The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters - PREVIEW： Epochs #279 ｜ Constantine - Part 4

00:00:00.000 Hello and welcome back to another installment of Epochs where I should be continuing my series

00:00:25.640 It's all about Constantine I, Constantine the Great, and his never-ending adventures.

00:00:33.740 And he wants to be, I really don't think this is much of a spoiler alert,

00:00:38.960 he really wants to be the sole ruler of the entire Roman world, Augustus-style, Hadrian-style.

00:00:47.080 But he was born into a world where there wasn't one emperor.

00:00:50.660 You remember a few episodes ago now, quite a few episodes ago now,

00:00:53.680 always talk about the world of Diocletian and his tetrarchy there were four emperors two senior ones

00:01:00.740 one really is the most senior one but two senior emperors the Augusti and two junior emperors the

00:01:07.560 Caesar so four in total tetrarchy the rule of four and then after Diocletian's time just after

00:01:13.260 the very next generation there at one point was six because there were well all sorts of

00:01:19.880 Machinations and all sorts of

00:01:22.480 Eddies in the story

00:01:24.580 All sorts of backs and faults

00:01:26.880 And there were six at one point, wasn't there

00:01:28.680 Three in the west

00:01:30.200 Had Licinius, who's supposed to be 0.74

00:01:32.840 Really

00:01:33.680 The heir to Galerius

00:01:35.840 So the most powerful emperor in the east for sure

00:01:38.480 And supposed to be the most senior one of all

00:01:40.960 Licinius

00:01:42.460 And he had a junior

00:01:44.340 A junior Caesar under him

00:01:46.640 Severus, but there's also another person

00:01:48.520 Maximin

00:01:49.140 who they'd had to sort of recognize

00:01:51.480 because he was a power in his own right

00:01:52.940 so there's three emperors in the east

00:01:54.200 when there should only be two

00:01:55.100 and in the west we had Constantine

00:01:57.600 and Maxentius

00:01:59.840 but also Maxentius' father

00:02:02.140 the old Maximian was still around

00:02:04.400 so there was six at one point

00:02:05.880 however we're down to four

00:02:07.960 because Constantine has taken full control

00:02:10.020 of the west

00:02:11.340 Maximian, his own father-in-law

00:02:13.820 Constantine got married to Maximian's daughter

00:02:17.440 Fauster and he tried to usurp Constantine but Constantine beat him in the field and then

00:02:22.220 had him executed so then there's only two in the west like there should be but then there was a war

00:02:27.760 between Constantine and Maxentius who was also Maximian's brother and his wife's sister it's a

00:02:34.520 bit incestuous isn't it um and Constantine had marched on Rome to defeat him the battle of the

00:02:40.300 Milvian bridge and he did beat him and then execute him so he's executed his own wife's

00:02:46.220 Father and brother now

00:02:47.560 She always stayed loyal to him

00:02:49.340 After she was married to him 1.00

00:02:51.020 She always picked his side and everything

00:02:52.400 So there's now only one ruler in the west

00:02:55.140 And it's Constantine

00:02:56.100 There's the whole east now isn't there

00:02:58.840 Which is a whole different kettle of fish 0.82

00:03:00.840 A whole new world to have to try and conquer

00:03:03.880 So let's continue our story

00:03:05.900 I should be reading from

00:03:07.520 Edward Gibbons 0.96

00:03:08.740 The Declined Fool of the Roman Empire 0.74

00:03:10.420 As always in this series

00:03:12.800 So let's pick up the story

00:03:14.800 Straight after Constantine had conquered Rome

00:03:17.980 And defeated Maxentius

00:03:20.000 Gibbon tells us this

00:03:21.600 Quote

00:03:22.020 In the use of victory

00:03:23.840 Constantine neither deserved the praise of clemency

00:03:26.760 Nor incurred the censure of immoderate vigour

00:03:30.040 He inflicted the same treatment

00:03:31.960 To which a defeat would have exposed his own person and family

00:03:35.660 I.e. he put to death the two sons of the tyrant

00:03:39.220 Maxentius, Maxentius had two sons

00:03:41.540 Would have been his wife's nephews 0.94

00:03:44.380 he had to put them to death, and carefully extirpated his whole race, the whole family. 0.98

00:03:51.420 The most distinguished adherents of Maxentius must have expected to share his fate, i.e. death, 0.59

00:03:57.240 as they had shared his prosperity and his crimes, but when the Roman people loudly demanded a

00:04:02.540 greater number of victims, the conqueror, Constantine, resisted, with firmness and

00:04:07.260 humanity, those servile clamors which were dictated by flattery as well as by resentment.

