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305

305.05.01: Diocletian and Maximian retire as emperors and the Second Tetrarchy is established: Augustus Galerius (the Balkens and Aisa Minor); Augustus Constantius (Gaul, Britian and Spain); Caesar Maximinus Daia (the eastern provinces); Caesar Severus (Italy, Pannonia and Africa).

Flavius Julius Crispus born somewhere in the East, the son of Constantine and his mistress Minervina. See 300.

305 spring Constantine is with Diocletian in Nicomedia.

305 May 1 Diocletian abdicated at Nicomedia; Maximian abdicated at Milan.

305 summer Constantine goes to Britian.

Diocletian and Maximian together abdicated as Augusti 1 May 305 at Nicomedia. No doubt Prisca, Diocletian's wife, and Eutropia, Maximian's wife, were present at the abdication as well. This occasion may indeed be that last time Prisca and Eutropia were together. By this point in time, both Empresses saw their respective daughters betrothed, via arranged marriage, to the men that would now be the new Augusti of the Empire--Valeria, daughter of Diocletian and Prisca was the wife of Galerius, and Theodora, virtual daughter of Maximian and Eutropia was the wife of Constantius. It appears that Galerius and Valeria were also present at the abdication, however, Constantius was probably on a military campaign in either northeastern Gaul or Britain.

Diocletian retired to his palace near Salona in Dalmatia, and Maximian retired to either Lucania or Campania in Italy. As time progressed, it turns out that Prisca did not remain with Diocletian in his retirement, but rather returned to Nicomedia to live at (the eastern) court with her daughter Valeria. Likewise, Eutropia ultimately found herself living at (the western) court with her younger daughter Fausta, who in 307 married then Caesar Constantine.

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