Миролюбов И. А. Совместное правление императоров Константина Великого и Лициния (311–316 гг.)

Thirteen years of Constantine’s the Great sole power (324–337 AD) was preceded by a period of a struggle with numerous claimants. In 311–312 AD Constantine entered into an alliance with the emperor Licinius, who controlled the Danube border and Thrace. The alliance was reinforced by the marriage of Licinius to Constantine’s sister. The treaty allowed Constantine to focus on establishing control over the western part of the empire, and Licinius did the same over the eastern one. Despite the unity of the emperors declared by official sources of information (coins, inscriptions), their relationship was much more complicated. Claiming sole power, Constantine tested certain ideological attitudes. For example, kinship allowed Constantine to consider both Licinius himself and his children as members of his house. In addition, Constantine’s control of Rome and the Senate allowed him to appoint consuls and control the province of Asia, ruled by a proconsul. In addition, Constantine claimed the status of senior Augustus, which gave him the sole right to raise to imperial dignity. Designating the candidacy of a possible co-emperor (another brother-in-law, Bassianus), Constantine forced Licinius into an open conflict. The result of this confrontation was the incomplete victory of Constantine: Licinius was not deposed, but had to renounce a number of territories and recognize the right of his co-ruler to imperial investiture. Thus, despite the absence of open conflict, the period 311–316 AD is a curious example of a diplomatic and ideological confrontation between two emperors preparing for a clash.

Keywords: Constantine the Great, Licinius, Diocletian, Later Roman Empire, Roman Emperors.

For citation:

Mirolyubov I. A. Joint Rule of Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius (311–316 AD) // Issledovaniya zarubezhnoy istorii [Studies in Foreign History]. 2023. Vol. 3. P. 27–42. DOI: 10.55000/SemConf.2023.3.3.003