Dr. Dafydd Daniel

Various people declaring themselves Caesar all the time, right? You know, they win a battle and they're the new emperor. So the crisis of the third century has led to, at the end of that period, the Tetrarchy. The Tetrarchy system of government has been established by Diocletian, which has seemed to work fairly well.

Various people declaring themselves Caesar all the time, right? You know, they win a battle and they're the new emperor. So the crisis of the third century has led to, at the end of that period, the Tetrarchy. The Tetrarchy system of government has been established by Diocletian, which has seemed to work fairly well.

You've got two Augusti, two senior emperors, East and West, then these junior Caesars beneath them. And that, of course, means you've got more imperial people closer to the action across the empire, to the troubled areas. And that seemed to work fairly well until 306, when the Augustus at that point, the who is Constantine's father, dies.

You've got two Augusti, two senior emperors, East and West, then these junior Caesars beneath them. And that, of course, means you've got more imperial people closer to the action across the empire, to the troubled areas. And that seemed to work fairly well until 306, when the Augustus at that point, the who is Constantine's father, dies.

You've got two Augusti, two senior emperors, East and West, then these junior Caesars beneath them. And that, of course, means you've got more imperial people closer to the action across the empire, to the troubled areas. And that seemed to work fairly well until 306, when the Augustus at that point, the who is Constantine's father, dies.

And that then leads really to set off to civil war in the empire between these rival Augusti and Caesar, as they all start fighting each other. Not least Constantine, of course, but another chap, Maxentius, who was one of the original Augusti, but he's been left out of the equation.

And that then leads really to set off to civil war in the empire between these rival Augusti and Caesar, as they all start fighting each other. Not least Constantine, of course, but another chap, Maxentius, who was one of the original Augusti, but he's been left out of the equation.

And that then leads really to set off to civil war in the empire between these rival Augusti and Caesar, as they all start fighting each other. Not least Constantine, of course, but another chap, Maxentius, who was one of the original Augusti, but he's been left out of the equation.

And then this other fellow, Licinius, who'd been promoted above both Maxentius and Constantine, much to their consternation. And so they've all been fighting with each other. Maxentius is significant because it leads us to the Battle of Milvian Bridge, which I'm sure we'll come to. That's 312. That's where Constantine gets rid of him, his half-brother.

And then this other fellow, Licinius, who'd been promoted above both Maxentius and Constantine, much to their consternation. And so they've all been fighting with each other. Maxentius is significant because it leads us to the Battle of Milvian Bridge, which I'm sure we'll come to. That's 312. That's where Constantine gets rid of him, his half-brother.

And then this other fellow, Licinius, who'd been promoted above both Maxentius and Constantine, much to their consternation. And so they've all been fighting with each other. Maxentius is significant because it leads us to the Battle of Milvian Bridge, which I'm sure we'll come to. That's 312. That's where Constantine gets rid of him, his half-brother.

And then later on, Constantine gets rid of his other half-brother, Licinius, in the Battle of Chrysopolis in 324. So a period of civil war and settlement. Now we've got this single man. Constantine has become the sole emperor. So a period of settlement has emerged there through periods of unrest. That's the empire at large.

And then later on, Constantine gets rid of his other half-brother, Licinius, in the Battle of Chrysopolis in 324. So a period of civil war and settlement. Now we've got this single man. Constantine has become the sole emperor. So a period of settlement has emerged there through periods of unrest. That's the empire at large.

And then later on, Constantine gets rid of his other half-brother, Licinius, in the Battle of Chrysopolis in 324. So a period of civil war and settlement. Now we've got this single man. Constantine has become the sole emperor. So a period of settlement has emerged there through periods of unrest. That's the empire at large.

The church, well, the church has also come through really its main periods of persecution. So there's only two really empire-wide persecutions of the church. One of them is Decius in 250s. It's not aimed at Christianity as such. Decius wants a return to the worship of the ancient gods as that gathers the Christians up into it.

The church, well, the church has also come through really its main periods of persecution. So there's only two really empire-wide persecutions of the church. One of them is Decius in 250s. It's not aimed at Christianity as such. Decius wants a return to the worship of the ancient gods as that gathers the Christians up into it.

The church, well, the church has also come through really its main periods of persecution. So there's only two really empire-wide persecutions of the church. One of them is Decius in 250s. It's not aimed at Christianity as such. Decius wants a return to the worship of the ancient gods as that gathers the Christians up into it.

As part of the tetrarchy, however, Diocletian and Galerius do have a concentrated persecution against Christians. This is called the Great Persecution. And that has continued until softly in 311 when Galerius releases an edict of toleration. But finally, with the edict of Milan, which comes out of Constantine and Licinius before they separate.

As part of the tetrarchy, however, Diocletian and Galerius do have a concentrated persecution against Christians. This is called the Great Persecution. And that has continued until softly in 311 when Galerius releases an edict of toleration. But finally, with the edict of Milan, which comes out of Constantine and Licinius before they separate.

As part of the tetrarchy, however, Diocletian and Galerius do have a concentrated persecution against Christians. This is called the Great Persecution. And that has continued until softly in 311 when Galerius releases an edict of toleration. But finally, with the edict of Milan, which comes out of Constantine and Licinius before they separate.