of a douchebag he's too evil okay gibbon goes on saying this quote yet his
00:15:30.380 pride was equal to his other vices, whilst he passed his indolent life either within the walls 0.97
00:15:36.300 of his palace or in the neighbouring gardens of Sallust, this is in Rome itself, he was repeatedly
00:15:42.240 heard to declare that he alone was emperor and that the other princes were no more than his
00:15:48.320 lieutenants on whom he had devolved the defence of the frontier provinces and that he might enjoy
00:15:54.200 without interruption the elegant luxury of the capital. Rome, which had so long regretted the
00:16:00.040 absence lamented during the six years of his reign the presence of her sovereign, end quote.
00:16:06.260 Ah, so now Maxentius, again, if you believe the accounts, he's actually trying to claim
00:16:11.560 he's the most senior now of the four remaining emperors. He's not, is he? He can't be. Surely not.
00:16:18.560 You would think if you had to pick one of them, the only one that's like legit, if you like,
00:16:24.080 in the sense of like the Diocletian form of government would be Licinius. Surely Licinius
00:16:29.240 In the east would be the senior 0.96
00:16:31.360 One but okay
00:16:32.240 Maxentius is claiming he
00:16:35.160 Is the
00:16:35.960 He alone was emperor Gibbon says
00:16:39.120 Well first and foremost
00:16:41.300 Is Constantine
00:16:43.220 Gonna like that
00:16:44.880 Is Constantine gonna put up with that
00:16:47.480 Forever
00:16:47.940 What if Maxentius starts to try and
00:16:50.860 Tell Constantine what to do
00:16:53.320 Let alone the other emperors in the east
00:16:55.220 Constantine's the sort of man
00:16:57.040 That would put up with that
00:16:58.740 And remember, Maxentius' father had tried to usurp Constantine
00:17:05.100 Do you think Constantine's going to forget that?
00:17:07.980 Remember also though, Constantine is married to Maxentius' sister
00:17:11.200 Maximian's daughter
00:17:12.560 We were told, weren't we last time, that when it came to any sort of crunch moment
00:17:16.440 She would always side with her husband, Constantine
00:17:19.780 In any sort of decision like that
00:17:21.720 So it's not really worth that much necessarily that his wife
00:17:25.380 You know, Maxentius is his brother-in-law, but still, bear it in mind
00:17:29.020 So Gibbon continues, flipping back to Constantine
00:17:31.880 We're told this
00:17:32.740 Though Constantine might view the conduct of Maxentius with abhorrence
00:17:36.660 And the situation of the Romans with compassion
00:17:39.600 We have no reason to presume that he would have taken up arms to punish the one or to relieve the other
00:17:46.440 But the tyrant of Italy, that is Maxentius
00:17:49.260 Rashly ventured to provoke a formidable enemy
00:17:53.200 Whose ambition had been hitherto restrained
00:17:55.900 By considerations of prudence
00:17:57.820 Rather than by principles of justice
00:17:59.860 After the death of Maximian
00:18:01.880 His titles, according to the established custom
00:18:04.960 Had been erased
00:18:06.260 And his statues thrown down with ignominy
00:18:08.940 His son, Maxentius again, we're talking about here
00:18:11.540 Who had persecuted and deserted him when alive
00:18:14.560 Affected to display the most pious regard for his memory
00:18:18.420 And gave orders that a similar treatment
00:18:20.820 Should be immediately afflicted
00:18:22.420 On all the statues that had been erected 0.99
00:18:25.020 In Italy and Africa
00:18:26.140 To the honour of Constantine
00:18:28.260 Uh-oh, uh-oh, okay, this is bad
00:18:30.240 In the early 4th century
00:18:31.940 That's bad
00:18:33.340 Well, in all of the ancient world, really
00:18:35.840 Like statue wars, if you like
00:18:39.000 Pretty much the whole
00:18:39.940 Well, even to, say the ancient world
00:18:42.220 Even to this day
00:18:43.500 There's battles, in a sense, aren't there
00:18:46.560 Over statues
00:18:48.220 Over which statues get pulled down
00:18:50.460 Over which statues get put up
00:18:52.460 Well in the ancient world it was a far far bigger deal
00:18:55.040 If you pulled down all the statues of a certain person
00:18:59.500 Your political enemy
00:19:00.760 That was much much more than an insult
00:19:04.660 That's almost really almost a declaration of war
