Chapter 23: Maximian's Plight

"What the emperor demands, the subjects will provide!"
The reverberation of Maximian's words could be heard through
the palace.

"This is the way of old. The tyrants of the past practiced
what you preach," Constantine calmly added.

Fausta brought a tray with two chalices containing warm
liquid. Constantine sipped from one of them. His temperamental
father-in-law was trying his patience and to direct his attention to
something else, such as a drink, was wise of him.

"For twenty years I ruled with an iron scepter. I pushed for
that which was best for the empire. Those who opposed me were
crushed under my feet. Those who supported me were praised
and hailed for their efforts. Individual subjects are ignorant of
what benefits the masses."

"However," Constantine interrupted, "the individual
subjects make up the masses. A trend begins with an individual
and then becomes desired by the group. What is desired by the
group eventually is craved by the populace."

"No, no, no. We cannot allow the citizens to determine
their fate."

"It is they who make up the empire!"

"Regardless. We, who breathe politics in theory and
practice, know what is best. Therefore it is a powerful ruler who
is confident in his ability and promotes a policy, through
bloodshed if necessary, until the populace adheres to it."

"I am not saying that an emperor is to be swayed by
various opinions. What I am saying is that one must have a keen
sense of the major wants and needs of the populace. The trick is
to know what is in demand, and what is not."

"Constantine, I am extremely disappointed in you. I
thought that when I made an alliance with you, we could rule
conjointly and take over the empire. Instead, you give me no real
power."

"At the congress you resigned."

"I know what I did!"

"So then you wish to rule through me. You wish me to be
what Licinius is to Galerius?"

"No!"

"Then what? What is it that I am doing that you would do
differently?"

"You waste your time fighting tribes and campaigns that
drain the treasury. If it is war you want, it should be against
Galerius."

"For your information, you are incorrect in assuming that
combat on these frontiers is not a priority. It trains my army to
fight more efficiently, and the expense is relatively low. As for
the matter of Galerius, he has acknowledged me as Augustus.
With Galerius, Licinius, Maximinius, and myself as the fourth,
Diocletian's system of the terarchy has been completely
dissolved and with it, Galerius' chance of ever gaining the
control he wished to have. Why should I wage war against
Galerius? What a waste that would be! Maximinius is still full of
scorn for Galerius' promoting of Licinius over him. He also has

foreign threats that have kept him preoccupied. Therefore,
Galerius is not a priority, nor a problem."

"I give you guidance and you do everything to justify your
actions. Today you have told me that I am nothing more than a
common man!" Maximian slammed the chalice on the ground
and the warm liquid splashed onto Constantine. "I must get air
before your words disappoint me further and I do something I
regret."

Maximian marched out of the room, pushing to the ground
a chamberlain who had accidentally walked into his path. Fausta
gathered the broken pieces of the chalice as Constantine sat
motionless in his chair. A few maidservants joined her and
cleaned up the mess in moments.

"Leave us," commanded Constantine.

Fausta sat in the burgundy seat still warm from her father.
"Forgive him, Constantine. He misses the glory, the excitement
of being emperor."

"Don't defend him. For six seasons, I have dealt with his
disrespectful speech and his unbearable temperament. It is no
wonder that his own son expelled him from his domain. Day in
and day out, I hear his complaints—his dislikes of my policies,
my imperial staff, the army, on and on."

"Please, Constantine. You are right. He does have a
temper. But he is old and a man of strength. He is passionate.
This quality in him cannot be criticized."

"It can when he insults me and everything I stand for. He
speaks his mind about me publicly. Soon he will try to humiliate
me as he did Maxentius."

"Oh, do not be so rash. Regardless of what my father says,
he admires you. There is a deep respect in his heart for you and
what you have done for your people."

Constantine slammed his fist into his open hand. "I say not
to defend him!"

"How can I not? He is my father. He is your father."

"Well, our father is pushing my temper to its limit."
Constantine stood abruptly, but remained silent. His facial

expression eased, he had found a solution. "I need some time
away."

"Please don't go."

"I must." Constantine swung his purple cloak over his
shoulder. "I will join my army on the frontier. I will leave
immediately. Watch Crispus while I'm gone."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know. I will write you," he said, leaving the room.

Constantine was en route for the army on the frontiers
shortly after declaring his intentions to his wife. His supplies had
been nearly prepared for him prior to his discussion with
Maximian. It was inevitable that he would leave, for the
battlefield called to him. Nonetheless, Maximian's offensive
behavior was by no means just an excuse to escape the monotony
associated with daily palace life. Indeed Constantine was
adventurous; yet he treasured every moment he could stay near
his family.

His second family, the army, was in triumph without him
on the frontiers. He had expanded his elite force to include the
most capable members of his regular army. The experts who had
once been organized under Constantius had taught the other
soldiers the specifics and trained them to be their equals.
Experience and practice had been gained by the numerous
conflicts that erupted with barbarian tribes along the frontiers.
Never in so many years had the threat of a barbarian invasion in
Gaul been so minimal.