00:04:13.040 Informers were punished and discouraged

00:04:16.380 The innocent who had suffered under the late tyranny 1.00

00:04:19.240 Were recalled from exile and restored to their estates

00:04:23.000 A general act of oblivion quieted the Mayans 0.75

00:04:26.780 And settled the property of the people both in Italy and in Africa 0.60

00:04:31.360 Again we're just talking about North Africa there really

00:04:33.540 The first time that Constantine honoured the Senate with his presence

00:04:37.780 He recapitulated his own services and exploits in a modest oration

00:04:43.000 He assured that illustrious order of his sincere regard

00:04:47.200 And promised to establish his ancient dignity and privileges

00:04:51.580 In all but name

00:04:52.560 He's not bringing back the Republic

00:04:53.760 He's not going to give up the type of government 0.99

00:04:56.560 Which Diocletian had started 1.00

00:04:57.940 The Dominate

00:04:58.720 He's not going back to the Principate of Augustus

00:05:01.620 You know, pretending there's a Republic

00:05:03.640 And he's merely the first citizen

00:05:05.160 He's not going back to that

00:05:06.340 He is the Emperor

00:05:08.000 The true military absolute Emperor

00:05:10.920 But still he showed the senate respect

00:05:13.820 Its ancient dignity and privileges

00:05:16.260 The grateful senate repaid these unmeaning professions

00:05:20.440 By the empty titles of honour

00:05:23.180 Which it was yet in their power to bestow

00:05:25.600 And without presuming to ratify the authority of Constantine

00:05:30.060 They passed a decree to assign him the first rank

00:05:33.400 Among the three Augusti who governed the Roman world

00:05:36.880 That's not going to go down well with Licinius in the east is it

00:05:40.140 who considers himself the most senior Augusti. Games and festivals were instituted to preserve

00:05:48.000 the fame of his victory and several edifices raised at the expense of Maxentius were dedicated

00:05:54.360 to the honor of his successful rival. The triumphal arch of Constantine still remains a melancholy

00:06:01.040 proof of the decline of the arts and a singular testimony of the meanest vanity. And it's still

00:06:08.600 there to this day Gibbon writing at the end of the 18th century very end of the 18th century

00:06:12.200 and the Arch of Constantine is still in Rome today uh Gibbon throws a bit of shade on it doesn't he

00:06:17.480 there saying it's not that good as like a piece of art I think it's quite impressive okay he goes

00:06:23.280 on saying as it was not possible to find in the capital of the empire a sculptor who was capable

00:06:28.980 of adorning that public monument the Arch of Trajan without any respect either for his memory

00:06:35.240 or for the rules of propriety was stripped of its most elegant figures the difference of times and

00:06:41.460 persons of actions and characters was totally disregarded the Parthian captives appear prostrate

00:06:48.020 at the feet of a prince who never carried his arms beyond the Euphrates that's an interesting

00:06:53.040 thing to note they just took the things of Trajan's arch and put it on Constantine's even

00:06:56.380 though it doesn't make sense because of course Trajan had many and great adventures out in the

00:07:01.640 least Constantine never does that still and curious antiquarians like historians can still

00:07:08.440 discover the head of Trajan on the trophies of Constantine the new ornaments which it was

00:07:14.020 necessary to introduce between the vacancies of ancient sculpture are executed in the rudest

00:07:20.000 and most unskillful manner end quote it is interesting to note that the sculptures

00:07:25.600 and art that is genuinely contemporary with Constantine

00:07:31.260 is of a ruder and less skillful level than 200 years earlier,

00:07:37.520 300 years earlier.