00:19:08.820 That's sort of that's that's kind of like a lion in the sand
00:19:13.180 A third rail however you want to put it
00:19:15.900 It's not quite, you know, it's not really a formal declaration of war, but it's bloody close
00:19:21.660 It's signalling that you hate that person, you despise that person
00:19:26.660 You would annihilate that person if you could, that's what it says
00:19:31.620 And that's what it's just done to all Constantine's statues in Italy and North Africa 0.64
00:19:37.300 Okay, Gibbon goes on saying
00:19:38.800 That wise prince, Constantine, who sincerely wished to decline a war
00:19:43.680 with the difficulty and importance of which he was sufficiently acquainted, at first dissembled
00:19:50.320 the insult, pretended not to notice the insult, and sought for a dress by the milder expedience 0.67
00:19:56.760 of negotiation, till he was convinced that the hostile and ambitious designs of the Italian
00:20:03.140 emperor made it necessary for him to arm in his own defence. So again, do you believe all of this
00:20:09.160 exactly played out exactly like this that Constantine was the 100% aggrieved party at all 0.85
00:20:14.720 times and Maxentius is just like an evil murdering rapist tyrant or once again as it all passed
00:20:21.220 through the lens of the later period of Constantine's absolute power and so he's going to have 0.92
00:20:27.780 the history rewritten in his favor. Maxentius who openly avowed his pretensions to the whole
00:20:34.560 monarchy of the west, had already prepared a very considerable force to invade the Gallic provinces
00:20:40.560 on the side of Raetia. And though he could not expect any assistance from Licinius, he was
00:20:46.680 flattered with the hope that the legions of Illyricum, allured by his presence and promises,
00:20:52.560 would desert the standard of that prince and unanimously declare themselves his soldiers and
00:20:57.880 subjects. Constantine no longer hesitated. He had deliberated with caution, he now acted with vigour.
00:21:04.560 Again, do you remember last time I talked about how one of the things Constantine did,
00:21:08.300 one of the things Constantine was very good at, is a quick march, right?
00:21:13.080 Great generals throughout all of history, certainly pre-modern history,
00:21:16.640 the great ones were always great at this, right?
00:21:20.400 Alexander, Caesar, Julian the Apostate, Napoleon, all the greats.
00:21:25.460 They will turn up somewhere where they're not expected with an army ready to rock and roll.
00:21:30.660 And whoever you are, you're not ready for that.
00:21:34.560 And that's basically the ballgame right there.
00:21:36.760 Constantine was one of those guys that was good at doing this.
00:21:40.140 And remember, Constantine was a military man first and foremost.
00:21:44.900 Remember when we talked about how we read Gibbon's passages
00:21:47.060 about Constantine's early life, that he was raised basically in the camp.
00:21:52.400 Certainly from his sort of teenage years and all through his being a young man,
00:21:57.620 all through his 20s, he was in the army.
00:22:00.340 He was a military man.
00:22:01.300 It's a military tribute his whole life.
00:22:03.520 He's a soldier, soldier.
00:22:04.560 Really, he's steeped in the military camp
00:22:07.860 So when it comes to a clash of arms
00:22:11.500 If there is to be battles
00:22:14.060 Constantine's got the upper hand
00:22:16.000 Because he does really know what he's doing
00:22:17.940 And not just know what he's doing
00:22:19.940 But he's actually very, very good, right?
00:22:22.760 It's one thing to have been raised as a military person
00:22:25.200 But it doesn't necessarily translate into you being a great general
00:22:29.200 Like a really good general
00:22:30.600 It doesn't necessarily mean that at all
00:22:32.160 but Constantine was well if you believe the accounts but we definitely know that he won
00:22:38.860 lots and lots and lots and lots of battles and you don't do that by accident right you can win
00:22:44.160 a few battles by accident have a fluke run but you can't really go undefeated or nearly
00:22:50.880 undefeated for a whole lifetime and it not be because you're genuinely skilled we hope you
00:22:56.060 enjoyed that video and if you did please head over to lotusseaters.com for the full unabridged video
00:23:02.160 Thank you.