7. This Great Emperor and Dynasty Founder Eliminated Both His Son and His Wife
Constantine the Great, founder of the Constantinian Dynasty, had many admirers in his era. Especially the Christians, who were grateful to him for taking Christianity out of the catacombs and into the palace. He gave the Roman Empire a new lease on life, relocated the capital from Rome to the newly built Constantinople, and laid the foundations for an Eastern Roman Empire whose remnants survived into the fifteenth century. However, his admirers seldom mentioned his shortcomings, such as the mercurial temper that led him to eliminate his eldest son, Crispus (circa 299 – 326).
While still in his teens, Constantine appointed Crispus commander in Gaul, and he delivered with victories in 318, 320, and 323, that secured the province and the Germanic frontier. In a civil dispute against a challenger, Licinius, Crispus commanded Constantine’s navy and led it to a decisive victory over a far larger fleet. He also played a key role in a subsequent battle that secured his father’s triumph. Then in 326, his life came to a sudden end when his stepmother, eager to remove an obstacle to her own sons’ succession to the throne, falsely accused Crispus of attempted assault. An enraged Constantine had Crispus tried and convicted before a local court, then ordered him hanged.
