How the Sons of Constantine significantly weakened the Roman Empire.

Get an exclusive Surfshark VPN Holiday Season deal! Enter promo code MAIORIANUS to get up to 6 additional months for free at surfshark.deal...
🔴 YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL? 🔴
🤗 Join our Patreon community: / maiorianus
Or become an official Maiorianus member on KZbin: / maiorianus461
🎁 The official Maiorianus merch store is now OPEN:
maiorianus.mys...
🤗 One-Time Donation?
- PayPal: paypal.me/Maio...
- Bitcoin: bc1qv4lsfsplvfecrrgvmfclhga28we7mvh9563xdj
🔗 Share the video with anyone who might be interested (it helps a ton!)
The wonderful background music is by Adrian von Ziegler: • Relaxing Roman Music -...
Disclosures: Some links in the description are affiliate links which means that if you purchase something by clicking on one of them, your host Sebastian will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. In this way you will be supporting the channel to improve the video production quality at no extra cost to you.
📬 Contact us: [e-mail]
#Maiorianus

[@Maiorianus_Sebastian]

Get an exclusive Surfshark VPN Holiday Season deal! Enter promo code MAIORIANUS to get up to 6 additional months for free at surfshark.deals/MAIORIANUS

[@Muramasa1794]

I think of Rome every damn day man ❤️

[@paprskomet]

Ok...but how often .-) ?

[@Muramasa1794]

@@paprskomet every day and every night 7 days a week 💪🏽

[@mahesito1943]

@cooldude-mi9wz yet here you are commenting on a niche video on the roman empire...

[@Muramasa1794]

@cooldude-mi9wz in your dreams

[@user-io7sh7nx7c]

​@cooldude-mi9wzOttomans were barbarians and can't be compared to civilized Roman Empire. They didn't have much scientific taste probably due to their steppe barbarian genes and because of them Constantinople regressed into just another city.

[@lesliea7394]

This video is simply fabulous. Very educational and family flow chart was extremely helpful. This is a great holiday gift for all supporters and subscribers of this channel. Thank you Maiorianus and happy holidays!

[@anthonydefex]

nice coverage of all that drama

[@compatriot852]

Sucession seems to be an issue that Rome constantly had issues with. Constantine was just one part in a long series of great rulers who failed at this aspect

[@loodwich]

Not only the Romans... one of the first films that I saw was "Ran" (inspired by "King Lear"), and both histories show how to divide the territory among your sons, and they will kill each other and lose the kingdom...

[@vitorpereira9515]

If only Constantine had put an end to the republic's facade and adopted an absolutist monarchy with a clear line of succession the course of history would have been different. Republic is for city states, not empires.

[@Muramasa1794]

Yeah he should have formulated a clear succession law for the future of the Roman Empire. The constant civil wars was a severe problem for the empire and would plague it even toward the Middle Ages. When anyone can become emperor or be declared emperor this would obviously be a catastrophe.

[@houseplant1016]

Maybe the many times that Christian knights sacked and plundered Byzantine was the main issue instead ..?

[@satyakisil9711]

​@@houseplant1016doesn't explain the civil wars before 13th century. Also the crusader sacking began because they weren't able to pay back loans because of civil wars.

[@erikeliasson4739]

Maybe its the other way around? Maybe he should have reinforced the republican principles. The emperors had only been a detriment to the roman state.

[@vitorpereira9515]

@@erikeliasson4739 The limitations of the Roman Republic, including slow decision-making, factionalism, inadequate military command, limited accountability, and lack of centralized authority, make a strong case for a monarchical regime. A monarchy can provide swift decision-making, unity of command, stability, and centralized leadership, addressing the challenges faced by the Republic. The centralized authority of a monarch streamlines governance, promotes efficiency, and ensures accountability, making it a more effective system for governing a vast empire like Rome.

[@vaevictis5878]

Can you please do a video on Marcellinus of dalmatia? I want to know more about him.

[@FrostbitexP]

Way too heavy use of AI shit in this video lol

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

Yeah. It looks bad in too many areas.

