Constantine II (Rome)

Statue of the young Constantine II, represented as Caesar , today standing on the top of the Cordonata (the monumental ramp to Capitol Square ), Rome, originally in the Baths of Constantine in Rome

Constantine II (* February 316 in Arelate ( Arles ), † 340 near Cervignano del Friuli ), with full name Flavius Claudius Constantinus , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 340.

Contemporary history background

The Roman Empire went through a profound change at the beginning of the 4th century. Constantine the Great , the father of Constantine II, had prevailed in the succession struggles that broke out with the end of the tetrarchy founded by Emperor Diocletian , and thus founded the Constantinian dynasty , to which Constantine II also belonged.

Map of the Roman prefectures at the time of the Tetrarchy, introduced by Emperor Diocletian in 293 AD, existed until his resignation in 305 AD.

His reign was significant for two main reasons: On the one hand, Constantine relocated the central power with the new capital Constantinople to the eastern part of the empire, which had already gained more and more importance. On the other hand, he promoted Christianity and thus initiated the Christianization of the Roman Empire ( Constantinian turn ). Even if the traditional gods were not abolished, they lost their power and influence.

Not least because of foreign policy considerations, Constantine decided in favor of the new capital, because Constantinople was roughly equidistant from the threatened borders of the empire on the Danube and Euphrates . Another foreign policy focal point was and remained the Rhine border in Gaul .

Solidus Constantine II as Caesar .

Life

Constantine, the eldest son of Constantine the Great and Fausta , was made Caesar in 317 (March 1st, 317). In 328, under the supervision of his father and officials, he took over the part of the empire in the west (Gaul), where he resided in Augusta Treverorum , today's Trier . There he successfully defended the borders against the Goths and Alemanni . After his father died in 337, several of his relatives were murdered, but the background to this purge is unclear. He eventually settled with his brothers Constantius II. And Constans the Augustus cry. After a meeting of the brothers in Viminatium , the brothers divided the kingdom among themselves.

Constantine's part of the empire was Gaul , Britain , Hispania, and part of Africa . In addition, due to his age, he was given honorary priority (senior Augustus) in the Imperial College. A guardianship over the younger Constans can probably be ruled out, since there is only one law that would suggest that Constantine II co-governed the part of Constans in the legislature.

Even if there are probably no signs of a guardianship, the division of the imperial territories led to a conflict with his younger brother Constans. In 340 Constantine II attacked Constans. He pretended to give Constantius II assistance in the fight against the Persians and moved with his strong army to Italy, but was unexpectedly ambushed at Aquileia . Not only did his attempt to conquer Italy fail, he even lost his life and fell victim to the damnatio memoriae . Constans thus came into possession of the entire western part of the empire and thus ruled over two thirds of the empire's territory.

literature

Bruno Bleckmann : The civil war between Constantine II and Constans (340) . In: Historia . tape 52 , 2003, p. 225-250 .
Alexander Demandt : The late antiquity. Roman history of Diocletian to Justinian 284-565 n. Chr . 2nd Edition. CH Beck, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-55993-8 , p. 97, 103-105 ( Handbook of Classical Studies , 3rd section, 6th part).
Jacques Moreau : Constantinus II. In: Reallexikon für antiquity and Christianity . Supplement volume 2, delivery 11. Hiersemann, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-7772-0421-8 , Sp. 450–454
Alexios G. Savvides, Benjamin Hendrickx (Eds.): Encyclopaedic Prosopographical Lexicon of Byzantine History and Civilization . Vol. 2: Baanes-Eznik of Kolb . Brepols Publishers, Turnhout 2008, ISBN 978-2-503-52377-4 , pp. 237-238.

Web links

Commons : Constantine II. - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Michael DiMaio, Jr. and Robert Frakes: Short biography (English) at De Imperatoribus Romanis (with references).

Remarks

↑ Fausta's motherhood is denied by Zosimos 2,39,1, and the narrow period of births between Constantine II and Constantius II also raises doubts.
↑ Eusebius of Caesarea 4:51.
↑ So Bleckmann: The civil war between Constantine II and Constans , p. 237; but Pedro Barceló : Constantius II and his time. The beginnings of the state church , Stuttgart 2004, p. 56f.
↑ Zonaras 13: 5, 7-8.
↑ Zosimos 2,41,1.
↑ Zonaras 13: 5, 10-13.

predecessor	Office	successor
Constantine I.	Roman Emperor 337–340	Constans

personal data
SURNAME	Constantine II
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Flavius Claudius Constantinus; Constantine II
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	roman emperor
DATE OF BIRTH	February 316
PLACE OF BIRTH	Arles
DATE OF DEATH	340
Place of death	at Aquileia

[1] Fausta's motherhood is denied by Zosimos 2,39,1, and the narrow period of births between Constantine II and Constantius II also raises doubts.

[2] Eusebius of Caesarea 4:51.

[3] So Bleckmann: The civil war between Constantine II and Constans , p. 237; but Pedro Barceló : Constantius II and his time. The beginnings of the state church , Stuttgart 2004, p. 56f.

[4] Zonaras 13: 5, 7-8.

[5] Zosimos 2,41,1.

[6] Zonaras 13: 5, 10-13.