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| 306–337 |
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| Flavius Valerius CONSTANTINUS I THE GREAT (b. 288? of Constantius and Helena) fled from Galerius to his father in Britain. On the death of the latter (July), Constantine was saluted as emperor by the troops but made an agreement with Galerius by which he became Caesar and Severus became Augustus. In Rome the praetorians and the people proclaimed Maxentius princeps (Oct. 28); he called his father Maximian to be Augustus and temporarily took the title of Caesar. When the emperor Severus came with an army, it deserted and he surrendered to Maximian and was later executed by Maxentius. In fear of Galerius, Maximian went to Constantine in Gaul; Constantine recognized him as senior Augustus and married his daughter, Fausta. Galerius attempted an invasion of Italy (307), but disloyalty in his army forced its abandonment. Maxentius took the title of Augustus (308), and Maximian fled to Constantine; for four years Maxentius ruled in Italy. Galerius induced Diocletian to preside over a conference at Carnuntum, where it was decided that Maximian should abdicate. Valerius Licinianus Licinius was to be Augustus in the west, and Constantine was to return to the rank of Caesar. Constantine refused and Galerius gave him and Daia the rank of filius Augusti; both were still unsatisfied and were finally given the rank of Augustus (310). Maximian attempted to revolt, but Constantine killed him. When Galerius died of disease (311, May), Daia seized Asia Minor, leaving the Balkans to Licinius. Constantine made an alliance with Licinius. | 1 |
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| 312 |
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| Constantine invaded Italy from Gaul and, after winning a battle over Maxentius's general at Verona, defeated and killed Maxentius himself near Rome at the Milvian Bridge (Saxa Rubra) (Oct. 28). Sometime later he became a Christian. At a meeting with Licinius in Milan (early 313?) equal rights were proclaimed for all religions by the Edict of Milan. | 2 |
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| 313 |
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| Daia crossed to Europe, but was defeated by Licinius near Adrianople and fled to Tarsus, where he died soon after. Licinius now held the entire east and Constantine the west. | 3 |
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| 316 |
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| After a brief war, in which Licinius was defeated at Cibalae, a peace was made giving Constantine all of the Balkans except Thrace. | 4 |
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| 324 |
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| Relations between the two were strained, and war finally broke out. Licinius was first defeated at Adrianople (July 3) and again defeated at Chrysopolis in Anatolia (Sept. 18). He surrendered and was executed in the next year. | 5 |
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| 324–337 |
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| CONSTANTINE REUNITED THE EMPIRE under his sole rule. | 6 |
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| 330, May 11 |
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| Constantine dedicated as his capital CONSTANTINOPLE, which he had spent four years in building on the site of Byzantium, commanding the strategic center of the east, the Bosphorus. | 7 |
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| 337, May 22 |
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| Constantine died at Nicomedia. He had executed Crispus, his son by his first wife, in 326. His remaining sons succeeded: Constantinus II (b. 317) received the prefectures of Italy and Gaul; Constantius II (b. 317) took the east, and Constans (b. 323?) got Illyricum and part of Africa. The nephews of Constantine, Dalmatius and Annibalianus, were killed by the army. | 8 |
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| 337–363 |
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| THE HOUSE OF CONSTANTINE. While Constantius carried on an indecisive war against the Persians (See 359–361), Constantinus attacked Constans but was slain at Aquileia (340). Constans was killed by the pretender Magnus Magnentius (350, Jan.). | 9 |
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| 351, Sept. 28 |
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| Constantius defeated Magnentius at Mursa. The latter slew himself at Lugdunum (353), and the Empire was once more united. | 10 |
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| 351, Mar. 15 |
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| Constantius chose his cousin Gallus as Caesar, but had him executed in 354. | 11 |
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| 355, Nov. 6 |
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| Constantius chose as Caesar the half brother of Gallus, Julian, who had been educated by non-Christian teachers. Julian was sent to Gaul where he won great victories over the Alamanni and Franks. | 12 |
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