MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMANDED BY CONSTANTINE

THE GREAT NORTH OF THE DANUBE

A lexand ru

M a d g ea r u

The future em p ero r started his military career in Egypt, taking part
at the o p eratio ns against the rebellio n o f 297. He also fo ught in the Per
sian w ar in 297-298, und er the co mm and o f Galerius1. Fo r Galerius, w ho
had his o w n plans fo r the future, Co nstantine w as a danger, and he mad e
everything to co ntro l and d eter the yo ung m an w ho w as co nsid ered the
next caesar. Fo r instance, he sent Co nstantine in a d angero us missio n: to
fight in one o f the w ars engaged o n the Danube fro ntier after 301, against
the Sarm ats and the Carpi. Galerius started these w ars in 301 w ith an
offensive against the Carpi, and o ther co nflicts are attested in 302, 306 and
3072. In 302 he receiv ed for the third time the title Sarmaticus M aximus.
*Prezentul material reprezint varianta adugat i completat a studiului: Ope
raiuni militare la nord de Dunre comandate de Constantin cel Mare", n: Cruce i
misiune. Sfinii mprai Constantin i Elena - promotori ai libertii religioase i aprtori
ai Bisericii, I, studii culese i publicate de Emilian P o p e s c u i Mihai Ovidiu C t o i , Ed.
BASILICA a Patriarhiei Romne, Bucureti, 2013, pp. 303-317.
1A.H.M. I o n e s , J. R. M a r t i n d a l e , J. M o r r i s , The Prosopography of the Later Roman
Empire, vol. I: (A.D. 260-395), Cambridge, 1971, p. 223; Timothy D. B a r n e s , The New
Empire of Diocletian and Constantine, Cambridge, 1982, pp. 39-42; Ion B a r n e a , Octavian
I l i e s c u , Constantin cel Mare, Bucureti, 1982, p. 27; Charles M a t s o n O d a h l , Constantine
md the Christian Empire, London-New York, 2004, pp. 13, 62, 273.
2M. Bizzari, G. Fo rni, Diplo ma militare del 306 D.C. rilasciato a un pretoriano di
origine italiana", in: Athenaeum. Studi periodici di letteratura e storia dell'Antichit, Pavia,
38 (1960), 1-2, pp. 7, 17; A delina A r n a l d i , La successione dei cognomina devictarum
gentium e le loro iterazio ni nella tito latura dei primi tetrarchi", in: Rendiconti dell'Istituto
Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere, Classe di letttere, 106 (1972), 1, p. 49; N icolae G o s ta r , Les
titres impriaux Dacicus Maximus et Carpicus M axim us", in: Actes de la XIIe Confrence
Internationale d'tudes classiques Eirene, Bucarest, 1975, p. 647; T.D. B a r n e s , Imperial
Campaigns A .D. 285-311", in: Phoenix, 30 (1976), 2, pp. 188-193; Peter Br e n n a n , Com
bined legio nary d etachments as artillery units in Late-Ro man Danubian bridgehead
dispositio n", in: Chiron, 10 (1980), p. 564; W o lfgang K u h o f f , Diokletian und die Epoche der

Tetrarchie. Das rmische Reich zwischen Krisenbewltigung und Neuafbau (284-313 n. Chr.),

Frankfurt am Main, 2001, p. 225; Bill L e a d b e tte r , Galerius and the Will of Diocletian, Lon
don, New York, 2008, pp. 99, 101; Co nstantin C. P e to l e s c u , Dacia. Un mileniu de istorie,
Bucureti, 2010, p. 304.