[@blueviper85]

I wonder how differently things would have turned out if Crispus had become emperor. It might be a good idea for a video.

[@hatebeing_sober]

Since he was a brilliant general, there are two chances of what could he be as an emperor : either another Titus or another Maximian

[@billmiller4972]

They were locked in into a unsustainable situation. Each potential successor to the Throne was in danger of being killed by other contenders. Thus they tried to kill the others first, thus nobody was safe. Later empires in the West had "Eldest Son" rules and the christian church was powerful enough to punish every king who was to ruthless. Thus popes acted as a, albeit still rough, system of checks and balances. That's why so often kings pardoned rebellious nobles. That way they could assume to be safer too themselves.

[@vitovitale8325]

yes it's not just the succession management, but somehow have to deal w/ the Senate, the Praetorian Guard, Governors of the Provinces, I think for good half way decent Emperors the Mob ie The citizens of Rome could a card an emperor usualky "holds"

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

True.

[@Constantine_Bush]

Hannibalianus and Constantia had a daughter called Constantia,as well.

[@jakegarvin7634]

I believe this entire episode could be described "Crispus' Revenge"

[@christophera556]

One of the biggest problem of the constantinium triumphant was the three surviving sons of Constantine were all young twenty something year olds ,the problem of twenty something year olds running a country or in the case of the Roman empire is a twrnty something year olds dont have the experience or maturity to run a empire or country. To run a country or empire take maturity and experience something that most young people lack and the case of the three surviving sons of Constantine was no different.

[@emamag6455]

Do you have a video about Siagrius? I really don't know anything about him except he was deposed by the Franks.

[@1212Diablo]

Yes the succession laws of the empire was one of THE primary reasons the empire falls.

[@Constantine_Bush]

I am kind of perplexed,as to the reasons you give Constantine's oppoments a green pass.To begin with,Maximian(A guy who had,also, announced to his supporters,that his son Maxentius was a bastard,so he could wrestle his power away,from him) tried to kill Constantine two times,desipite having been given a sunctuary,by his son-in-law,while Licinius was not that different having executed Diocletian's wife and daughter(The offspring of the man,who adopted and educated him),along with the son of his friend Galerius(The man who elevated him to the position of Ceasar).He,also,plotted,against Constantine twice with Goths notheless,despite the fact that his life was spared.Meanwhile,Maxentius was intent on 'avenging''(lol) the father,who had practically disowned him,by campaigning,against his brother in-law.Your video was interesting,despite my disagreements.I would like to point a few inacurracies though. i)Constantius II was not an Arianist,but a semi-Arianist,who tried to unite the Nicean and the Arian creed into a single belief system. ii)Only the Rhine legions revolted,against Constans,while the legions of Illyricum stayed loyal and made a counter-revolt,led by Vetronio,against Magnentius. iii)The nephew of Constantine,Hannibalianus,was named king of Cappadocia and Pontus,not king(rex) of Achaea,Macedonia and Illyricum.This position was held,by his brother Dalmatius. iv)Emperor Julian was not a good commander,but a rather average and careless one,who was responsible for losing Diocletian's hard won gains in Mesopotamia.

[@septimiusseverus343]

Glad to see that I am not alone in thinking that the "Roman Akhenaten" wasn't all that. Constantius II > Julian.

[@Constantine_Bush]

​​@@septimiusseverus343Constantius II was a master politician.He basically averted a civil war,by anointing his opponent as his successor(It is not like there weren't other options,like his wife's Eusebia's Greek siblings,who were more known to the hellenistic east,compared to his bookish cousin).On the other hand,Julian by trying to emulate Alexander,did not name a successor,leaving his cousin Procopius alone to fend for himself,against those,who sought to take his rightful place.

[@peterruf1462]

i)Semi arianist doesn't mean anything. He wasn't nicean, that's all that matters. ii)Julian was a good commander in Germania.

[@septimiusseverus343]

​@@peterruf1462Good Caesar and a terrible Augustus.