00:07:39.100 It is more simplistic, more sort of stylized.

00:07:42.560 The higher point of Roman art, let's say, is very realistic,

00:07:48.100 very, very realistic in sort of the Grecian manner.

00:07:52.000 But when we see actual contemporary statues of Constantine,

00:07:55.140 They're more simplistic

00:07:56.900 Blatantly are

00:07:58.340 Okay, Gibbon continues saying this

00:07:59.980 The final abolition of the Praetorian guards

00:08:03.160 Was a measure of prudence

00:08:04.820 As well as of revenge

00:08:06.400 Most of them died on the field of battle

00:08:09.180 At the Milvian Bridge, but not all of them

00:08:10.820 Those haughty troops 0.92

00:08:12.280 Whose numbers and privileges had been restored

00:08:14.900 And even augmented by Maxentius

00:08:17.540 Were forever suppressed by Constantine

00:08:20.380 Their fortified camp was destroyed 1.00

00:08:22.480 And the few Praetorians

00:08:24.360 who had escaped the fury of the sword were dispersed among the legions and banished to

00:08:29.260 the frontiers of the empire where they might be serviceable without again becoming dangerous 0.98

00:08:33.880 it was about time the praetorian guard had been a pain in the ass as far as power politics is 0.96

00:08:39.740 concerned for a few hundred years here yeah it's prudent absolutely prudent by suppressing the 0.94

00:08:44.940 troops which were usually stationed in rome constantine gave the fatal blow to the dignity

00:08:49.960 Of the Senate and the people

00:08:51.220 A real power

00:08:52.480 That was their final straw of real power in Rome

00:08:55.600 Not the Senate, the Praetorian Guard

00:08:57.240 And now Rome is stripped of even that 0.99

00:08:58.920 And the disarmed capital was exposed 0.95

00:09:01.200 Without protection to the insults

00:09:03.620 Or neglect of its distant master

00:09:05.760 And if we look ahead 0.95

00:09:07.600 In history to barbarians 0.99

00:09:09.140 Yes, we may observe that 1.00

00:09:11.740 In this last effort to preserve

00:09:13.700 Their expiring freedom

00:09:15.220 The Romans, from the apprehension

00:09:17.520 Of a tribute, had raised

00:09:19.180 Maxentius to the throne he exacted that tribute from the same senate under the name of a free gift

00:09:25.260 remember Maxentius had done that he just started saying you the rich people of Rome basically the

00:09:31.480 rich families of Rome you should really be giving me gifts money gifts massive ones kind of all the

00:09:37.680 time I'll just make up new reasons why you should do somebody in my family's just had a baby or just

00:09:42.800 got married or it's the gods have said you need to give me more money now quote free gifts

00:09:49.100 They implored the assistance of Constantine

00:09:52.220 He vanquished the tyrant and converted the free gift into a perpetual tax

00:09:57.380 So out of the frying pan into the fire as far as they're concerned

00:10:00.500 Constantine cemented all of that into law if anything

00:10:04.120 The senators according to the declaration which was required of their property

00:10:09.040 Were divided into several classes

00:10:11.280 The most opulent paid annually eight pounds of gold

00:10:14.800 The next class paid four, the last two

00:10:17.940 and those whose property might have claimed an exemption were assessed, however, at seven pieces

00:10:23.580 of gold. Besides the regular members of the senate, their sons, their descendants and even

00:10:29.160 their relations enjoyed the vain privileges and supported the heavy burdens of the senatorial

00:10:35.440 order. Nor will it any longer excite our surprise that Constantine should be attentive to increase

00:10:41.440 the number of persons who were included under so useful a description. After the defeat of

00:10:47.480 Maxentius. The victorious emperor, Constantine, passed no more than two or three months in Rome,

00:10:53.320 which he visited twice during the remainder of his life, to celebrate the solemn festivals

00:10:58.340 of the 10th and the 20th years of his reign. Constantine was almost perpetually in motion