581

A lexandru Madgearu

This w as also the cam p aign w here Co nstantine fo ught, as it w as reco rd ed

in Origo Constantini imperatoris. The yo ung Co nstantine w as invo lved in
mo unted close co m bat against the Sarm ats, and he w as even sent by the
em p ero r to o pen the w ay thro ugh the m arshes fo r o ther so ld iers:
Nam et in Sarmatas iuvenis equestris militans ferocem barbarum capillis tentis raptum ante pedes Galerii imperatoris adduxerat deinde
Galerio mittente per paludem equo ingressus suo, viam ceteris fecit
ad Sarmatas, ex quibus plurimis stratis Galerio victoriam reportavit3".
A ccording to the history o f Ioannes Z onaras, based on a lost source,
Galerius gave to Constantine the order to duel w ith the Sarmat chief (he c ap
tured him)4. It is clear that Galerius w ished Constantine to die. Constantine
w as aw are o f this, and by this reason he so ught refuge to his father in Bri
tannia5. In 302, Constantine w as a tribune in a legio comitatensis (Lactantius
recorded that he w as appointed tribune some years before 305)6. There is an
3 Excerpta Valesiana, II. 3. Recensuit Jacques M o reau. Editionem correctiorem curavit
Velizar Velkow , Leip z ig , 1968, p p . 1-2, Fontes Historiae Daco-Romanae (FHDR ) II, p p . 4647; En g lish tran n slatio n b y J. Ste v e n so n , in Sam u el N. C. Lieu , D o m in ic M o n ts e r ra t,
From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views. A Source History, Lo n d o n , New
Yo rk, 2003, p . 43; M au rice Be sn ie r, L'empire romain de l'avnement des Svres au Concile
de Nice, Paris, 1937, p p . 337-338; P. Bre n n an , Combined..., p. 565; T. D. Barn e s, The Nrur
Empire..., p. 41; I. B a rn e a , O. Ilie sc u , Constantin..., p p . 27-28; W . K u h o ff , Diokletian..., p.
791; C. M a tso n O d ah l, Constantine..., p p . 63,273.
4 Io an n es Z o n aras, XII. 33 ( The History of Zonaras: from Alexander Severus to the death of
Theodosius the Great, translatio n by Th. M. Ban c h ic h , E. N. Lan e; intro d uctio n and co mmen
tary by Th. M. Ban c h ic h , N ew York, 2009, p. 69). A bo ut the so urce o f Z o naras, see Bru nc
Blec km an n , Die Chro nik der Jo hannes Z o naras und eine Pagane Quelle zur Geschichte
Ko nstantins", in Historia. Zeitschrift fr Alte Geschichte, 40 (1991), 3, p p . 343-365.
5 L a c ta n tiu s , De mortibus persecutorum, XXV, 1-3 (ed . J. M o re au , Paris, 1954, p.
106; L a c ta n tiu s , Despre moartea persecutorilor. Trad u c ere d e C. Be ja n . Stu d iu intro d u c
tiv , tab el cro n o lo g ic , n o te exp lic ativ e i anexe d e D. M ran u , Iai, 2011, p p . 98-99;:
Panegy ricus C o nstantino A ugusto dictus, V II (V I), 2-4, in Pangy riques Latins, texte
tab li et trad u it p ar Ed o u ard G a l l e ti e r , v o l. II, Paris, 1952, p p . 55-58 (In Praise of Later
Roman Emperors: The Panegy rici Latini" , in tro d u c tio n , tran slatio n , and h isto ric al co m
m en tary b y C .E.V . N ix o n and B. S a y lo r R o d g e rs, Berkeley , Lo s A n g eles, 1995, p p . 219223, 573-574); W. K u h o ff,, Diokletian..., p p . 796-802; C. M a tso n O d ah l, Constantine...
p p . 67-69; C laire So tin e l, In fo rm atio n and Po litic al P o w e r", in: A Companion to Late
Antiquity , ed . b y Ph. R o u sseau , O xfo rd , 2009, p . 129.
6 L a c ta n tiu s , XV III, 9 (ed. J. M o reau, pp. 98, 313-314; ed . C. Bejan, p p . 82-83):
A .H .M . Jo n es, The Later Roman Empire, 284- 602. A Social, Economic and Administrativ
Survey, Baltim o re, 1986, vo l. I, pp. 333-334, 640.

582

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

indirect testimony about the area w here the fights took place in Sarmatia, re
vealed by Peter Brennan, w ho remarked that the names Augustoflavianensia
and Constantia given to the camp near Kuvin are bo th related to Constantine7.
This Ro man stronghold in front of Margus (Dubravica) is no w destroyed8.
Augustoflavianensia w as recorded in Notitia Dignitatum9, w hile Constantia was
mentioned by Priscus Partes in the relation abo ut the peace closed w ith the
Huns at Margus in 44010. The first name reflects the title o f augustus recog
nized to Constantine, but this did no t happen in 306, as Brennan thought. In
the spring o f 310, Galerius, trying to improve the relations w ith Constantine,
recognized him as augustus, and so it w as bestow ed that name for the new
fortress, to hono r his deeds11. Therefore, the name given to the bridgehead
built in front of Margus testifies that the offensive against the Sarmats was
fulfilled by that crossing point. The area is indeed hill o f marshes.
A fter he had becam e an empero r, Co nstantine the Great co mm and ed
ano ther cam p aign against the Sarm ats in the same regio n, in June-July
322. The Ro m an army launched a co untero ffensiv e to p unish the Sarm ats
w ho attacked the camp o f Cam p o na (Ttny, so uth o f Bud ap est). On 12
June 322, Co nstantine w as at Sirm ium , but at 6 July he w as attested at
Bo no nia12, w hich is no t V id in13, but the fo rt w ith the same nam e fro m
7P. B r e n n a n , Combined...", p . 565.
8 Nicolae G u d e a, Despre grania de nord a provinciei Moesia I i sectorul vestic
al frontierei de nord a provinciei Dacia Ripensis de la 275 la 378 e.n.", in: Drobeta, 5,
1982, p. 106, nr. 11; Maja D o rd e v ic , Contributions to the Study of the Roman Limes
in South Banat", in: Roman Limes on the Middle and Lower Danube (Cahiers des Portes de
Fer, Monographies 2), P. P e tr o v i c (ed.), Belgrade, 1996, pp. 128-129,132; Dorel B o n d o c ,
The Roman Rule to the North of the Lower Danube during the Late Roman and Early Byzantine
Period, Cluj-Napoca, 2009, pp. 37-39.
9 N o t it ia D ig n it a t u m , Pars Orientis, XLI, 2; 33, in Notitia Dignitatum accedunt notitia
urbis Constantinopolitanae et laterculi provinciarum, edidit O. Seec k , Berlin, 1876, (pp. 92,93).
10 P r i s c u s , frg. 2 (R. C. B l o c k l e y , The Fragmentary Classicising Historians of the Later
Roman Empire: Eunapius, Olympiodorus, Priscus and Malchus, vol. II, Liverpool, 1983, p.
226/ 227; FHDR II, pp. 248-249).^
11Alexandru M a d g e a r u , mpratul Galerius, Trgovite, 2012, pp. 78-81.
12 The data were recorded in C o d e x T h e o d o s ia n u s l i b r i x v i c u m c o n s t i t u t i o n i b u s
SIRMONDIANIS ET LEGES NOVELLAE AD T h EODOSIANUM PERTINENTES, ediderunt Th. M OM M SEN
et P. M . M e y e r , Berlin, 1905, (IV. 8. 4 - Sirmium, p. 180) i O. Se e c k , Regesten der Kaiser
und Ppste fr die Jahre 311 bis 476 n. Chr. Vorarbeit zu einer Prosopographie der christlichen
Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart, 1919, p. 172 (Bononia).
13 As considered M. B e s n i e r , L'empire romain..., p. 294; I. B a r n e a , O. I l i e s c u , Con
stantin..., p. 106; Hugh E l t o n , Warfare and the military", in: The Cambridge Companion
to the Age of Constantine, N. L e n s k i (ed.), Cambridge, 2006, p. 342.