[@Constantine_Bush]

​@@peterruf1462Not really,since Arianists,who did not accept the dogma of Constantius were prosecuted,as well. If he was,as you claim,then he showed no such qualities in Persia(He burned all of his ships and fought,without his armour...),unlike his cousin,who kept Shapur the Great at bay for twenty four years.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I’m having a small Maiorianus binge today. I usually watch only one at a time, I’m trying to savor them, and learn, too. The history of Rome, all of it, is fascinating. Greece, too. These two ancient cultures, especially that of Hellas (Greece), have had more influence on world cultures than any other.

[@vitovitale8325]

if you are talking about the KZbinr majorianus, I usually "gobble" them up I don't think he could make them fast enough, ever since I stumbled into his channel, it has given me a new insight & a new appreciation for some of the shorter reigning emperor's to not just pass them off as too short for any good, so now I am (mostly in my head but some paper) formulate an althistory stringing together some of the worthy Emperors to avoid the 3rd century crisis, a couple of rotten Germanic Magister militiums need to die earlier for a big section to come together... the part that's really difficult to over come the the succession issue, the only two to have some functioning where the adoption (which does not favor blood lines ie father to son) & the aforementioned inheritance (because then you end up w/ possible degenerates as Emperor) so this is a perplexing issue to resolve; they the Romans the endless civil wars alone cause some many other to start arising : manpower, experience, treasure, time, currency debasement; if I involve children from emperor's what to do if the best choice for the empire is an adoption situation like, in the made up movie gladiator

[@Maiorianus_Sebastian]

Thanks a lot Kimberly, I am very happy that you like the videos so much :) I also can't get enough about roman history, and how lucky am I, that I am allowed to make videos about what I learned :)

[@BonanzaRoad]

Thanks for another excellent, informative and entertaining video about the late Roman Empire. Julian is one of the most compelling, interesting, intelligent Emperors. Had he lived longer the world would be a different place today.

[@FillupMan]

Congrats on 100k, Sebastian! There's literally no day where I'm not thinking of something Roman

[@vitovitale8325]

Ditto, cool I am not the only one, hard to explain, I have always just like it, my brother would go outside & play me I pick up a history text, an encyclopedia & just read, I could "sleep" in class (figuratively I never did) & still pass w/ nothing lower than an A bunched between A+ & A, english literature classes I just hated & couldn't stand them "they always kicked my butt math was another class just sleep A's

[@FillupMan]

@@vitovitale8325 The maps are really good

[@GHST995]

Constantine believed the one true faith would hold it all together! Thoughts and Prayers!

[@thomascatty379]

Great video

[@flaviushonoriusemperorofro3903]

constantine should choose ONE successor. it was his fault of all the drama which followed.

[@christopherevans2445]

I always feel bad for Constantine ii. After Crispus death he was the next to step in and he did pretty well. Than after Constantine i death he only got the poorer lands of the west when he should have had a better peice.

[@dylanvanbree896]

kun jij ook een video maken over de opkomst en val van keizer nero dat zou ik erg boeiend vinden om te zien

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

Constans turns up in the great Sutcliff book Frontier Wolf

[@redjirachi1]

Which Roman imperial family do you think was more of dramatic mess * Julio-Claudian Dynasty * Severan Dynasty * Constantinian Dynasty * Other

[@NateTheGnat]

If Julian had lived, maybe we would all be going to Mars temples instead of churches today.

[@lesliea7394]

I would consider it a great improvement over what we have today.

[@NateTheGnat]

@@lesliea7394 maybe. if you like sacrificing bulls

[@laur1969]

Mithras' temples most probably.

[@septimiusseverus343]

He would also have cured cancer, ended world hunger, and and fixed that hole in the Ozone Layer.

[@colbystearns5238]

Perhaps we'd be celebrating Dies Natalis Solis Invicti instead of Christmas a week from now.

[@reeyees50]

Cut using that ai crap

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Is this spelling correct: Magnentius? I hadn’t heard of him before, but that’s not saying much, I don’t know nearly as much Roman history as I’d like to. Plus, many of those new Imperators didn’t last long, sometimes only weeks.