Their success escalated and Constantine expanded across
the Rhine opposite Cologne. He sent letters to his wife, child,
Cassius, and occasionally Maximian, to notify them of his
position and his accomplishments. Then, abruptly the letters
stopped. He was far into the hinterland and enemy soldiers cut
off his messengers and the postal road itself. For months, he had

sent detailed accounts of his strategy and life in the field, and
then his messages suddenly stopped arriving.

The weeks passed by and the atmosphere surrounding the
family and the officials at the palace was one of disarray. Cassius
repeatedly reassured Fausta that Constantine was safe. No one at
court knew what misfortunes Constantine and his army actually
encountered. Scouts and messengers were sent to search for him,
only to disappear as had Constantine and his elite army.

Maximian took the liberty of calling a general assembly of
troops and officials outside of the palace. The army formed
echelons and greeted Maximian with an emperor's welcome,
saluting as he took to his position overlooking the assembly. He
wore the attire of an active emperor. He did not wear the purple
cloak on his back, but it was blowing in the wind on the stone
adjacent where he stood.

"Prepare your hearts, for I have news of sorrow to report.
Your emperor Constantine has vanished. It has become ever
clearer that he has been lost in the forests north of the Rhine. The
absence of his word and presence, which has continued for many
moons, provides ample evidence that your emperor is lost, or
dead!"

The assembly gasped. They did not want to believe it; yet
at one time or another, the thought had crossed their minds
without anyone voicing it. Some soldiers and officials wept.
Others were immersed in thought about future plans. Whatever
the reaction, everyone was saddened by the news.

Cassius laughed at the comment that Constantine could be
lost. It was he who had been at his side when they once traveled
from Asia Minor to Britain. Constantine was an expert in
navigation, and for him to have been lost was extremely unlikely.
However, Cassius had no tangible answers to offer about
Constantine's mysterious disappearance, and to openly rebuke

Maximian in this crisis could prove fatal. He cautiously held his
tongue.

"I will wear the imperial purple unless objections are
raised." Maximian scanned the assembly with smarting eyes.

The people clung to the only thing they had, a tyrant to
lead them.

Maximian slid the purple cloth under his dual broaches
and draped the imperial purple cloak over his own shoulders. No
objections were raised and no opinions heard. Maximian was for
the third time an emperor.

Cassius kept his distance, but surveyed every move
Maximian made. He observed that the first order of business was
for the self-appointed emperor to seize the imperial treasury,
which contained the spoils and tax collection of Gaul. Maximian
gathered a portion of it and called a conference for the officers of
the remaining army. Cassius and the advisors of Constantine's
regime were naturally not invited to participate in the
discussions.

Behind closed doors, Maximian further persuaded the
army officers to follow his lead and take action in this pressing
emergency. When words didn't convince them, money did.
Maximian quickly secured a fighting force that was to be at his
beck and call. The private doors opened and the officers rushed
to their units. Cassius observed them preparing for a journey.

He continued to follow Maximian and note his actions,
which grew increasingly suspicious. Cassius even went as far as
sneaking into Maximian's private quarters, where he hid behind
the drapes. He watched as Maximian wrote a letter to Maxentius
that described the sudden change of events. He called for the
guard to send a messenger. The man came as requested and stood
at attention until Maximian sealed the letter.

"Make haste and deliver this to the hand of Maxentius in
Rome." From a satchel he scattered a number of other
documents, all prepared to be delivered as well. "First take these
orders to the surrounding garrisons."

Without a second thought the messenger rushed from the
room and to the stables. Maximian gathered supplies from his
bedchamber and headed to the kitchen. This allowed Cassius an
opportunity to leave his room undetected. His work was cut out
for him as he knew he had to hurry to save all that was
Constantine's.

Cassius ran through the palace until he found
Constantine's advisors. He notified them of Maximian's plans
and ordered that vessels be sent with him to Chalon. They
discretely obeyed his request and organized a crew to prepare for
a speedy journey. It would be several days before Maximian and
the army would be able to leave from Aries, yet Cassius wasn't
sure exactly which route would take him to Constantine in time.

In traveling by water, Cassius bypassed the ambush site
that had claimed several lives on the postal road. In a shorter
time than he had expected, he galloped his horse through the
Salone valley and across to the Rhine. He spotted Constantine's
army as they headed toward him en route for Aries.

Upon seeing Cassius, Constantine knew instantly that
something had gone terribly wrong. "Is Crispus all right?" He
gazed at Cassius for an answer.

"Yes, it isn't Crispus. Just the whole of the empire." He
huffed air into his tired lungs.

"What? I don't understand."

"No letters have been received by you for some time.
Maximian called a general assembly and claimed that you were
dead or lost. He seized the imperial treasury and paid the officers
of the army there to follow him on an expedition."

"An expedition where?"

"He dispatched a messenger to Rome in order to notify
Maxentius of his status. A calculated guess would be Rome."

"Let's go everyone! Pick up your pace!" he screamed to
his army.

The word traveled down the line as the fit and well-trained
troops made excellent time.

"Tell me a fleet awaits us at Chalon."