583

Alexandru Madgearu
Panno nia Secund a, no w Bano sto r in Vo iv o d ina, the head quarters o f Legic
V Ioviau. That w as the cro ssing po int, because it is kno w n that a bridge
head existed on the o ppo sed bank, at Begec (Castellum O nagrinumi
Co m m and ed by the empero r, the army fo llo w ed the enem y beyo nd the
Danube and came back by M argus. O n 26 July 322, Co nstantine w as al
read y at Sav aria15. The existence o f the new brid gehead near Kuvin in
fro nt o f M argus explains w hy the army cro ssed back the Danube by
that po int. M argus as returning cro ssing p o int w as mentio ned by Pu
blius O p tatianus Po rp hyrius, a po et w ho acco m p anied the empero r in
the cam paign. The same po em reco rd ed that a foedns w as clo sed w ith
the Sarmats. They received help against the Go ths, w ho w ere enemies otf
Co nstantine because suppo rted Licinius16. The w ar o f 322 w as comme
m o rated w ith co ins w ith the legend Sarmatia devicta, issued in 323-324- 14 Andrs M c s y , Pannonia and Upper Moesia. A History of the Middle Danube Pn
vinces of the Roman Empire, London, 1974, pp. 269-270; T.D. B a r n e s , Imperial Cam
p aigns...", pp. 175-178, 186-188; Sndor S o p r o n i , Der sptrmische Limes zwischm
Esztergom und Szentendre: das Verteidigungssystem der Provinz Valeria im 4. Jahrhundert,
Budapest, 1978, p. 128; P. B r e n n a n , Combined...", pp. 558, 562; Laszl B a r k c z ;
gnes Sa l a m o n , Tendenzen der strukturellen und organisatorischen nd erung
pannonischer Siedlungen im 5. Jahrhundert", in: Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Re
gis, Szkesfehrvar, 21,1984, p. 152; Pat S o u t h e r n , Karen D i x o n , The Late Roman Arr,,
London, 1996, pp. 25-27; G. B e r t k , Ripa Sarmatica: Late Roman Counterfortificatiocs
on the Left Bank of the Danube", in: Roman Frontier Studies 1995. Proceedings of the X11
International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies, ed. W. Groenmann van Waaterins.
Oxford, 1997, pp. 165-167; H. E l t o n , Warfare...", p. 342.
15 C o d e x T h e o d o s ia n u s , 1.1. 1 (p. 27).
16 P o r p h y r i u s , Panegyricus Constantini, V I. 15-22; V II, 21 (P u b l i u s O p t a t ia x z t P o r p h y r i u s , Carmina, R e c e n su it e t p ra e f a tu s e st L. M u e l l e r , L e ip z ig , 1877, p p . 9, l j
T.D . B a r n e s , P u b liliu s O p ta tia n u s P o rf y riu s " , in : American Journal of Philology, 96,19~5
2, p p . 173-186; Ern e s t St e i n , Histoire du Bas-Empire, to m e I: De l'tat romain l'tat byzzztin (284-476), d itio n f ran aise p ar J.-R . P a l a n q u e , I, P aris, 1959, p . 104; A . M c s y , P rt
nonia..., p p . 277-278; A . A r n a l d i , L a s u c c e ssio n e d e i c o g n o m in a d e v ic taru m g e n f c z r
e le lo ro ite ra z io n i n e lla tito la tu ra d i C o stan tin o il G r a n d e " , in : Contributi di Storia ar^cz
in onore di Albino Garzetti (P u b b lic a z io n i d e ll'Istitu to d i sto ria an tic a e sc ie n z e au siliaraf
d e ll'U n iv e rs it d i G e n o v a, 14), G e n o v a, 1977, p p . 197-198; P e d ro B a r c e l , Roms auszo^tige Beziehungen unter der constantinischen Dynastie, R e g e n sb u rg , 1981, p . 51; I. B a r n z .
O . Ilie s c u , Constantin..., p . 106; Ev an g e lo s C h ry s o s, V o n d e r R u m u n g d e r D ac ia Tr 2 ian a z u r En tste h u n g d e r G o th ia " , in : Bonner Jahrbcher, 192, 1992, p . 188; N o e l L e n sk l
Th e R e ig n o f C o n sta n tin e " , in : The Cambridge Companion..., p . 75; M ic h a e l K u liko w sss..
Rome's Gothic Wars. From the Third Century to Alaric, C am b rid g e , 2007, p p . 81-82.
17 Patrick B r u u n , Constantine and Licinius, A. D. 313-337 (The Roman Impcrm.
Coinage, VU), London, 1966, pp. 115,135, 201, 262, 466, 475.