[@vitovitale8325]

if I remember correctly (I not check like I usually do , just straight off the top of my head : there was 26 emperor's in a fifty year period; the wasted man power in constant civil wars, $$$ drain, (stupid emperor's attempted to buy the legions w/ unsustainable pay increases) killing each other instead the barbarians on the border

[@ralambosontiavina7372]

Great work !

[@ribkan4759]

Contantius supporter of Arian interpretation of christianity 8:40 Territories over faith 8:57 fervent christians all of them 10:51 17 years Constans 12:06 cruelty and misrule by Constans (zosimus) 12:42 legions of west rebeling against him 350 By general magnentius 13:37 Constantius defeated usurper Magnentius in battles 351&351 and magnentius committing suicide Elevated constantius galius the elder 13:53 In 354 against alamanni 14:24 14:40 elevated Julian (the apostate) in 355 14:47 across the danube against Quadi and Sarmatians in 357 15:08 Julian proclaimed augustus 360 361 Julian sole emperor 15:55 16:08 against Persia 16:19 died against Persian 363

[@ivandrago4852]

Not sure it's the right niche but if anyone's into Constantinian times I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt's series on them

[@HS-su3cf]

Constantine managed to kill his most competent son.

[@RCDesertRat]

I watched another documentary on Constantine. They suggested that Constantine’s wife was jealous that her stepson, Chrispus, was next in line. She allegedly told Constantine that Chrispus tried to seduce her. As a result, Constantine had Chrispus killed. When he found out his wife lied, Constantine had her suffocated in a steam bath.

[@John_Pace]

And remember Constantine is a SAINT in the Christian faith. ha... ha... ha... Shows you that politics and advancing the Christian faith is more important than true saintly values, what hypocrisy from Rome and Constantinople.

[@joao.fenix1473]

Constantine is not a saint

[@John_Pace]

That is my entire point. He has been declared a Saint by the church, despite his horrific sins like murdering his own sons. By rights, to be a saint you have lead such a blameless holy life, that you have gone straight to heaven and seated at the right hand of God without going to Purgatory first.@@joao.fenix1473

[@stevenvail6277]

It is Constantine the "Great" not Saint Constantine....

[@lesliea7394]

I could not agree more.

[@JimmyWhisperBackInAction]

Justinian ll as well somehow lol

[@ribkan4759]

9:41

[@dshock85]

How the sons of just about every emperor weakened the empire. In fact it's the dynastic rule that ruined the empire from west to east. If you could some up the fall of Rome in one word....succession.

[@billychops1280]

I wish Criscus lived, also Constantius wasn’t so terrible, he just could get a son

[@lerneanlion]

If this is not karma of Constantine the Murderer, I do not know what is.

[@paprskomet]

...very little Roman emperors never comminted anything cruel or had someone killed.

[@me67galaxylife]

@paprskomet but christianity bad >:(

[@kylec2761]

“Quabbling” is not actually a word in English. You are mashing up “quibbling” and “squabbling.”

[@Maiorianus_Sebastian]

Ok, noted :)

[@sagittariusa7662]

So if Constantine II wasn't a dumbass, he wouldn't had died. Constantine II: "I want more land." Constans: "Bro, just go conquer Germania, Hibernia or Calecedonia. I'm busy in Dacia." Constantine II: "No, I don't want to build up an uncivilized land." Constantius II: "Hello dear brothers, can I not interest the two of you in our Lord and Savior, Arius?" Both Constantine II and Constans: "NO!"

[@josephpercente8377]

Tetracycline is over rated. It lasted 5 minutes. In order for it to work you had to assume that the rulers would act in the best interest of the empire. They didn't then and many didn't before i the joint rule creation.

[@yiannimil1]

antinbiotics in general Efd the world!!! \

[@MatteoRomanelli-kl9fb]

Ironically, it was Constantine the greatest artifact for the destruction of the Roman Empire. The battle of the bridge Mavius killed the flower of the Roman army (on both sides). From that moment on the empire was completly reliant on mercenaries. The sons of Constantine simply picked up the pieces.

