Chapter 13: Resignation

The return journey to Nicomedia was the most prolonged
ofConstantine's career under Diocletian. The emperor exhausted
himself putting on a show for the troops as he personally
inspected the Danube frontier. Somewhere, he contracted an
illness and began limiting his public appearances to a bare
minimum. They traveled in slow intervals, in order to give the
emperor ample rest. Regardless, Diocletian's condition worsened
and the convoy was slowed almost to a standstill for many days.
By the time they reached Nicomedia on 28 August AD 304,
Diocletian's health had completely collapsed.

In Nicomedia, Constantine offered sacrifices to the
pantheon to restore his emperor to health. Family and officials
prayed constantly, in hopes that Diocletian would regain his
strength through some miracle. Days turned into weeks and then
months went by with no improvement in his condition. The
emperor barely managed to make a public appearance in
November to dedicate a circus maximus at court. It was an
appearance that he should have avoided, because being exposed
to the elements that day almost killed him. Members of the court
wept, as a rumor circulated that he had passed away.
Constantine was not permitted to see the emperor and
stayed with the others, waiting in vain to hear of his condition.
He decided to change the atmosphere outside the palace by
claiming the contrary.

"The Lord Caesar Augustus is alive and well tending to
imperial business."

"How do you know?" a voice asked from the crowd.
"That is a blatant lie," another person shouted.
"It is God's will that he perish," a third voice said.
"Whoever you are step forward if you dare," Constantine
said.

An elderly man with white hair and a belly courageously
stepped forward. It was no secret that the Christians saw the
emperor's deteriorating health as a direct result of his policies
towards them. This man was one of those Christians.

"It is God's will that he suffer," the man said vehemently.
"It is apparent that you are no stranger to punishment,"
said Constantine, offended by his comment. "You can be ordered
killed for the words you speak!"

"We have long been condemned to death by the emperor
and now it is he who receives the fruits of condemnation."
Constantine approached the man, hurling his cloak angrily
onto the ground. Another voice sprang from the crowd. "It is
true! Since the edict was issued, the luck of the emperor has
vanished."

Constantine, accompanied by soldiers, surveyed the crowd
in search of a face to match the voice.

A female voice from behind them echoed in the crowd.
"He has been touched by the hand of God for his sins
against his people. His only salvation is to abolish the edict and
repent before it is too late."

"How is he to repent when he is already dead?" another
shouted from the crowd.

"I will say this for a last time and then I shall place those
who are suspected of thinking or speaking otherwise under
arrest. The emperor lives and will continue to do so until his
ninth term has come to an end."

The throng dispersed after Constantine's last comment, the
only public attempt to destroy the circulating rumor. Constantine
saw the parallel between the emperor's persecutions and the bad
luck that had followed. He kept these thoughts to himself, but
had his notions reaffirmed by the courageous voices in the
throng.

The commotion gradually subsided and people grew
accustomed to the emperor not appearing. Through the glances
of the emperor's wife, and word within the palace, Constantine
received inklings that Diocletian was bedridden, but alive. There
were no drastic changes in Diocletian's policies and the laws that
he had promulgated continued to be enforced by officials and
soldiers. The people in Nicomedia tended to business as usual,
but with an unanswered question about the emperor in the back
of their minds.

By late February, AD 305, the streets were ordered cleared
and decorative banners were hung throughout the city. The
public was informed through these acts that some momentous
event was about to take place, and that the emperor himself was
to be an active participant. Senators came from Rome.
Representatives from legions throughout the empire arrived in
Nicomedia. Then, lastly, came Galerius, amid a pompous display
of his generals and officials, who trotted through the city like
autocrats with gold breastplates on their groomed and beautiful
horses.

The arrival of Galerius was unsettling for Constantine.
His access to the imperial chambers was limited and he could not
observe the talks that lasted several days between the emperor

and his subordinate. Galerius did not even permit the servants to
enter the emperor's bedchamber at that time.

Constantine was with Cassius outside the palace when he
heard the Caesar's voice. They ceased their conversation and
instantly knelt.

"You, boy, come here," Galerius said, although
Constantine was thirty-one years of age.

"Yes, Lord Caesar," he responded as he approached.

