Galerius

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

  • NAME:
    • Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus
  • GALERIUS’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
  • GALERIUS’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born: c.260 CE. Died: May 311 CE.
  • PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born in Serdica, Moesia. Died in Serdica, Moesia.
  • GALERIUS’ PREDECESSOR:
  • GALERIUS’ SUCCESSOR:
  • GALERIUS WAS HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
    • He was appointed Emperor in the East by Diocletian
  • DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
    • Galerius died from an unpleasant disease.
  • WHERE BURIED:
    • Felix Romuliana, Moesia.
  • GALERIUS WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
  • MONUMENTS:
    • The Arch of Galerius, Thessalonica:
      • Built in 299 CE as part of the Imperial Palace. It was a Triumphal Arch to celebrate the taking of Ctesiphon in 298 CE. It was covered in marble panels with reliefs describing the battle. Only a few panels remain on the arch today.
    • The Rotunda of Galerius, Thessalonica:
      • Built in 306 CE as either a Mausoleum or Temple, adjacent to the Arch. It is now a church.

2. BRIEF SYNOPSIS

Rise to Power

  • Galerius rose through the ranks of the Roman Army. In 293 CE he was promoted by Diocletian to Caesar in the East and he married Diocletian‘s daughter Valeria. He then conducted campaigns against the Goths and Sarmatians along the Danube.

War against Persia (297-299 CE)

  • In either 296 or 297 CE, Narseh, the King of Persia, declared war on Rome and invaded Armenia, going on to attack the Roman Legions under Galerius in Mesopotamia. Galerius was defeated near Carrhae and Callinicum, and obliged to retire to Antioch in Syria. Diocletian immediately made his way to Antioch.
  • In 298 CE, a renewed army, consisting of the Danube Legions led by Galerius, invaded Armenia. Narseh was forced to leave Mesopotamia and confront the Roman Legions in the mountains of Armenia. The Persian cavalry was unsuited to this terrain, and in the first battle, Galerius was able to defeat the Persian army.
  • In the second battle, the Battle of Satala, Galerius captured Narseh’s camp, including his wife. Galerius then inflicted a series of defeats on the Persians and recovered Nisibis on 1 October 298 CE. Galerius then descended the Tigris, laid siege to Ctesiphon and captured the city, before returning to Roman held lands via the Euphrates.
  • In 299 CE, the Peace of Nisibus which completely favoured Rome, was agreed by Diocletian and Galerius with Narseh.
  • The Tigris was the new frontier with Persia. Nisibis would be the city exclusively allowed to conduct trade between the two Empires. Armenia would return to being a Roman vassal State, which included the five Sartrapies between the Euphrates and Armenia. This gave Rome control of the Bitlis Pass, which would slow down any future invasion of Armenia, giving Rome time to reinforce its eastern Frontier.

Galerius plans to take over the Tetrarchy (305-308 CE)

  • When Diocletian and Maximian resigned on 1 May 305 CE, Galerius was promoted to Augustus of the East, while in the West his Co-Emperor was Constantius I Chlorus.
  • Galerius then promoted his nephew Maximinus Daia to Caesar in the East, commanding Egypt and Syria. His second choice was Severus II who was promoted to Caesar in the West based in Milan, commanding Italy and North Africa.
  • This gave Galerius control of three quarters of the Empire. However, when Constantius I Chlorus died, the Army rebelled and proclaimed Constantius’ son Constantine I Emperor instead of Severus II.
  • This left Galerius with three quarters of the Empire. However, in a rebellion by Maximian‘s son Rome declared Maximinianus Emperor which meant Southern Italy with North Africa were lost to Severus II.
  • When Severus II attempted to retake Rome, Maximian was invited to return as co-Emperor with his son, and Severus II‘ besieging army deserted to Maximian. Severus II fled but was pardoned when he later surrendered.
  • Realising the West was lost, Galerius then invaded Italy with the Danube Legions, leaving Licinius to prevent any Germanic invasions, and arrived within 60 miles (96km) of Rome. However, Maxentius started to buy the loyalty of the Illyrian Legions, and Galerius was forced to retreat back to Illyria.
  • In 308 CE, Galerius called Diocletian to Carnuntum on the Danube, to preside over the future of the Empire. It was agreed Licinius would become Augustus in the West, with Constantine I as his Caesar. In the East, Galerius would remain Augustus with Maximinus Daia as his Caesar. Maximian would retire, and his son was declared a usurper.
  • However, his nephew Maximinus Daia decided to proclaim himself Augustus. The Empire was now divided between six Emperors: Galerius, Maximinus Daia, Licinius, Maximian, Maxentius and Constantine I.
  • After this Galerius gave up his ambition to reunite the Empire, and from 308 to 311 CE simply administered his Provinces.

Diocletianic Persecution (303-313 CE)

  • On 24 February 303 CE, Diocletian passed the First Edict prohibiting Christians from assembling to worship in their Temples and ordering the buildings to be pulled down.
  • It was announced that Christianity would be destroyed once and for all.
  • Christians were included in the ranks of Senators, Equestrians, Army Officers, soldiers and Imperial Freedmen.

Punishments

  • Freedmen were forced back into Slavery.
  • The Persecution included Disfigurements and Mutilations of Bishops and Priests.
  • Christians were sentenced to Slavery in the two Turquoise Mines in Sinai Peninsular, Egypt: Wadi Maghareh (Egyptian Temples and mines and Serabit el-Khadim).
  • The Coptic Church starts its Calendar from 284 CE, the start of the Reign of Diocletian.

Galerius and Maximinus Daia

  • Galerius continued oppressing the Christians until just before he died, issuing an Edict of Toleration at Serdica on 30 April 311 CE ending the Persecution.
  • However, Maximinus Daia continued the Persecution.
  • In the West, the Emperors barely applied the Edicts. When Constantine I was proclaimed Emperor in July 306 CE, he promised the Christians that there would be no further persecution.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

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