"Of course, it does."

"You came through again, old friend."

They sped through the land and crossed the Rhine. It
wasn't long before they reached the fleet that awaited them.
Leaving their siege engines behind they loaded horses, light
artillery and themselves, speedily departing en route for Aries.
Cassius was unsure if Maximian had left, or if he still remained
at court. The army sensed the urgency of the situation, and
relieved the fatigued oarsmen of their duties. They substituted
their own capable bodies and rowed through the river with all
speed. They threw their back into their work and relaxed when
they finally came to the Rhone, which glided their vessels
downstream to the palace.

The army quickly disembarked and began unloading
whatever supplies they had. Advisors paid their respects and
showed their relief upon witnessing the return ofConstantine.

He went to them. "Where is Maximian?"

The advisors glanced at each other, hesitant to speak.

"How far ahead is he?"

"One day's ride, perhaps."

"I fear he is aware of your pursuit," said another advisor.
"A few scouts departed upon seeing your fleet."

Constantine turned to his troops and shouted. "Take only
the essentials. Leave the rest behind."

He waved Cassius over who held a map in his hands. "I
was glancing over the terrain—trying to figure out which route he
took."

Constantine snatched the map from his hands. "If I were
Maximian and I was anticipating the approach of a mobile army,
I would take my slow and tediously large army to Marseilles,

where I could hold off my opponents until I received
reinforcements from my son."

"You know him too well."

Without so much as greeting his family, Constantine
departed. Having taken fresh horses and light carts from court
surely helped in their pursuit. Nevertheless, by the end of the
journey, the horses were fatigued and the carts were falling to
pieces from their destructive ride. Marseilles was in sight, as was
Maximian who stood atop the fortress walls gazing in horror at
Constantine's swift return.

Constantine's elite force aggressively stormed the fortress
walls. Unfortunately their ladders were too short and, without
proper siege engines, Constantine could not break through the
walls. He planned on building new artillery that may have taken
up to three days to make. By the time he would have the
necessary equipment to capture Maximian, Maxentius could
have his army present to crush his elite force. Constantine paced
about in hopes of discovering a solution to the problem.

Suddenly the gates were opened from within and the pursued
army formed echelons to invite Constantine's arrival. Held apart
from the troops was Maximian who was squirming as two high
ranking officers held him in custody. Upon seeing him,
Constantine turned his back and walked out of the city. The men
that Maximian had led astray piled money at his feet, which they
had received from Maximian for their services.

Maximian had greatly underestimated the loyalty that
Constantine's troops had for their emperor. They were unlike the
soldiers from Rome whose hearts were a magnet for money.
Instead, the troops under Constantine, regular infantry, elite
battalions, and reserves alike, had hearts sincerely filled with the
duty to serve their emperor. They had believed the story that
Constantine had been lost or killed in the outer reaches of Gaul.
For this reason, they had followed Maximian and for this reason,
they had turned on him when they saw Constantine.

"Unhand him at once," commanded Constantine, grateful
for their efforts regardless of his tone. He escorted Maximian to a

dappled gray horse that he rode alongside Constantine and
several bodyguards. Had he been any other man, Maximian
would have been sent to the prison immediately, or placed under
the sword. Because he was Constantine's father-in-law, he was
permitted to defend himself by telling his side of the story. By
the time they had reached the court at Aries, Maximian had
explained himself thoroughly and apologized for any problems
he might have created.

They entered the palace and Constantine was alone with
Maximian at last. "I believe that it was simply an act of
goodwill."

"I knew you would see it my way," Maximian said with a
relieved grin.

"I have no choice but to believe you. My other option
would leave us both at a loss, so that doesn't merit
consideration."

"You cannot deny that my actions, had the case truly been
as I thought, would have been considered not only proper, but
wise and necessary.

"Wise men confirm their hypotheses before blindly taking
action."

Maximian's face turned red. Constantine had hit a nerve
with his comment. "I did what any other man in my position with
half a brain would do. Believe that!"

"Would any other man with half a brain send word to his
son to notify him that he was on his way to join forces with him?
Do not act surprised, as though you didn't dispatch a messenger
to tell of your sudden elevation of status."

"I can explain, Constantine."

"You have explained enough and I care not to hear your
stories anymore."

"Grant me pardon, then. You misunderstand my
intentions."

"I do pardon you. However, you are completely stripped
of any political titles and to wear my purple cloak again, will
result in fatal circumstances. You are an old man whose time has

passed and who cannot accept that your presence in politics is no
longer required nor desired."

"Watch your tongue!" Maximian said angrily. "If it
weren't for me, you wouldn't have the title of Augustus."

"I'm sure I would have managed without you, especially
since it has continued to bring me embarrassment for your
actions."

"How dare you!"

"Now, if you will excuse me, I must explain to my army,
the imperial household, and my subjects that my father-in-law
was not at fault and will therefore not be put to death. Be
warned, however, Maximian! Stay clear of me, because you have
aroused my anger for a last time."

He tore the cloak from Maximian's shoulders and carried
it with him to address the assembly.