"Locate the roaming officials in the city and tell them the
news."

"Sir?"

"That tomorrow at noon the emperor wishes to address a
formal assembly at the mount in Bythinia where he was
proclaimed emperor."

"As you wish," he said, bowing then taking a step away.

"Your friend there is not to be present. In fact, if you
invite anyone who is not officially attached to this court, I will
see to it that you are punished for your actions in front of the
attendees. Twenty lashes for each mistake."

"Yes, sir." He grabbed Cassius by the arm and spoke to
him in a quiet voice. "Help me here old friend."

They walked silently out of the confines of the palace and
into the town where it was safe to talk.

"Constantine, it is you. Diocletian will step down from the
throne and elect you to take his place."

"That's nonsense."

"Who else has he to enforce his policies. You are the most
likely candidate. Congratulations, old friend."

"Ah, we will see. As for now, give me some assistance."

"Sure. What do you want me to do?"

"Just do as I do." Constantine approached a man whose
flamboyant dress hinted he was a provincial governor.

"Excuse me, sir. I have been notified that you are to report
to the Caesar Galerius immediately, to discuss your
qualifications to attend the emperor's assembly tomorrow."

The man nodded and excused himself to make his way to
the palace. Constantine had outsmarted Galerius again, by
directing everyone to him, so he would have to decide who was
officially invited to the assembly.

White-capped peaks touched tattered clouds off in the
distance, viewed from a vantage point on top of the hill. To the
west was a contingent of officials coming from the outskirts of
Nicomedia. At the tail end of the procession was a golden litter
carrying the emperor.

Animals were sacrificed to the gods by the haruspices as
officials took their places. The emperor, carried by men under
Constantine's order, gradually made the climb to the top. The
hillside was silent. Galerius, representatives of various legions,
senators, and other officials, looked on in desperate impatience
for the emperor to exit his litter.

The emperor needed their help to adjust his balance at
first, but then he walked steadily. Everyone knelt in respect, and
the army surrounding the assembly hailed their emperor. The
trumpets were heard as far as Nicomedia.

Diocletion was almost unrecognizable to his comrades,
since his illness had discolored his skin and added years to his
appearance. He stood beside a grand column holding a statue of
his patron deity Jupiter and surveyed the assembly. He wore no
gold rings, bracelets, extravagant breastplates, or flamboyant
togas from the east. It had been months since he had stopped
wearing his popular and unique white silk diadem. On this day,
he dressed as a Roman commander, without the armor, but
wearing the purple cloak. He stood on the same hill where he had
been officially promoted from the bodyguard of the emperor to
Lord Caesar Augustus. He was standing in the exact spot where
he had personally executed the old praetorian prefect, Aper. It
was a place of poetic significance for him—possibly the only

place where Diocletian would willingly relinquish the imperial
purple.

Glimmers in his bloodshot eyes were hidden tears,
apparent to Constantine who stood beside him, and to Galerius
who stood with Maximinus across the way. The rest of the
assembly saw a frail man, who had once been perceived as
immortal.

In a shaky, raspy voice he addressed the assembly. "I
wanted to thank you all for your service under me. Every one of
you knows why you have been requested to attend this assembly
here today." Diocletian coughed a whooping cough.

Constantine and a bodyguard helped him to drink water
from his chalice.

"As I was saying, for over twenty years, I have worked
night and day to turn a failing empire into something great once
again. It is now apparent that my efforts have been successful
and the Roman Empire reigns supreme."

The audience applauded as Diocletian drank from his
chalice.

"However I did not request your presence here today to
boast of my achievements or to point out things you cannot see.
Instead, I summoned you to tell you about my ill-health."

The solemn assembly listened attentively as tears rolled
down the emperor's face.

"For months I have fought a war with an illness that has
become my toughest foe. I have been bedridden and several
times near death. The war has taken a toll. I am fatigued and
cannot recuperate to fight this illness with all my strength." He
wiped the tears from his face.

The audience listened, waiting to hear what was in store.

"It would be irresponsible for me to continue this way and
jeopardize what we have worked to build through the years.
Therefore, I have no other choice but to resign the empire into
more capable hands. I take pride in the contributions I and you
have made during my reign. If the gods permitted me the chance
to do it all again, I wouldn't change anything."

