Chapter 26: Prelude to Civil War

"Much has happened that you must know about, Cassius."

"Galerius?" he inquired.

"Galerius is dead. He succumbed to that dreadful disease
of the bowels he was suffering from for so long. Naturally, the
Christians blame his illness on his persecutions of them."

"The last of the tetrarchy is gone," commented Cassius.

"In his place, the senate in Rome has elected Maxentius
the usurper."

"At last he persisted and was accepted. His title is
therefore legal?"

"Yes, especially due to his successful campaign against
the usurper in Africa. While edicts were drawn up at Nicomedia,
Maxentius was waging war against Domitius Alexander and
defeating him."

"He will be moving his war machine against Licinius or
you next," said Cassius with agitation.

"I have to agree with you. He knows that Maximinius does
not pose him a real threat. He will attack and attack at the heart.

Whether it is Licinius or I, the domain that he breeches must
respond with decisive force and crush him."

Constantine and his advisors met to draw up strategic
plans for an expected war with Maxentius. From Crocus to his
prized officers from the frontiers participating, they developed a
battle plan that would enable Constantine and his troops to be
victorious in a relatively short period of time. Soldiers were
trained for the terrain and the maneuvers they would be expected
to use in the coming war. Supplies were checked over and the
army prepared thoroughly and efficiently for the war to come.
Six years of battle experience and constant drilling readied his
force for their ultimate test.

In the meantime, Maxentius raised public opinion against
Constantine. The issue at the top of his list of charges was the
unjustified murder ofMaximian. Maxentius tried to appeal to the
populace and his army as a loyal son who had lost his beloved
father. He argued that Constantine had failed to bring Maximian
before a proconsul prior to his death, because Constantine and
his advisors had fabricated the accusations against him. This
propaganda appealed to human sentiment, although most of Italy
knew the true relationship of animosity that existed between
father Maximian, and son Maxentius. Therefore, he needed more
issues to motivate his subjects.

Maxentius listened to the voice of the masses who blamed
their financial problems on the rich. Maxentius immediately
informed the populace that the wealthy supported Constantine,
who believed in an elitist society. Maxentius had found a
scapegoat for the masses in Italy, Spain, and Africa to blame for
their misery. By the same token, he established the motivation
needed for his entire domain to support him when he attacked the
property of the rich that he confiscated for the treasury, which
was being depleted by the pampering of his troops.

News of Maxentius' propaganda against Constantine
reached Aries from paid informants and aristocrats alike. They
spoke to him about mass support for Maxentius' cause.
Descriptions of his united army were given, and detailed

accounts of the destruction of statues of Constantine were
reported. Maxentius had created a martial fervor amongst his
subjects, which was based exclusively on lies.

Maxentius' policy of propaganda was successful for
Constantine as well. Rich landlords provided Constantine with
monetary support as they fled from the domain of Maxentius.
Furthermore, the army and Constantine's subjects were aware
that the accusations against their emperor were fabrications and
demeaned the subjects of his domain. Hence, the propaganda of
Maxentius was a double-edged sword that provided motivation
for those serving Constantine to crush Maxentius.

He assembled his force on the outskirts of Aries where he
was to address them. For years they had been training for this
war, although they were unaware of it. The hot rays of the
summer sun beat down on their gleaming helmets, as they stood
silent and motionless. Constantine spent close to an hour looking
them over with pride and confidence. Then he assumed his
elevated position and addressed them briefly.

"Hesitation means death! We strike first and do not stop
until we are victorious."

With that, the disciplined soldiers followed his lead and
formed into regiments for the journey to Italy. They followed
him through the Alps to the place of their first battle. War was in
their eyes.