Introduction

Last week, we left off in march of three sevent a d with constantine and lycinius renewing their imperial alliance. But two sunsets and some clever manoeuvring on the part of the eastern augustus had conspired to deny constantine right. Lycinius position was far weaker after the settlement than before it, but he was still augustus. He still ruled the eastern empire, minus what he had been forced to cede to constantine. And perhaps most important of all, he still had his head. The new caesar crispus would run the government and defend the frontier better than any one could have reasonably expected.