584

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

The eastern Sarm ats and the Go ths attacked the empire in 323, taking
chance of the few so ld iers o n the limes: Gothi per neglectos limites eruperunt (the armies co m m and ed by Licinius w ere remo ved fro m there)18.
Based on a lo st so urce, Io annes Z o naras w ro te that Co nstantine marched
against the Sarm ats and the Go ths w ho w ere p lund ering Thrace19. The
invaders w ere ruled by Rausim o d us, called by Z o sim o s the king o f the
barbarians". He knew that the Sarm ats came fro m M aeo tis, the A zo v Sea,
therefore fro m the Bo sp o ran kingd o m. A ltho ugh so m etim es Rausim o
dus is co nsid ered to be a Go th20, he w as, as I alread y d em o nstrated in a
paper published in 1996, the same w ith Rhad am sad io s, the Sarm at king
of the Bo sp o ran kingd o m, w ho ruled betw een 309 and 323, to gether w ith
the lo cal king Rhescup o ris VI21. The same co nclusio n w as reached ind e
pend ently by Vitalj M. Z ubar and O leg D sigo v skiy22. Because it is clear
that the Bo sp o ran Sarm ats w ere invo lved and that the Sarm ats fro m Pannonia w ere then allied w ith Co nstantine, it results that this invasio n must
not be id entified w ith that presented abo ve (so me histo rians tho ught that
Rausiumo d us led the Sarm ats w ho attacked Cam p o na)23. It is true that
18 E x c e r p t a V a l e s ia n a , VI, 21: Gothi per neglectos limites eruperunt (ed. J. M o re a u ,
p. 6; FHDR II, p. 46-47; trad. J. Ste v e n s o n , p. 46).
19 I o a n n e s Z o n a r a s , X III. 2. 42 (transi. Th. M. B a n c h ic h , E. N. L a n e , p. 153).
20 Otto Se e c k , Rausimodus", in: Real-Encyclopdie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft,
Zweite Reihe, I (1914), col. 296; Ludwig Sc h m id t , Die Ostgermanen (Geschichte der deutschen
Stmme bis zum Ausgang der Vlkenvanderung, I), Mnchen, 1969, p. 225; A.H. M . Jo n e s , J. M a r u n d a l e , J. M o r r is , The Prosopography..., p. 762; T.D. B a r n e s , The Victories of Constantine",
in: Zeitschrift fr Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 20 (1976), p. 152; Herwig W o l f r a m , History of the
Goths, Berkeley, 1988, p. 60; Everett W h e e l e r , Constantine's Gothic Treaty of 332: A Recon
sideration of Eusebius VC 4.5-6", in: The Roman Frontier at the Lower Danube, 4lh-6lh Centuries.
The Second International Symposium (Murighiol/Halmyris, 18-24 August 1996) (Studia Danubiana.
Pars Romaniae. Series Symposia, I), Bucharest, 1998, p. 81.
21A. M a d g e a r u , O revolt mpotriva lui Constantin cel Mare n provincia Scythia",
in: Peuce, 12 (1996), p. 140; For Rhadamsadios, see Ellis H. M i n n s , Scythians and Greeks. A
Survey of Ancient History and Archaeology on the North Coast of the Euxinefrom the Danube to
the Caucasus, Cambridge, 1913, pp. 527,609; Viktor F. G a j d u k e v i c , Das Bosporanische Reich,
Berlin-Amsterdam, 1971, pp. 480-481.
22 O. D s ig o v s k i y , Constantine the Great and Rausimodus, Sarmatarum Rex", n:
Analele Universitii Dunrea de Jos" Galai, Seria 19, Istorie, 6, 2007, pp. 27-31.
23 A. M c s y , Pannonia..., p. 277-278; Giovanni B r i z z i , La Vittoria Sarmatica di Con
stantino e la propaganda liciniana", in: Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis, 17 (1979),
pp. 61-62; P. B r e n n a n , Combined...", p. 565; Emilienne D e m o u g e o t , Constantin et la D a
d e " , in: E. F r z o u l s <ed.), Crise et redressement dans les provinces europennes de lEmpire Ro
main (milieu du IIF-milieu du IV sicle ap. J.C.), Strasbourg, 1983, p. 104; P. B a r c e l , Roms...,

