The two Roman Emperors Constantine and Licinius had already clashed over territory once. They had since departed in two radically different directions: Constantine favoured Christianity, while Licinius stubbornly held to the old pagan religion. In the early 320s, another war was inevitable. This article, first published in The English Historical Review in 1909, briefly touches on the first war between the two emperors and then goes on to describe the final campaign between them in full details, including the Battle of Adrianople on 3 July 324, a series of naval battles in the Dardanelles, and the Battle of Chrysopolis on 18 or 20 September in the same year.

Current research has little to add to Pears' article, except regarding the part played by the Goths. The Goths took part in both wars on the side of the Eastern Emperor Licinius, not the Western Emperor Constantine, strictly in accordance with the treaty between them and the Empire (with the only exceptions possibly being individuals enrolled in Constantine's regular units). The first peace treaty between Constantine and Licinius was agreed on 1 March 317, not in 314. The most important result of the peace was that there was no longer a unified defence of the Danube border. This lack of unified defence, perhaps together with Gothic resentment after the first campaign under Licinius, for whom they had fulfilled the terms of the treaty but received few thanks and less reward, inspired a Visigoth contingent under Rausimod to mount a raid into Roman territory in the spring of 323.

Although the Goths at first ravaged the territory of Licinius, it was Constantine who moved against them and in due time succeeded in driving the Goths back across the frontier. Constantine pursued the Goths across the Danube and defeated them in a battle in which Rausimod met his death. He also forced the Goths to surrender all prisoners. However, Constantine had violated the territory of the Eastern Emperor, and the Goths he had defeated again became the allies of Licinius. And the stage was set for the final campaign between the two emperors.

Although the opportunist Emperor Constantine certainly was noborn-again Christian, his adversary Licinius did his best to stamp out Christianity. Licinius "had nothing but his skill as a soldier to recommend him, unless it were his zeal for paganism" and his "violence, profligacy, utter disregard of the rights of others,and tyranny" made him less than popular. In Christian history-writing, Licinius acquires the stature of a major Hollywood villain, while the younger Constantine is made into a righteous all-American hero (yes, Hollywood featured him as such), who after the victory made Christianity the state religion.

It almost seems petty to point out that Christianity was winning anyway, with or without Constantine. What else is there to say? For the price of a chocolate bar, the wargamer gets as much detail as he could possibly desire for a campaign that to a very real extent determined the future of the western world. And, unlike this highly emotional review, Pears provides a clear and well-argued description of the campaign. Highly recommended.

More Reviews:

Ancient Naval Tactics
Importance of Sea Power
Roman Frontier History
Movements of Roman Legions
Campaign Against Paganism