Conference of Carnuntum

of Constantius I|left Since March 293, the Roman Empire had been governed by four tetrarchs, a set of two augusti (emperors) and two caesares (heirs) for each of the western and eastern portions. On 1 May 305, the augusti Diocletian (r. 284–305) and Maximian (r. 285–305) voluntarily abdicated and their caesares Constantius (r. 293–306) and Galerius (r. 293–311) were elevated to the western and eastern augustal position respectively, while Severus II (r. 305–307) and Maximinus Daza (r. 305–313) would become the western and eastern caesares, respectively. Constantius died at Eboracum (present-day York, England) on 25 July 306, and his soldiers acclaimed his son Constantine (r. 306–337) as his successor. However, as per the arrangement of the prevailing Tetrarchy, Galerius elevated Severus II (r. 305–307) as the new augustus of the West in opposition to Constantine. After some diplomatic discussions, Galerius relegated Constantine to the position of caesar, which he accepted, thus allowing Severus to assume his position. Maxentius (r. 306–312), son of Maximian, was jealous of Constantine's elevation, and during a riot over capitation tax in Rome, a cohort of praetorian guards acclaimed him emperor on 28 October 306, though at first he styled himself princeps invictus ("undefeated prince"), in the hope of obtaining recognition of his reign by the senior emperor Galerius. Then, uncomfortable with sole leadership, Maxentius sent a set of imperial robes to Maximian and saluted him as "augustus for the second time", offering him theoretical equal rule but less actual power and a lower rank. By 307, both had suffered invasions. The first by Severus II, who surrendered to Maximian, after which Maxentius publicly assumed the style of augustus, and then by Galerius himself, who ultimately decided to withdraw. In 308, likely in April, Maximian fled Italy in disgrace after an unsuccessful attempt to depose his son, eventually making his way to Constantine's court in Gaul. Aware of the situation in the west, Galerius decided to organize a conference, and Maximian pinned his hopes for re-ascension on it. == Conference ==

built by Galerius, Diocletian and Maximian at the conference on behalf of all the emperors. Carnuntum Museum On 11 November 308, Galerius convened the Conference of Carnuntum (now Petronell-Carnuntum, Austria) to try to stabilize the situation in the western provinces. Present at the conference were the retired emperor Diocletian, who briefly returned to public life, Galerius, and Maximian. At the conference, Maximian was forced to abdicate again, and Constantine was re-relegated to his former position as caesar. Finally, the augusti present rebuilt the Mithraeum of Carnuntum and dedicated it to the absent caesares (Constantine and Maximinus Daza) and themselves: For the scholar A. L. Frothingham, considering that by the fourth century the cult of Mithras and the Sol Invictus was on the rise, it is not surprising that a dedication was made to these gods in the name of the emperors. According to him, this could be interpreted as a symbolic handing over of the state to these gods, who from that moment on would have the mission to guard it and prevent it from returning to the Crisis of the Third Century. File:Diocletian medallion (obverse).jpg|Medallion of Diocletian, 303 File:Aureus of Maximian (obverse).jpg|Aureus of Maximian, c. 294 File:Galeriuscng90030228obverse.jpg|Argenteus of Galerius, c. 306 File:Rare aureus of Licinius I (obverse).jpg|Solidus of Licinius, c. 312 File:Maximinus Caesar (obverse).jpg|Aureus of Maximinus II, 313 File:Aureus of Constantine I as Caesar.jpg|Solidus of Constantine I, 307 == Consequences ==

of Maxentius (r. 306–312) issued in Ticino c. 307–308 The new system would not last long: Constantine refused to accept his relegation and continued to portray himself as augustus on his coinage, even though the other members of the Tetrarchy referred to him as caesar. Maximinus Daza, frustrated at being disregarded in favor of Licinius, demanded that Galerius promote him as well. Galerius offered to call both Maximinus and Constantine filii augustorum ("sons of the augustus", sing. filius augustī), a title they both refused. Between late 309 and the spring of 310, Galerius relented and made each an augustus, bringing the number of full augusti to five; Maxentius had retained the title undisturbed, as Licinius contented himself with addressing internal problems and barbarian incursions in his own provinces. The following year, Maxentius, calling for revenge for his father's death, declared war on Constantine, who responded with an invasion of northern Italy in 312. Galerius died in the same year and the Eastern Roman Empire was divided between Maximinus and Licinius. The two signed a peace agreement, but abandoned it in 313 and commenced civil war. == See also ==