585

Alexandru Madgearu

Zosimos said that the provinces ruled by Constantine were affected by

this invasion, but he made perhaps a confusion with the previous cam
paign, not mentioned by him. On 8 June 323, the emperor was still at
Thessaloniki24, and from there he started the march to the limes, where
the barbarians were already attacking the forts. One such fortress was
besieged by Rausimodus. While the people inside defended themselves
with throwing stones, the Roman army led by Constantine approaches
from the rear and encircled the enemy. Most of the invaders crossed back
the Danube, and the Roman army followed them. A battle was fought in
a place described as a hill covered with woods, where Rausimodus was
finally killed. Some of his men were colonized in the empire. Constartine returned to Thessaloniki25. Unfortunately, this relation recorded by
Zosimos does not provide indications for the area where the battles were
fought, but it is clear that a wooded hill did not exist east of Campona, in
the Great Hungarian Plain between Danube and Tisza. This fact pointinstead to the northern part of Scythia Minor for the location of the be
sieged fortress, because we can guess that the wooded hill was not toe
far from the Danube. For instance Dinogetia is at around 100 km from the
nearest hill area, Vrancea.
After the victories against Rausimodus and Licinius, Constantine
the Great had enough forces to cope with an inherited problem, the secu
rity of the Danubian frontier. He continued the building activity started
by Diocletian on the northern bank of the river, west and east of the Iror.
Gates. Besides the camp of Kuvin, there are other forts erected during
Constantine the Great. A quadriburgium was built in the island Sapaja
(Zajecar, Serbia), in front of the mouths of the rivers Cara and Nera~.
p. 51; E. C h r y s o s , Von der Rumung...", pp. 189-190; Doina B e n e a , Dacia sud-vestic tr.
secolele 111-lV, Timioara, 1996, p. 57; Andrea V a d a y , Military System of the Sarmatians
in: E. I s t v n o v i t s (ed.), International Connections o f the Barbarians o f the Carpathian Basin in
the l st-5lh Centuries AD. Proceedings o f the International Conference held in 1999 in Aszd ard
Nyiregyhza, Nyiregyhza, 2001, p. 180; M. K u l i k o w s k i , Rome's Gothic Wars..., p. 81-82.
24 C o d e x I u s t i n i a n i , VII. 18. 3; VIII. 46.10 (Corpus Iuris Civilis editio stereotypa quinta.
recognovit Paulus K r u e g e r , Theodorus M o m m s e n , Rudolfus S c h o e l l , vol. II, Berlin,
1888, pp. 303, 358).
25 Z o s i m o s , Historia Nova, II, 21 (Histoire nouvelle, edition et traduction par F. P a s c h o u d , tome I, Paris, 1971, pp. 92-93); E. S t e i n , Histoire..., p. 104; I. B a r n e a , O. I l i e s c u .
Constantin..., p. 106.
26 D. B e n e a , Dacia..., p. 73; N. G u d e a , Despre grania...", p. 107, nr. 13; M. D o r d e v i c , Contributions...", p. 130; D . B o n d o c , The Roman Rule..., pp. 40-42; Constantin