[@aetius7139]

Byzantines rely heavily on foreign troops like the varingian guards. And they have been a staple to empire troops since. The real reason of the collapse wasnt solely on mercenaries. It was internal backstabbing. The generals and would be emperors backstab each other constantly.

[@hydra7427]

You act like the Roman military was in a good state prior to the battle. The fact is that the Roman legion relied on promises of loot and glory, and all professionalism goes out the window once you run out of places to sack. Mercenaries were preferred because they didn't care about whether they saw loot in the near future, only that they got paid to stick around. And even before this, Rome constantly outsourced any specialist role to foreign auxiliaries. Rome was doomed from the moment it was founded. A time bomb.

[@TheUrobolos]

The Empire remained vastly stronger than its barbaric opponents until 378 and Costantine never lost a single battle even decades after 312.

[@jeffs6081]

Oversimplified and the dates are off.

[@adrianlasin574]

greed had knocked out the great empire

[@josephpercente8377]

Lousy spell check should be tetrarchy.

[@Leandro-Ferreira.]

Who was worse Constantine or Diocletian?

[@JimmyWhisperBackInAction]

At least Diocletian tried. He ended the civil wars and made a new system of governance which largely worked while he was still alive. Constantine was just some mad tyrant who pitted all his family against each other before he croaked.

[@TotaalJarne]

I had misread the title at first. I had read songs instead of sons

[@Maiorianus_Sebastian]

Maybe Constantine was such a bad musician, that his songs really did weaken the Roman Empire XD

[@BillHimmel]

Well, I guess Rome was so great, the only ones to destroy them were themselves!

[@shanicestella2226]

Every Roman Emperors are Narcissist , superior complex and power hunger even Constantine is no exception Constantine : I’m no Narcissist Me : You indeed Narcissist , You ordered thousand men to build a glorious grandeur monument of yourself as a solar deity for the sake create your own personality cult and also power hunger and driven with paranoia that your own wife and son might plotting a coup detat against you

[@me67galaxylife]

Schizophrenic

[@arthur-yq4ic]

did not constantine the 2 earned the bibulus award?

[@hatebeing_sober]

He did

[@manuelgarcia-ve5vm]

theodosius is the great villain

[@EmperorCaligula_EC]

Constantine, aka The Great Debacle of world history. First hour Christian virtue seen in practice. lol

[@sword_of_sanghelios]

Thanks for giving Citizenship too all free non italian romans

[@TheLeonhamm]

Another good one. In short .. Rome continued .. doing .. Rome (for as long as its citizenry and subjects could stick it); that simple. In Milan and Trier, York and Constantinople, Ravenna, Antioch, Alexandria, Arles and Rochester, et al; commerce, bickering, rivalry, power, warfare, supremacy, feuds, and armies. Except in this .. Rome's decidedly odd Catholic Church at Rome, and Milan, Trier, York and Constantinople, Ravenna, Antioch, Alexandria, Arles and Rochester, et al. Constantinople, of course, is history and Antioch has long gone yet various forms of 'Rome's' Catholic Church are still there or thereabouts, not least at Rome, Milan and Trier, York and Ravenna, Antioch, Arles and even Rochester, etc, from Ignatius of Antioch to Oscar Romero, Peter (The Rock') to Francis ('The Merciful') ... Except, perhaps in this: the Latin Rite is no longer (officially) Latin, Greek and Hebrew in its ordinary rites; this is still around, but not always .. approved. And that is .. like .. you know, a tale of history. ;o)

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

Stupid point. All education is indoctrination in real terms.

[@doublem1975x]

If it wasn't for Christian source bias the Constantinian dynasty would be viewed as one of the worst in Roman history.

[@TheUrobolos]

By creating Costantinople alone Costantine ensured the survival of the empire for another millenia. And Costantius II sending missionaries to the germans helped making them more civilized and thus their following integration as rulers into roman society much less violenti. They romanized them with the faith more than all the previous emperors could do with the legions.