00:11:04.640 to exercise the legions or to inspect the state of the provinces. Treves, Milan, Aquila, Sirmium,

00:11:13.280 Nysus and Thessalonica were the occasional places of his residence till he founded a new Rome

00:11:19.900 on the confines of Europe and Asia that is of course Constantinople nowadays Istanbul

00:11:27.580 there was a settlement there an old settlement goes back to ancient times Greek times

00:11:32.120 or very near there anyway but Constantine founded the city of Constantinople as the name suggests

00:11:38.520 The city of Constantine, Constantinople

00:11:40.480 More on that later

00:11:41.680 Gibbon goes on saying this

00:11:43.540 Before Constantine marched into Italy

00:11:45.880 He had secured the friendship 0.57

00:11:47.620 Or at least the neutrality of Licinius

00:11:50.560 The Illyrian emperor

00:11:51.980 I mean he was from Illyria originally

00:11:53.360 But he was emperor of the whole of the eastern Roman world

00:11:55.640 He had promised his sister Constantia

00:11:58.280 In marriage to that prince

00:12:00.040 But the celebration of the nuptials

00:12:02.260 Was deferred to after the conclusion of the war

00:12:05.540 The war he was having with Maxentius

00:12:07.340 And the interview of the two emperors at Milan

00:12:10.740 Which was appointed for that purpose

00:12:12.800 Appeared to cement the union of their families and interests

00:12:16.100 In the midst of the public festivity

00:12:18.500 They were suddenly obliged to take leave of each other 0.72

00:12:21.660 An inroad of the Franks summoned Constantine to the Rhine

00:12:25.620 And the hostile approach of the sovereign of Asia, Persia 0.59

00:12:29.360 Demanded the immediate presence of Licinius in the east

00:12:32.980 Maximin, the other emperor in the east

00:12:35.740 Had been the secret ally of Maxentius

00:12:38.580 And without being discouraged by his fate

00:12:41.080 He resolved to try the fortune of civil war

00:12:44.180 Maximin in the east

00:12:45.680 Feel like he could take on Licinius

00:12:48.660 And maybe probably ultimately Constantine as well

00:12:51.920 Maximin fancies his chances

00:12:53.560 He'll team up with the locals

00:12:56.580 To try and get that done

00:12:58.260 So Licinius and Constantine

00:13:01.220 We're going to try and patch things up with a marriage

00:13:03.660 But in the middle of it

00:13:05.440 They were both drawn away to troubles on the frontiers

00:13:09.080 Gibbon says

00:13:10.100 He moved out of Syria, this is Maximin

00:13:12.980 He moved out of Syria towards the frontiers of Bithynia 0.92

00:13:16.280 In the depth of winter

00:13:17.740 The season was severe and tempestuous

00:13:20.440 Great numbers of men as well as of horses perished in the snow

00:13:24.240 And as the roads were broken up by incessant rains

00:13:27.520 He was obliged to leave behind him a considerable part of the heavy baggage

00:13:31.820 which was unable to follow the rapidity of his forced marches. By this extraordinary effort of

00:13:38.140 diligence he arrived with a harassed but formidable army on the banks of the Thracian Bosphorus

00:13:43.680 before the lieutenants of Licinius were apprised of his hostile intentions. Byzantium surrendered

00:13:50.360 to the power of Maximin after a siege of 11 days. Byzantium so where Constantinople is going to be

00:13:56.820 built as I said there's already an ancient settlement there it's just not a giant giant

00:14:00.980 City it's not sort of some sort of new Rome not a capital of the Roman world or anything but it is

00:14:06.140 in a strategically vital position anyway Byzantium as it was then surrendered to Maximin after a

00:14:13.820 siege of 11 days he was detained some days under the walls of Heraclea which is very nearby and he

00:14:19.420 had no sooner taken possession of that city than he was alarmed by the intelligence that Licinius

00:14:24.680 had pitched his camp at the distance of only 18 miles so we're going to have a showdown between

00:14:30.100 the two Roman emperors of the East, main ones. Maximilian and Licinius, they're going to go

00:14:35.520 head to head. After a fruitless negotiation in which the two princes attempted to seduce the

00:14:40.880 fidelity of each other's adherents, they had recalls to arms. The emperor of the East commanded

00:14:46.800 a disciplined and veteran army of about 70,000 men, and Licinius, who had collected about 30,000

00:14:54.220 Illyrians, was at first oppressed by the superiority of their numbers. His military skill and the

00:15:00.640 firmness of his troops restored the day and obtained a decisive victory. Licinius won.

