ABSTRACT
When Diocletian abdicated before the army on 1 May 305 at Nicomedia, his imperial colleague Maximianus Herculius was forced to do the same at Milan (Mediolanum) under the collegial system which saw the empire governed by two Augusti and two Caesars who were also the formers’ heirs-apparent. Diocletian and Maximianus were replaced as Augusti by their Caesars, Galerius in the East and Constantius Chlorus in the West. In their place Severus and Maximinus Daia were named as Caesars-much to the chagrin of Constantine and Maxentius, the son of Maximianus, both of whom had been groomed for leadership. According to a contemporary source many wondered if Constantine’s name had been changed, but Maximianus pushed aside Constantine who was standing on a platform and introduced Maximinus Daia who had shed his private attire into the centre of the contio militum (Lact., Mort. pers. 19, 4). Constantine and Maxentius were not the only aggrieved party at Nicomedia; Maximianus did not seem to share his senior colleague’s delight in gardening (Aur. Vict., Caes. 39, 48 and Oros. VII, 25, 4) and almost immediately after his enforced retirement plotted for a return to the centre of the political stage. While Constantine fled to rejoin his father’s retinue at Boulogne, Maxentius took up residence in a villa outside Rome and waited for a suitable moment to realise his dynastic ambitions.
