| Abstract: | The crisis of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century enabled the rise of Diocletian to the position of Augustus. His most resounding reform was the so-called tetrarchy, the division of the Roman Empire between two Augustus and two Caesars. During the battles for his succession, Constantine the Great emerged victorious. In the battle of the Milvian Bridge, under the sign of Christ, he defeated his rival Maxentius. When he defeated another rival, Licinius, he founded the city of »New Rome«, on the opposite site of the battle, which became the capital of the eastern part of the empire and the new religion. After Constantine's death in 337, his three sons, Constantius, Constance, and Constantine II. divided the territory among themselves. After a series of dynastic conflicts and civil wars, Constantine came out as the only August. For August in the West, he chose Julian, known by his nickname “Apostate” who, after a web of events and Constantius' unexpected death, became the new emperor. The name Julian is often associated with the last imperial attempt to restore paganism in the empire. In the campaign against Persia in 363, he was mortally wounded, and Jovian, commander of the imperial guard, ascended the throne unexpectedly. He died only a year later and was succeeded by two brothers, Valentinian in the west and Valens in the east. Both brothers were strict statesmen and good stewards, successfully strengthening the state treasury. The era of Gratian and Valens coincides with one of the worst defeats of the Roman army in the history of the empire. It is the battle of Adrianople where Roman troops under the clumsy Valens, against the Goths under Fritigern, were decimated. In the position of eastern August, Gratian wisely appointed a general from present day Spain, Theodosius. The reign of Theodosius represents a time of stability, but it also has a dark side. During his reign the door was open wide for the “barbarians” to enter the Roman army, especially so for the Visigothic chiefs, so that they were now deeply involved in the political process of the Roman state. Constantine founded a new capital on the site of ancient Byzantium. The city was officially consecrated on May 11, 330, and has flourished for many centuries as one of the largest cities in the world. Constantine set up a large forum, a spacious palace and a hippodrome. In its centre was the Augustaion. The next major phase of Constantinople's construction activity took place under the auspices of the Theodosius dynasty. In addition to renovating older buildings, Theodosius expanded the capital to the west and added three new forums. |
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