00:15:07.120 The incredible speed which Maximin exerted in his flight after he lost the battle is much more

00:15:13.200 celebrated than his prowess in the battle. 24 hours afterwards he was seen pale, trembling and

00:15:19.640 without his imperial ornaments at Nicomedia, 160 miles from the place of his defeat. Like brave,

00:15:26.380 brave Sir Robin, he ran away. The wealth of Asia was yet unexhausted, and though the flower of his 0.99

00:15:32.360 veterans had fallen in the late action, he had still power, if he could obtain time, to draw very

00:15:38.960 numerous levies from Syria and Egypt. But he survived his misfortune of losing that battle

00:15:44.720 against Licinius for only three or four months longer his death which happened at Tarsus was

00:15:51.520 variously ascribed to despair to poison and to the divine justice either way Maximian is dead

00:15:59.040 loses a big battle to Licinius and is dead as Maximin was a like destitute of abilities and

00:16:05.420 of virtue he was lamented neither by the people nor by the soldiers the provinces of the east

00:16:11.360 Delivered from the terror of civil war

00:16:13.680 Cheerfully acknowledged the authority of Licinius

00:16:16.540 One less emperor on the board again now

00:16:19.160 We're down to three in total

00:16:21.300 Constantine in the west

00:16:22.480 Licinius in the east

00:16:24.580 And a more junior one in the east

00:16:26.640 Severus

00:16:27.180 So Gibbon tells us this

00:16:29.740 Saying

00:16:30.160 The vanquished emperor left behind him two children

00:16:33.200 A boy of about eight

00:16:34.720 And a girl of about seven years old

00:16:36.880 Their inoffensive age might have excited compassion

00:16:40.160 I mean they might have just been left alone because they're small children

00:16:42.800 But the compassion of Licinius was a very feeble resource

00:16:46.580 Nor did it restrain him from extinguishing the name and memory of his adversary

00:16:51.620 The death of Severus will admit of less excuse

00:16:54.940 As it was dictated neither by revenge nor by policy

00:16:58.860 The conqueror had never received any injury from the father of that unhappy youth

00:17:03.140 And the short and obscure reign of Severus in a distant part of the empire was already forgotten

00:17:09.380 But the execution of Candidianus was an act of the blackest cruelty and ingratitude 0.79

00:17:16.080 He was the natural son of Galerius

00:17:18.520 Remember Galerius, who had been ruler in the East before Licinius

00:17:22.600 And Licinius' benefactor and very, very close friend, even childhood friend

00:17:27.200 Galerius took over from, really basically took over from Diocletian as the main emperor in the Roman world

00:17:33.880 And after he'd gone, Licinius was considered

00:17:36.880 At least by him, or by most

00:17:38.580 To be the most senior Roman Emperor

00:17:41.280 Well, he also had some children 0.82

00:17:43.020 Galerius, well, kills them as well 0.95

00:17:44.980 And it's the blackest cruelty and ingratitude 1.00

00:17:47.380 He, this Candidianus 1.00

00:17:49.160 The natural son of Galerius

00:17:50.420 He was the natural son of Galerius

00:17:52.620 And friend and benefactor of Licinius

00:17:54.820 The prudent father had judged him too young

00:17:57.300 To sustain the weight of a diadem

00:17:59.580 A crown, an imperial crown

00:18:01.040 But he hoped that

00:18:02.540 Under the protection of princes

00:18:04.120 Who were indebted to his favour

00:18:05.940 For the imperial purple

00:18:07.460 Candidianus might pass a secure and honourable life 0.98

00:18:11.100 Well that was a miscalculation

00:18:12.620 He was now advancing towards the 20th year of his age

00:18:15.860 So not a child anymore 1.00

00:18:17.120 This Candidianus 0.99

00:18:18.180 And the royalty of his birth

00:18:20.420 Though unsupported either by merit or ambition

00:18:23.960 Was sufficient to exasperate the jealous mind of Licinius

00:18:27.880 To these innocent and illustrious victims of his tyranny

00:18:31.120 we must add the wife and daughter of the emperor Diocletian, who was still alive. When that prince

