DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0341
Africa under the later Emperors 267
A.D. 310, and two years later the son was drowned in the Tiber
in a hurried retreat before the victorious Constantine. A duel
for supremacy between two such ambitious and successful rivals
was unavoidable, and for twelve years the struggle was con-
tinued, resulting in the overthrow of Licinius and the establish-
ment of undivided empire under Constantine the Great. Among
the dedications in North Africa to the Emperor Licinius, one
found at Testour, the ancient Bisica Lucana, is the most com-
plete, the date probably being A.D. 316, three years after his
marriage with Constantia, the sister of Constantine.
D • N • IMP • VALERIO ' LICINI
ANO • LICINIO ■ AVG .... MAX
SARMATICO • MAX • GERMA
NICO ■ MAX -TRIBVNICIA • POTES
TATE • X • CONS ■ V ■ IMP ■ X ■ PATER ■ PATRIAE • PRO
CONS • COL • BISICA ■ LVCANA ■ DEVOTA ■ NVMEN
MAIESTATIQVE EIVS
Various readings of this inscription have been given by
experts, but the controversy has turned rather upon the deci-
phering of certain letters than the direct meaning of the
dedication.1 The family of Licinius was involved in his ruin.
An only son by Constantia, and bearing the same name, was
put out of the way by order of his uncle Constantine, for fear
that he might cause trouble hereafter. This unfortunate little
boy, who was honoured with the title of Caesar when scarcely
twenty months old was not forgotten by his father s friends in
Africa. A milliarium found at Equizetum, about a mile east of
Bordj Medjana, records his existence as nobilissimus Ccesar?
VALERIO LICI
NIANO LI
CINIO IVN
NOBILISSIMO
CAES
M XII
It could scarcely be expected that the re-assumption of
imperial dignity by Maximianus, after he had only a few years
previously solemnly renounced all claims to power, would be
regarded either by Constantine or Licinius as anything more
1 C.I.L. No. 1357. Vide Shaw, p. 169. Ximenez, Hist, de Cart A. p. 260.
2 C.I.L. No. 10429. Rec. de Const. 1876-77, p. 629.
A.D. 310, and two years later the son was drowned in the Tiber
in a hurried retreat before the victorious Constantine. A duel
for supremacy between two such ambitious and successful rivals
was unavoidable, and for twelve years the struggle was con-
tinued, resulting in the overthrow of Licinius and the establish-
ment of undivided empire under Constantine the Great. Among
the dedications in North Africa to the Emperor Licinius, one
found at Testour, the ancient Bisica Lucana, is the most com-
plete, the date probably being A.D. 316, three years after his
marriage with Constantia, the sister of Constantine.
D • N • IMP • VALERIO ' LICINI
ANO • LICINIO ■ AVG .... MAX
SARMATICO • MAX • GERMA
NICO ■ MAX -TRIBVNICIA • POTES
TATE • X • CONS ■ V ■ IMP ■ X ■ PATER ■ PATRIAE • PRO
CONS • COL • BISICA ■ LVCANA ■ DEVOTA ■ NVMEN
MAIESTATIQVE EIVS
Various readings of this inscription have been given by
experts, but the controversy has turned rather upon the deci-
phering of certain letters than the direct meaning of the
dedication.1 The family of Licinius was involved in his ruin.
An only son by Constantia, and bearing the same name, was
put out of the way by order of his uncle Constantine, for fear
that he might cause trouble hereafter. This unfortunate little
boy, who was honoured with the title of Caesar when scarcely
twenty months old was not forgotten by his father s friends in
Africa. A milliarium found at Equizetum, about a mile east of
Bordj Medjana, records his existence as nobilissimus Ccesar?
VALERIO LICI
NIANO LI
CINIO IVN
NOBILISSIMO
CAES
M XII
It could scarcely be expected that the re-assumption of
imperial dignity by Maximianus, after he had only a few years
previously solemnly renounced all claims to power, would be
regarded either by Constantine or Licinius as anything more
1 C.I.L. No. 1357. Vide Shaw, p. 169. Ximenez, Hist, de Cart A. p. 260.
2 C.I.L. No. 10429. Rec. de Const. 1876-77, p. 629.