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

That w as the brid gehead fo r the camp o f Led erata. Perhaps in the same
time w ith Kuv in w as built ano ther camp at Vre. Its precise place re
mains unkno w n, but its existence is ind icated by the bricks w ith the
stamps o f legio VII Claud ia and by many co ins issued d uring the reign of
Co nstantine27. The tw o cjuadriburgia built d uring the reign o f D io cletian at
Orova (Dierna)28 and Hino va w ere d evelo ped d uring the reign o f Co n
stantine29. The best kno w n quadriburgium fro m regio n w est o f the Iron
Gates w as entirely researched at Go rnea. It w as an o utp o st o f the camp of
Cezava (No vae). N ico lae Gud ea tho ught that the technical co nstructive
features are able to ascribe this camp to the age o f Dio cletian, but, as D o i
na Benea has rem arked , the m o st ancient co ins reco vered fro m the camp
are issued by Co nstantius II, w hich p o ints to a later date, d uring the pe
riod o f Co nstantine the Great.30 Because the camp o f Cezava-N o vae w as
entirely resto red after 31731, it w as no rm al that its o utp o st w as built after
a sho rt time. The fifth perio d o f the camp Praeto rium (M ehad ia) is dated
during the reign o f Co nstantine the Great. The range o f the co ins fo und
inside the camp is interrup ted betw een 257 and 324, w hich means that
the resto ratio n w as m ad e after the w ar against the Sarm ats in 32232. The
j e n a r u , Minor Fortifications in the Balkan-Danubian Area from Diocletian to Justinian,
Cluj-Napoca, 2010, pp. 94-95.
27M. D o r b e v i c , Contributions...", p. 132; D . B o n d o c , The Roman Rule..., pp. 43-44.
28N. G u d e a , Despre grania...", p. 107, nr. 33; D. B e n e a , Dacia..., pp. 83-89; D. B o n
d o c , The Roman Rule..., pp. 53-56; C. B j e n a r u , Minor..., pp. 109-110.
29 Dumitru T u d o r , Oltenia roman, Bucureti, 41978, pp. 277, 279; Miu D a v i d e s c u ,
Cetatea roman de la Hinova, Bucureti, 1989; D. B e n e a , Dacia..., pp. 107-111; Ion St i n g ,
Sur les estampilles tegulaires dcouvertes dans la fortification romaine tardive de Hi
nova (dp. de Mehedini)", in: Die Archologie und Geschichte der Region des Eisernen Tores
zwischen 275-602 n.Chr. Kolloquium in Drobeta-Turnu Severin (2-5 November 2001), Bucu
reti, 2003, pp. 81-86; D. B o n d o c , The Roman Rule..., pp. 68-70; C. B j e n a r u , Minor..., pp.
114-115.
30 N. G u d e a , Gornea. Aezri de epoc roman i roman trzie; Un castellum din epoca
roman trzie la Cunia de Jos" . Contribuii la cercetarea limesului bnean al Dunrii n
secolul al IV-lea, Reia, 1977, pp. 38-76; D. B e n e a , Dacia..., pp. 76-78; D. B o n d o c , The
Roman Rule..., pp. 47-49.
31 Miloje V a s i c , Cezava = Castrum Novae. La stratigraphie, la chronologie et les
phases architectoniques", in: Akten des 14. Internationalen Limeskongresses 1986 in Car
nuntum, Wien, 1990, vol. 2, p. 904.
32Mihail M a c r e a , N. G u d e a , I. M o u , Praetorium. Castrul i aezarea roman de la Meha
dia, Bucureti, 1993, pp. 30, 52, 53,115; D. B e n e a , Dacia..., pp. 97-98; D. B e n e a , Das Lager
von Praetorium (Mehadia) in sptrmischer Zeit", in: Pontica, 40 (2007), pp. 339-350.

587

A lexandru Madgearu

new occupation of this camp indicates that the Roman army needed to
control the Cerna valley, a w ay that the Sarmats from the w estern Banat
could use. Other new forts w ere erected in the Constantinian period near
Drobeta, at Puinei33 and Desa (in front of another large camp, Ratiaria)34,
and also at Bistre35.
The most important and also surprising achievement of this offen
sive strategy was the building of the stone bridge that connected Oescus
(Gigen) w ith Sucidava, a fortress on the northern bank of the Danube,
erected near a ford used since a long time, as its name it testifies (in the
Getic language Sue- was the w ord for go rge", fo rd ", and -dava meant
fo rtress")36. The bridge w as opened at 5 July 328, in the presence of the
emperor37, being represented on the gold coins issued in the same year
or during the next w ar against the Goths, in 33238. A n admirer of Trajan,
Constantine decided the building of this bridge, longer than that from
Drobeta, according to his w ill of imitatio Traiant39. If Trajan had conquered
33 Octavian T o r o p u , Romanitatea trzie i strromnii n Dacia traian sud-carpatic
(sec. III-XI), Craiova, 1976, pp. 23, 26; D. T u d o r , Oltenia..., pp. 290, 292; M. D a v i d e s c u .
Drobeta n secolele l-V II e.n., Craiova, 1980, p. 184; N. G u d e a , Despre grania...", p. 110,
nr. 40; D. B e n e a , Dacia..., pp. 106-107; D. B o n d o c , The Roman Rule..., pp. 67-68.
34 O . T o ro p u , Romanitatea..., pp. 21-22; D. T u d o r, Oltenia..., p. 274; Petre G h erg h e,
Flo rin R id ich e , Desa, com. Desa, jud. D o lj", in: Cronica cercetrilor arheologice din Rom
nia. Campania 2005, Constana, 2006, pp. 149-152; Petre G h e rg h e , Flo rin R id ich e , Desa,
com. Desa, jud. Do lj", in: Cronica cercetrilor arheologice din Romnia. Campania 2006, Tulcea, 2007, p. 144; D. B o n d o c, The Roman Rule..., p. 74.
35 D. T u d o r, Oltenia..., p. 265; Christian V l d e s cu , Mihail Z a h a ri a d e , Fortificaia ro
man trzie de la Bistre, judeul Do lj", in: Oltenia. Studii i comunicri, 5-6,1986, pp. 29-40;
Cornel A n d o n ie , Romeo A v ram , Radu B j e n aru , 65 de ani de arheologie militar, Muzeul
Militar Naional, Bucureti, 1994, pp. 22-23; D. B o n d o c, The Roman Rule..., pp. 75-76.
36 Dimiter D e t s c h e w , Die thrakischen Sprachreste (sterreichische A kademie der
W issenschaften. Philo so phisch-Histo rische Klasse, Denkschriften; Schriften der Balkan
kommissio n, Linguistische A bteilung, 14), Wien, 1957, p. 469.
37D. T u d o r , Oltenia..., pp. 416-422; Petre G h e r g h e , Lucian A m o n , N oi date n leg
tur cu podul lui Co nstantin cel Mare de la Sucid av a", in: Pontica, 40 (2007), pp. 359-368.
38 P. Bruun, Constantine and Licinius..., pp. 283, 331 (nr. 298); E. D emougeot, Con
stantin..." , pp. 106-107; Peter H eather, Goths and Romans, 332-489, O xford, 1991, pp.
107-108; B. Bleckmann, Constantin..." , p. 39-45; tefan V asili, Pons supra Danubium
cum tribus figuris. O bservaii privind medalionul lui Constantin cel M are i podul de la
Sucidava" , in: Cruce i misiune. Sfinii mprai Constantin i Elena - promotori ai libertii
religioase i aprtori ai Bisericii, vol. I. Studii culese i publicate de Emilian Popescu i
M ihai Ovidiu C toi, Bucureti, 2013, pp. 332-336.
39 B. B l e ck m an n , Constantin..., p. 51; E. W h e e l e r, Constantine's..., p. 81.

