Tetrarchy and Constantine
A Tetrarchy is a form of government in which power is split among four rulers. This is an uncommon form of government that has rarely been used throughout history. The Roman emperor Diocletian was responsible for creating a Tetrarchy that lasted from 293 until 313. The creation of this Tetrarchy marked the conclusion of the Crisis of the Third Century. It is from this point that the Roman Empire began to recover. Constantine, also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor who was given the title Augustus by his soldiers in the year 306, and he ruled the Roman Empire until he died. Constantine is well known for the Edict of Milan that he presented in 313. The Edict of Milan was responsible for making Christianity a legal religion throughout the land. |  |
This is one of the most important historical factors that led to the spread of the Christian religion. Constantine gained a reputation for being the first Christian emperor. However, modern historians have continued to debate how faithful he was to this religion. There is a large amount of evidence which suggests that Constantine continued to give his loyalty to paganism, and he was not baptized until just before he died. Constantine was born the son of a Roman general. His mother was only 16 years old at the time of his birth. As a young boy, Constantine was present in the court of the Emperor Diocletian.
His father was appointed to the rank of caesares, or "junior emperor," in the year 293. This made him a part of the Tetrarchy. A number of historians have described Constantine's rise to power as being dubious. Those who promoted him choose not to follow the line of succession that had been created in the year 305. Constantine made a request to Galerius to allow him to become heir. He was granted his wish, and he was able to rule over the territory of his father. He shared the empire with Severus. The portions of the empire that Constantine controlled were Spain, Gaul, Britain, and the Germanic provinces. While Gaul was a rich land, it was heavily damaged due to constant warfare. Constantine worked hard to improve it.
As he worked to improve Gaul and the areas near the Rhine, he spent a great deal of time at Trier. Once he became emperor, Constantine abandoned the British campaigns of his father. Instead, he went to Gaul to deal with a rebellion that was caused by the Franks. As emperor, Constantine promoted stability, and he was brutal to those who opposed him.
Original Authors: Stephen Palmer
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 30/01/2007