[@doublem1975x]

@@TheUrobolos He didn’t create Constantinople. Byzantium was a Hellene city founded likely in 7th century BC. Severus renovated the city and built first wall fortifications in 2nd century AD. Constantine relocated to Nicomedia initially but eventually chose Byzantium because it was more defensible and already had fortification walls. And look how that assimilation experiment with the Germans turned out…

[@TheUrobolos]

@@doublem1975x Cope. He made Byzantium as a brand new city. And the germans DID assimilated, by replacing the degenerate roman upper class that leaded the Empire into dirt. He was without a doubt the second most important emperor after Augustus himself, and considering the religious stuff likely the most important historical figure in the history of religions outside prophets and self proclaimed gods.

[@doublem1975x]

@@TheUrobolos “Brand new” city yet existed since 7th century BC and renovated by Severus in late 2nd century AD. Sounds like you need to cope. And you brag about an assimilation project with an enemy that would invade within a generation of the last wretched member of the dynasty.

[@TheUrobolos]

@@doublem1975x Man, sure you must be a pagan butthurt that CHADstatine trow the last champion of the pagans into the Tiber river under the power of God (any pagan from Julian onward was just a LARPagan). Imagine letting a guy that died 1700 years ago living rent free in your head.

[@germanicus8342]

This is why you let the senate choose.

[@coffeebreakchat2450]

Constantine & his family continued the decline of Rome nicely. Everything wrong with the Empire was present and correct in the Constantine dynasty: - constant internal bickering and intrigue - transfer of manpower from borders to mobile field armies better suited for civil wars - depopulation and loss of agricultural land - further power to large land owners at the expense of peasants - economic stagnation and reduction - debasement of the currency - more taxes and rules applied by a growing civil service - the civil servants woldnt serve in the army & may well have fiddled their own taxes - more alienation of the people at the bottom from the people at the top - more corruption - more stupid grandstanding military expeditions. The "reconquering Dacia" episode was really just putting a line of forts on the far side of the Danube in one area. Wow, that really makes you the equal of Trajan, dude! 🤣😂 - complete lack of constitutional reform - enormous growth of Church bureaucracy, taking tax & potential recruits from the state - complete lack of cultural revitalisation or an inspirational idea of what Rome should be. Why do Constantine & Theodosius get to use the "Great" epithet when Caesar, Augustus, Trajan and Aurelian dont? Did they send off for a certificate by mail order? Did they threaten enough scribes with horrible death? The Constantine clan played music while the Titanic sank. They either couldnt see, didnt care, or were clueless to address, the many serious problems the Roman Empire had. Constantine: C- The rest of his crew are a solid D

[@anthonydefex]

Its ok that Constantine did all those evil deeds. As he made Christianity official, we forgive him.😁😁

[@followerofjulian1652]

What makes you qualified to make these videos? Your academic background, by your own admission, has nothing to do with Classics or History. Stick to Physics, or whatever it is that you studied.

[@mich722]

His video was fair. What are your issues with it?

[@IsengardMordor]

He clearly has a passion for this field and makes his research well (helps one to research the topics in the video in addition to watching the video).

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

He is a student of Roman history, as is this environmental geologist. We don’t get to study everything we love at university, even in my six years there. Like Sebastian, I didn’t get the chance to also earn degrees in classics/ancient history, the reality of mortgages, family life, etc., has to end most academic careers. All students are encouraged to share what they have learned with others, that is a big part of scholarship. Don’t be so harsh, please, it only makes you look bad. I appreciate learning from anyone who knows more than me, your attitude is just snobbery. We love this channel.

[@CRESCENTII1968]

Another territorial academician, appalled that some "undereducated lout" might crash the Ivory Tower Annual Departmental Dinner Fete without the requisite credentials....You folks are so predictable...

[@kafon6368]

This channel is nothing but revisionism. Soon someone will have to take time out of their day to refute his tailor-made "history" videos.

[@foreverraining1522]

I like how you're using Midjourney for the recreations. I'm putting together something similar.

[@ribkan4759]

9:41