588

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

Dacia, Co nstantine reco vered a p art o f the pro vince aband o ned by A u
relian, and a brid ge w as the best w ay to im m o rtalize his glo ry and am
bition. A miliarium fo und at Sucid ava m entio ns that a ro ad w as built on
a d istance o f 1000 feet fro m there40, but the no rthern lim it o f the territo ry
co ntrolled by the empire w as the earthen dyke called Brazda lui Novac de
Nord. This linear fo rtificatio n w as built w hen the Ro m an army mo ved
south of the Danube a large num ber o f inhabitants, in 62 A D. The o ther
o pinio n abo ut the build ing o f this d yke d uring the age o f Co nstantine
the Great is w ro ng, but it is true that after 332, the extant fo rtificatio n w as
used again as a bo rd er line betw een the territo ry annexed to the empire,
and the free Gothia41. The reco vered area w as small and w ith no eco no m ic
value for the empire, co ntrary to w hat w as the fo rm er Trajanic Dacia.
Therefo re, the co nstructio n w as an effo rt to o big in co m p ariso n w ith the
real im p o rtance o f this brid ge fo r the m ilitary and eco no m ic relatio ns
w ith this regio n. Even the cro ssing o f the D anube in the Go thic w ar o f 367
w as mad e by o ther po ints, m o re clo se to the po w er center o f the enemy,
in the Buzu regio n.
The reco v ery o f the regio n betw een Iro n Gates and the m o uth o f Olt
river w as a starting p o int fo r the extensio n o f the co ntro l in the territo ry
o ccupied by the Go ths three d ecad es ago. The o p p o rtunity w as pro vid ed
by an attack launched by a co alitio n o f Tervingi Go ths and Vandals ruled
by Vid igo ia, against the new allies o f Co nstantine, the Sarm ats fro m the
Tisza-Danube regio n. This hap p ened so m etim es at the beginning o f 332.
O verw helm ed by the invad ers, the Sarm ats w ere co m p elled to give w ea
pons even to tho se w ho w ere a kind o f slaves (doidoi, w as the w o rd used
by Eusebius o f Caesarea)42. A cco rd ing to the foedus o f 322, the Sarmats
asked help fro m Co nstantine, and the em p ero r sent a p o w erful army,
co mmand ed by the caesar Co nstantinus II. He rem ained at M arciano polis. The D anube w as cro ssed o n 20 A p ril 332, and the decisive battle
40 Em. P o p e s c u , Inscripiile greceti i latine din secolele IV-XIII descoperite n Romnia,
Bucureti, 1976, p. 295 (nr. 278); D. Tudor, Oltenia..., p. 422.
41 A. M a d g e a r u , Istoria militar a Daciei post-romane, 275-614, Trgovite, 2011,
pp. 61-63.
42 Eu se b iu s, Vita Constantini, IV, 6.1 (Eu seb iu s, Werke, I: Uber das Leben Constantins,
Constantins Rede an die heilige Versammlung. Tricennatsrede an Constantin, hrsg. von I.
A . H e ik e l, Leipzig, 1902, p. 119; Eu se b iu d e C e z a re e a , Scrieri. Partea a doua. Viaa lui
Constantin cel Mare, studiu introductiv de Emilian P o p e sc u , traducere i note de Radu
A le x a n d r e s c u , Bucureti, 1991, p. 162; FHDR II, p. 16-17).

