Minervina
| Minervina | |
|---|---|
 Imaginary portrait (1587) | |
| Roman empress | |
| Tenure | 306–307 (alongside Galeria Valeria 306–307 and Valeria Maximilla 306–307) |
| Spouse | Constantine I (disputed) |
| Issue | Crispus |
Minervina was either the first wife or concubine of Constantine I, and the mother of his eldest son and future caesar Crispus. Little is known of her life. Her birth and death dates are unknown.
Life
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Constantine spent his early life in Nicomedia as a political hostage in Diocletian's court.[1] Constantine had a relationship with Minervina. Ancient historians Aurelius Victor and Zosimus refer to Minervina as a concubine.[2] On the other hand, a panegyric delivered around 310 states that Constantine was married at a very early age,[3] around the year 290.[2] Barnes, Woods and PLRE view the panegyric as proof that Minervina was married to Constantine,[4][5][2] while Pohlsander considers the possibility of the panegyrist not being entirely truthful.[3]
Crispus's year of birth is nowhere outright stated, she must have given birth to him before 307.[6] Constantine provided a formal education to his son and Crispus was elevated to the rank of princeps iuventutis as well as holding the office of Consul three times.[6] This may suggest that the marriage of Constantine and Minervina was a legal Roman marriage.[citation needed] When Constantine wanted to strengthen his alliance with the other Tetrarchs, in 307 AD he married Fausta, the daughter of the emperor Maximian. Minervina might have already been dead by 307, but it is possible that Constantine set her aside[3] or initiated a divorce with her. Minervina does not appear in the historical record after 307 AD.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, 3; Lenski, "Reign of Constantine" (CC), 59–60; Odahl, 56–57.
- ^ a b c Jones, Martindale & Morris, pp. 602–603.
- ^ a b c Pohlsander 1984, p. 80.
- ^ Barnes 1982, pp. 42–43.
- ^ Woods 1998, p. 85.
- ^ a b Hans Pohlsander, Crispus Caesar (317–326 A.D.)
References
[edit]- Barnes, Timothy D. (1982). The New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. doi:10.4159/harvard.9780674280670. ISBN 0-674-28066-0.
- Jones, A.H.M.; J.R. Martindale & J. Morris (1971). Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-07233-6.
- Pohlsander, Hans, "Constantine I (306 – 337 A.D.)", De Imperatoribus Romanis site.
- Pohlsander, Hans A. (1984). "Crispus: Brilliant Career and Tragic End". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 33 (1): 79–106. JSTOR 4435872.
- Woods, David (1998). "On the Death of the Empress Fausta". Greece & Rome. 45 (1): 70–86. doi:10.1093/gr/45.1.70.
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