00:18:37.280 conferred on Galerius the title of Caesar, he had given him in marriage to his daughter Valeria,

00:18:43.140 whose melancholy adventures might furnish a very singular subject for tragedy. She had fulfilled

00:18:48.680 and even surpassed the duties of a wife. As she had not any children herself, she condescended 0.99

00:18:54.600 to adopt the illegitimate son of her husband, and invariably displayed towards the unhappy 0.64

00:19:00.220 Candidianus the tenderness and anxiety of a real mother after the death of Galerius her ample 0.86

00:19:06.520 possessions provoked the avarice greed and her personal attractions excited the desires of his

00:19:13.920 successor Maximin he had a wife still alive but divorce was permitted by the Roman law and the

00:19:20.500 fierce passions of the tyrant demanded an immediate gratification the answer of Valeria was such as

00:19:26.960 became the daughter and widow of emperors, but it was tempered by the prudence which her defenceless 0.99

00:19:32.500 condition compelled her to observe. She represented to the persons whom Maximian had employed on this

00:19:38.540 occasion, quote, that even if honour could permit a woman of her character and dignity to entertain

00:19:44.420 a thought of second nuptials, decency at least must forbid her to listen to his addresses at a time

00:19:51.000 when the ashes of her husband and his benefactor were still warm, while the sorrows of her mind

00:19:56.760 were still expressed by her mourning garments. She ventured to declare that she could place very

00:20:02.420 little confidence in the professions of a man whose cruel inconsistency was capable of repudiating a

00:20:09.180 faithful and affectionate wife. So she says no. On this repulse the love of Maximin was converted

00:20:15.540 into fury and as witness and judges were always at his disposal it was easy for him to cover his

00:20:22.300 fury with an appearance of legal proceedings and to assault the repudiation as well as the

00:20:28.460 happiness of valeria her estates were confiscated her eunuchs and domestics devoted to the most 0.69

00:20:35.040 inhuman tortures and several innocent and respectable matrons who were honored with

00:20:40.500 her friendship suffered death on a false accusation of adultery the empress herself

00:20:45.260 together with her mother prisca was condemned to exile and as they were ignominiously hurried

00:20:51.540 from place to place before they were confined to a sequestered village in the deserts of Syria

00:20:57.200 they exposed their shame and distress to the provinces of the east which during 30 years

00:21:02.920 had respected their august dignity Diocletian like the the retired Diocletian she spent many

00:21:09.860 many years in retirement the retired Diocletian made several ineffectual efforts to alleviate

00:21:15.340 The misfortunes of his daughter

00:21:16.940 And as the last return

00:21:19.100 That he expected for the imperial purple

00:21:21.560 Which he had conferred upon Maximin

00:21:23.680 He entreated that Valerian

00:21:25.940 Might be permitted to share his retirement

00:21:28.060 At Salona

00:21:28.940 And to close his eyes to her afflicted father

00:21:32.420 He entreated

00:21:33.740 But as he could no longer threaten

00:21:35.860 His prayers were received

00:21:37.660 With coldness and disdain 0.61

00:21:39.100 And the pride of Maximin 0.67

00:21:41.140 Was gratified in treating 0.99

00:21:43.440 Diocletian as a suppliant 0.99

00:21:45.040 and his daughter as a criminal. We hope you enjoyed that video and if you did 0.99

00:21:50.020 please head over to lotusseaters.com for the full unabridged video.

The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters - September 06, 2026

PREVIEW： Epochs #279 ｜ Constantine - Part 4

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