01-23-2013, 08:52 PM
Before Constantine's victory at the Milvian bridge in 312, western Europe was divided between three rival Augustii: Constantine himself ruled Britain, Gaul and Spain, Maxentius controlled Italy and North Africa, while Licinius ruled Pannonia and Noricum.
So who was in control of Raetia?
It was officially part of the diocese of Italy, but as Maxentius was a usurper his writ perhaps did not extend to the Danube. He seems to have been at war on and off with Licinius, who captured Istria at one point, but his army was apparently based at Aquiliea anticipating an invasion through the Julian Alps. Constantine could have claimed Raetia himself, moving east from Sequania, but the border area around Lake Constance was possibly still in the hands of the Alamanni from the Agri Decumantes and old Vindelica west of the Iller at this point.
The only reference I can find to Raetia is a confusing note in Zosimus (II.14. 1-2) that after the death of Maximian, Maxentius 'sought every occasion to make war on Constantine' and so 'designed to go towards Rhaetia, which is contiguous both to Gaul and Illyricum. For he imagined that he should subdue Dalmatia and Illyricum, by the assistance of the generals in those parts, and of the army of Licinius.' But, Zosimis says, Maxentius instead sent his army to put down the rebellion in Africa first.
'Go towards' implies an advance rather than an invasion - so did Raetia already belong to Maxentius? Or was the 'army of Licinius' garrisoning the province, but its 'generals' of uncertain loyalties? Or was it a kind of no-man's-land, between the competing emperors?
So who was in control of Raetia?
It was officially part of the diocese of Italy, but as Maxentius was a usurper his writ perhaps did not extend to the Danube. He seems to have been at war on and off with Licinius, who captured Istria at one point, but his army was apparently based at Aquiliea anticipating an invasion through the Julian Alps. Constantine could have claimed Raetia himself, moving east from Sequania, but the border area around Lake Constance was possibly still in the hands of the Alamanni from the Agri Decumantes and old Vindelica west of the Iller at this point.
The only reference I can find to Raetia is a confusing note in Zosimus (II.14. 1-2) that after the death of Maximian, Maxentius 'sought every occasion to make war on Constantine' and so 'designed to go towards Rhaetia, which is contiguous both to Gaul and Illyricum. For he imagined that he should subdue Dalmatia and Illyricum, by the assistance of the generals in those parts, and of the army of Licinius.' But, Zosimis says, Maxentius instead sent his army to put down the rebellion in Africa first.
'Go towards' implies an advance rather than an invasion - so did Raetia already belong to Maxentius? Or was the 'army of Licinius' garrisoning the province, but its 'generals' of uncertain loyalties? Or was it a kind of no-man's-land, between the competing emperors?
Nathan Ross
