Rome: The Tetrarchy, Constantine and Licinius

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Diocletian was proclaimed emperor in 284 AD and consolidated his position by defeating Carinus at the battle of the River Margus in 285 AD. This made him sole ruler of the Roman Empire. However, he surprised everyone by taking his close associate, Maximian, as joint ruler with Diocletian ruling the East and Maximian, the west. The coinage was re-vitalised and the economic decline was slowed down. In 293 AD, this system of joint rule was extended with both "Augustii" adopting junior emperors as "Caesars". Maximian chose Constantius, and Diocletian, Galerius. At this time, Carausius, a soldier who had been sent to clear the English Channel of pirates, had declared himself emperor and taken up residence in Britain. Constantius was sent to sort out the problem. This he managed in 296 AD. In 305 AD Diocletian and Maximinian abdicated and Constantius and Galerius were promoted to Augustii with Maximinus Daia and Severus respectively to taking their places as Caesars. In 305 AD Constantius was back in Britain, fighting the pesky Scottish tribes. The next year he died at York, with his son, Constantine, by his side. Constantine was ambitious and set out to become the sole ruler of the Romam Empire. One of Constantine's adversaries was Maxentius, son of Maximian. Before doing battle with him near Rome, Constantine is alleged to have seen a Christian Cross light up the sky and heard the words, "By this sign shall you conquer". Constantine won at the Battle of Milvian Bridge and consequently made the entire Roman Empire Christian. In 324 AD, Constantine defeated his last enemy, Licinius, and thus became master of the Roman Empire. But he did not make Rome his capital, but built a new one at Byzantium which he called Constantinople; a portentous move. He had plenty of sons and other eager relatives with whom to share his rule, but the split between East and West had begun.

List of Emperors

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Diocletian 284 - 305 AD AE Antoninianus of Antioch	Diocletian 284 - 305 AD AE Antoninianus of Ticinum	Diocletian 284 - 305 AD AE Antoninianus of Siscia
Diocletian 284 - 305 AD Post-reform radiate of Cyzicus	Diocletian 284 - 305 AD AE Follis of Alexandria	Carausius 287 - 293 AD AE Antoninianus of London
Allectus 293 - 296 AD AE Quinarius of Camulodunum	Allectus 293 - 296 AD AE Antoninianus of London	Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD AE Antoninianus of Tripolis
Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD AE Antoninianus of Lugdunum	Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD AE Antoninianus of Lugdunum	Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD Post Reform radiate of Cyzicus
Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD AE Follis of Antioch	Maximianus 1st reign 286-305 AD AE Quarter Follis of Siscia	Maximianus Abdication 305-306 AD AE Follis of Rome
Maximianus 2nd reign 306-308 AD AE Follis of Rome	Maximianus Commemorative under Constantine AE Half Follis of Thessalonica	Constantius I As Caesar 293-305 AD AR Argenteus of Rome
Constantius I As Augustus 305-306 AD AE Follis of Carthage	Galerius Caes. 293-305 AD: Aug. 305-311 AD AE Follis of Carthage	Galerius Caes. 293-305 AD: Aug. 305-311 AD AE Follis of London
Galerius Caes. 293-305 AD: Aug. 305-311 AD AE Follis of Alexandria	Galeria Valeria wife of Galerius AE Follis of Thessalonica	Severus II Caes. 305-306 AD: Aug. 306-307 AD AE Follis of Cyzicus
Severus II Caes. 305-306 AD: Aug. 306-307 AD AE Follis of Cyzicus	Maximinus II as Caesar Caes. 305-308 AD: Aug. 309-313 AD AE Follis of Nicomedia	Maximinus II as Filius Augustorum Caes. 305-308 AD: Aug. 309-313 AD AE Follis of Thessalonika
Maximinus II as Augustus Caes. 305-308 AD: Aug. 309-313 AD AE Follis of London	Maximinus II as Augustus Caes. 305-308 AD: Aug. 309-313 AD AE Follis of London	Maxentius Caes. 306 AD: Aug. 306-312 AD AE Follis of Aquileia
Maxentius Caes. 306 AD: Aug. 306-312 AD AE Follis of Ostia	Romulus d. 309 AD Son of Maxentius AE Follis of Rome	Licinius I 308 - 324 AD AE Follis of Alexandria
Licinius I 308 - 324 AD AE Follis of Antioch	Licinius I 308 - 324 AD "Billon Argenteus" of Trier	Licinius I 308 - 324 AD Follis of Arles
Licinius I 308 - 324 AD Reduced Follis of Thessalonika	Licinius I 308 - 324 AD Post-reform Radiate of Nicomedia	Licinius I 308 - 324 AD Post-reform Radiate of Heraclea
Licinius II Caesar 317 - 324 AD AE3 of Antioch	Licinius II Caesar 317 - 324 AD AE3 of Alexandria	Constantine I as Caesar Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Follis of Rome
Constantine I as Caesar Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Follis of London	Constantine I as Filius Augustorum Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Follis of Thessalonica	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Follis of Rome
Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD "Billon Argenteus" of Trier	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Rome	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of London
Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of London	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Trier	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Imitative AE3
Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Trier	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Lyons	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Ticinum
Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Heraclea	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD Follis of Constantinople	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Arelate
Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Constantinople	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Alexandria	Constantine I as Augustus Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Constantinople
Constantine I Commemorative Caes. 306-307 AD: Aug. 309-337 AD AE3 of Trier	Roma Commemorative 330-346 A.D. AE 3/4 of Siscia	Constantinopolis Commemorative 330-346 A.D. AE 3 of Arles
Fausta Wife of Constantine AE3 of Trier	Helena Wife of Constantius I Mother of Constantine AE3 of Trier	Theodora Wife of Constantine AE4 of Trier

The Republic
The Julio-Claudian Emperors
The Flavian, Adoptive and Antonine Emperors
The Severan Emperors
The Barrack Room Emperors
The Tetrarchy, Constantine and Licinius
The heirs of Constantine
The Valentinian Emperors to the Fall
Roman Imitative Coins

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