CONSTANTINIAN DYNASTY

he Constantinian Dynasty rose to power in the years of theTetrarchy, when Constantius I Chlorus (r.305-306) reached the rank of augustus in the west. He was succeeded by his son Constantine the Great (r.306-337), which was technically illegal; however, he overcame all opposition and became sole ruler of the Empire. On his death, Constantine II (337-340), Constans (337-350), andConstantius II (337-361) came to power. When the last-mentioned ruler died, Julian the Apostate (360-363) succeeded him. He was killed in action in a battle against the Sasanian Persians.

Under the House of Constantine, the Empire's frontiers were improved by building powerful castles. Christianity was no longer persecuted and coexisted with the old religions; Julian supported paganism, but on his death, Christian emperors were chosen. In 324, Constantine the Great founded a new residence,Constantinople, was founded, which would in the not too distant future eclipse Rome itself.

After the death of the last member of the dynasty, and after the brief reign of Jovian, theValentinian Dynasty came to power.

Portrait	Name	Birth	Succession	Reign	Death	Time in office
	Diocletian CAESAR GAIVS AVRELIVS VALERIVS DIOCLETIANVSAVGVSTVS	c. December 22, 244 AD,Salona	Proclaimed emperor by army after death of Numerian, and in opposition to Carinus; adopted Maximian as senior co-emperor in 286 AD	November 20, 284 AD – May 1, 305 AD	3 December 311 AD Abdicated; died of natural causes in Aspalatos	20 years, 5 months and 11 days
	Maximian CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVS VALERIVS MAXIMIANVSAVGVSTVS	c. 250 AD, nearSirmium,Pannonia	Adopted as senior co-emperor ('Augustus') in the west by Diocletianin 286 AD	April 1, 286 AD – May 1, 305 AD	310 AD Abdicated with Diocletian; twice tried to regain throne with, and then fromMaxentius; captured byConstantine I and committed suicide at his behest	19 years and 1 month
	Constantius I CAESAR GAIVS FLAVIVS VALERIVS CONSTANTIVSAVGVSTVS	March 31 c. 250 AD,Dardania,Moesia	Adopted as junior co-emperor ('Caesar') and heir by Maximian in 293 AD	May 1, 305 AD – July 25, 306 AD	306 AD Natural causes	1 year, 2 months and 24 days
	Galerius CAESAR GALERIVS VALERIVS MAXIMIANVS AVGVSTVS	c. 260 AD, Felix Romuliana,Moesia Superior	Adopted as junior co-emperor ('Caesar') and heir by Diocletian in 293 AD. Also son-in-law of Diocletian.	May 1, 305 AD – May 311 AD	311 AD Natural causes	6 years
	Severus II FLAVIVS VALERIVS SEVERVSAVGVSTVS	?	Adopted as junior co-emperor ('Caesar') and heir by Constantius I Chlorus in 305 AD; succeeded as Augustus in 306; opposed byMaxentius and Constantine I	Summer 306 AD – March/ April 307 AD	September 16, 307 AD Captured by Maxentiusand forced to commit suicide (or murdered)	1 year
	Constantine the Great CAESAR FLAVIVS VALERIVS AVRELIVS CONSTANTINVSAVGVSTVS	February 27 c. 272 AD,Naissus,Moesia Superior	Son of Constantius I Chlorus, proclaimed emperor by his father's troops; accepted as Caesar (west) by Galerius in 306 AD; promoted to Augustus (west) in 307 AD by Maximian after death of Severus II; refused relegation to Caesar in 309 AD	July 25, 306 AD – May 22, 337 AD	May 22, 337 AD Natural causes	30 years, 9 months and 27 days
	Maxentius MARCVS AVRELIVS VALERIVSMAXENTIVS AVGVSTVS	c. 278 AD, ?	Son of Maximian, seized power in 306 after death of Constantius I Chlorus, in opposition to Severus andConstantine I; made Caesar (west) by Maximian in 307 AD after the death of Severus	October 28, 306 AD – October 28, 312 AD	October 28, 312 AD Died at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, againstConstantine I	6 years
	Maximinus II CAESAR GALERIVS VALERIVSMAXIMINVS AVGVSTVS	November 20 c. 270 AD, Dacia Aureliana	Nephew of Galerius, adopted as Caesar and his heir in 305 AD; succeeded as Augustus (shared with Licinius I) in 311 AD	May 1, 311 AD – July/August 313 AD	July/August 313 AD Defeated in civil war against Licinius I; probably committed suicide thereafter	2 years
	Licinius I CAESAR GAIVS VALERIVSLICINIVS AVGVSTVS with Valerius Valens Martinian	c. 250 AD, Felix Romuliana,Moesia Superior	Son-in-law of Constantius Chlorus, appointed Augustus in the west byGalerius in 308 AD, in opposition toMaxentius; became Augustus in the east in 311 AD after the death of Galerius (shared with Maximinus II); defeated Maximinus in civil war to become sole eastern Augustus in 313 AD; appointed Valerius Valens in 317 AD, and Martinian in 324 AD as western Augustus, in opposition to Constantine, both being executed within weeks.	November 11, 308 AD – September 18, 324 AD	325 AD Defeated in civil war against Constantine I in 324 AD and captured; executed on the orders of Constantine the next year	15 years, 10 months and 7 days
	Constantine II CAESAR FLAVIVS CLAVDIVSCONSTANTINVS AVGVSTVS	316 AD,Arelate, Gallia Narbonensis	Son of Constantine I; appointed Caesar in 317 AD, succeeded as joint Augustus with his brothersConstantius II and Constans I	May 22, 337 AD – 340 AD	340 AD Died in battle againstConstans I	3 years
	Constantius II CAESAR FLAVIVS IVLIVSCONSTANTIVS AVGVSTVS	August 7, 317 AD, Sirmium,Pannonia	Son of Constantine I; succeeded as joint Augustus with his brothersConstantine II and Constans I; sole emperor from 350 AD	May 22, 337 AD – November 3, 361 AD	361 AD Natural causes	24 years, 5 months and 12 days
	Constans I CAESAR FLAVIVS IVLIVSCONSTANS AVGVSTVS	320 AD, ?	Son of Constantine I; succeeded as joint Augustus with his brothersConstantine II and Constantius II	May 22, 337 AD – 350 AD	350 AD Assassinated on the orders of the usurperMagnentius	13 years
	Vetranio	?, Moesia	General of Constans I, proclaimed Caesar against Magnentius and temporarily accepted as Augustus of the west by Constantius II.	March 1, 350 – December 25, 350 AD	c. 356 As a private citizen, after abdication.	9 months and 24 days
	Julian CAESAR FLAVIVS CLAVDIVSIVLIANVS AVGVSTVS	331 AD/332 AD,Constantinople,Thracia	Cousin of Constantius II; made Caesar of the west in 355 AD; proclaimed Augustus by his troops in 360; sole emperor after the death of Constantius	February 360 AD – June 26, 363 AD	June 26, 363 AD Mortally wounded in battle	3 years
	Jovian CAESAR FLAVIVS IOVIANVSAVGVSTVS	331 AD,Singidunum,Moesia	General of Julian's army; proclaimed emperor by the troops on Julian's death	June 26, 363 AD – February 17, 364 AD	February 17, 364 AD Natural causes (suffocated on fumes)	7 months and 22 days

Valentinian dynasty[edit]

Roman Empire 460 AD