The assembly applauded, some brought to tears by the
emperor's words.

"Now, without further ado, I will reveal my successors."

The assembly watched Constantine standing beside the
emperor, expecting him to be one of Diocletian's primary
choices.

Constantine himself was convinced by their stares, so
much so that his hands became clammy and his heart raced from
nervousness.

"Herculius Severus and lovius Maximinus."

The assembly was shocked by his choices but spoke no
words in opposition.

Constantine's dreams were crushed in an instant. He felt
betrayal, anger, and hopelessness as he glanced at the grinning
Caesar, who obviously had had a hand in the decision.

Standing there in shock, contemplating the countless
selfless efforts he had performed for the emperor and his empire,
appeared to be in vain. Galerius shoved him out of the way and
presented a stranger to the audience, who were even more
bewildered than Constantine by Maximinus' appearance.

Without saying a word, Diocletian invested Maximinius
with his own imperial purple cloak. The assembly looked on as
his head remained lowered. Galerius and the new Caesar were
the only ones smiling as Diocletian once again became Diodes.
Somehow, Diocletian mustered the strength to mount a
centurion's horse and gallop away to Nicomedia without a single
escort.

"Gentlemen, members of the imperial courts, soldiers,"
Galerius began. "I feel that I must clarify these changes in the
imperial college, so that there is no question of whose orders you
will follow." Such a bold statement to a mass audience of
powerful people was not wise on the part of Galerius. However,
it didn't matter because no one dared to disagree with him.

"At this very moment, in Milan, Severus is receiving the
cloak of Maximian, who will retire much like our former
emperor. My colleague Constantius will be the reigning Senior

Augustus and receive Maximian's domain west of Gaul,
including Iberia. I will add this province of Asia to my domain.
The territory from Antioch to Alexandria will be the domain of
Maximinus. The senior Caesar will receive the remaining
territories (the prefecture of Italy). The former Augusti will
retain honorary titles need be their future services."

It was too late at that point for anyone person to object. If
the assembly could have acted as body and rebelled, Galerius
could have been overthrown. However, not a soul dared,
realizing that Galerius had sealed their fate.

"Let us be triumphant in this new restructuring. With your
support, duty, and labor, we will be even more prosperous during
the ensuing twenty years."

The imperial bodyguards escorted Galerius and
Maximinus from the hill. The assembly dispersed and made their
way to Nicomedia, where they would gather their supplies and
immediately depart to their separate regions.

Diodes prepared his necessities and had them loaded by
his remaining guards. His wife and daughter entered the liter as
he climbed into his chariot. Accompanied by a dozen men, they
exited through the streets of Nicomedia for the last time. The
road to Salona in Dalmatia, where Diocletian intended to live out
the rest of his days in peace, was the path he chose to take.

Galerius had reached the zenith of his triumph as emperor.
He had done away with the old emperors and secured his place in
their stead. He had two Caesars at his beck and call, whom he
could control like puppets to enforce his policies. The entire
empire was at his disposal, all but the area beyond the Alps.

Constantius retained his position and although his status
was automatically promoted to Senior Augustus, Galerius would
ultimately attempt to seize control of it and his domain.
Constantius was aware of the circumstances of the emperor's
resignation and played his hand cautiously, so as not to provide
Galerius with any opportunity to remove him from the imperial
college. The new senior Augustus merely kept a policy of
silence. It would be impossible to challenge Galerius and resort

to an open conflict that would destroy his work under Diocletian
and plunge the Roman Empire into turmoil. Galerius had
strategically positioned himself for a takeover and Constantius
could only wait patiently for his next move. In the meantime he
would tend to duties as usual by enforcing security along the
frontiers of his remote domain.

Constantine awaited his father, hoping he would find a
way to save him from the court of Galerius where he was forced
to stay. With Diodes gone, Constantine was imperiled by the
deviant actions of Galerius. Constantine's regiment, headed by
Licinius, was disbanded and its soldiers sent to various regions
of the empire to serve Severus and Maximinus. Constantine's
only remaining confidant was Cassius, whom Galerius permitted
to remain while he plotted the downfall of both men.