589

Alexandru Madgearu
w as fo ught on the 12thof May, in an unkno w n place. If the w ar regio n was
in Sarmatia, then it is po ssible that the river might be cro ssed by Marguf
and A ugustofla vianensia, like in 322. A ctually, no thing is kno w n abo ir
the o peratio ns in this campaign, except that an o ffensive w as also d irectei
to the Go thic center in the Buzu region. This co uld be inferred from the
name Daphne given to the fo rtress erected later at the mo uth o f the Arge
river. The victo ry co mmemo rated w as that against the Goths, and the
place ind icates the advance to w ard the Buzu region. A fter this campaigr
w as resto red the old Ro man camp fro m Pietro asele, lo cated in that Gothic
po w er center43. The Go ths w ere easily defeated, and the son o f king A riarcus w as took ho stage44. By this action, Co nstantine has vio lated thefoedus
closed by Dio cletian in 296, respected by the Tervingi.45 Overw helmed by
the Ro m an army, the Go ths had no o ther chance than to accept another
foedus. The text of the treaty w as no t preserved, and by this reaso n Everer
W heeler denied its existence. How ever, its co ntents could be inferred fro ~
the scattered data transmitted by various sources. The Tervingi accepted to
surrend er (deditio), but the empero r reco gnized their d o minatio n over the
regio ns settled by them in M o ld avia and W alachia (Gothia), w ith the con
dition o f respecting peace. They preserved their o w n rulership and they
w ere obliged to pro vid e w arrio rs for the Ro man army, fo r w ho m they w il
receive money. The trade w as free alo ng the entire Danubian fro ntier4*.
43 For the location of Daphne and the recovery of the Pietroasele camp, ~ee
A. M a d g e a r u , Istoria militar..., p p . 51- 55, 58, 60, 64, 73.
44 CoNsuLARiA Constantinopolitana, a. 332 (ed Theodor M o m m s e n , Monumat
Germaniae Historica, Auctores Antiquissimi, tomus IX/ 1, Berlin, 1892, p. 234; R.W. B'jiGESS, The Chronicle of Hydatius and the Consularia Constantinopolitana: Two Contemporan
Accounts of the Final Years of the Roman Empire, Oxford, 1993, p. 236): Victi Gothi ab ex erce
Romano in terris Sarmatarum die XII k. Mai; Ex c e r p t a V a l e s i a n a , V I, 31,34 (ed. J. M o r e a e
p. 9; FHDR II, p. 48/ 49; trad. J. St e v e n s o n , p. 48); E. St e i n , Histoire..., p. 129; L. S c h m id x
Die Ostgermanen...., p. 227; H. W o l f r a m , History..., p. 61; E. W h e e l e r , Constantine's'
pp. 82-83; A. V a d a y , Military...", p. 180; M . K u l i k o w s k i , Rome's Gothic Wars..., p. 84.
45P. B r e n n a n , Diocletian and the Goths", in: Phoenix, 38 (1984), 2, p. 146.
46 L. Sc h m id t, Die Ostgermanen...., p p . 227-228; E. C h ry s o s, G o th ia R o m an a. Zzr
R e c h tsla g e d es F d e ra te n la n d e s d e r W e stg o te n im 4 Jh.", in : Dacoromania, 1 (1973), rr
52-58; I. B a r n e a , O. Ilie s c u , Constantin..., p p . 118-119; B. B ro c k m e ie r, Der G ro e Frie re
332 n .C h r. Z u r A u e n p o litik K o n sta n tin s d es G ro e n " , in : Bonner Jahrbcher, 187 (195p p . 79-100; H. W o lf r a m , History..., p p . 60-62; P. H e a th e r , Goths..., p p . 99, 108-115
A le k sa n d e r B u rs c h e , Later Roman - Barbarian Contacts in Central Europe. Numismatic Evi
dence, Be rlin 1996, p p . 118-119; E. W h e e le r , C o n s ta n tin e 's ..." , p . 84-91; M. K u lik o v t^ e l
Rome's Gothic Wars..., p . 86.

590

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

It is no t true that the Ro m an arm y fo ug ht a p rev io us w ar ag ainst
the Go ths in 326 o r 328, therefo re in the p erio d w hen the brid ge w as
in co nstructio n47. This o p inio n resulted fro m a sup erficial interp reta
tion o f the d ata transm itted by Theo p hanes Co nfesso r and Geo rgio s
Ked reno s48. Bo th so urces m entio n the w ar o f ag ainst the Go ths (called
w ith their nam e but also Skythai) that fo llo w ed the co nstructio n o f the
brid ge, but the y ears are w ro ng. The sam e ev ent ap p ears in the histo ry
of So crates w ith a co nfused chro no lo g y 49. Chronicon Paschale, a text fro m
628, has reco rd ed the build ing o f the brid ge in 328 w itho ut any w o rd
abo ut the d efeat o f the Sky thians50. This ad d itio n w as m ad e by The
o phanes and accep ted by Ked reno s. O n the o ther hand , the frag m ent
from Theo p hanes is based o n the sam e lo st so urce used by Z o naras, but
w ith a w ro ng chro no lo gy.
The Go thic w ar o f 332 had the same p urp o se like the D acian w ars
of D o m itian and Trajan: to ensure the security of the Lo w er Danubian
region. In the satyric w riting o f em p ero r Julian, Co nstantine praised him
self that he co nquered again Dacia, but the o ther Caesars replied that this
was an ep hem eral achiev em ent51. Fro m this do es no t result that Julian
co nsid ered ind eed Co nstantine the equal o f Trajan, as so me histo rians
are thinking52. On the co ntrary, Co nstantine w as rid iculized here by the
apostate w ho hated so m uch his ancesto r w ho becam e the first Christian

47V. M r c u l e t , Un problme de gopolitique de la politique danubienne du Con

stantin le Grand (324-337): la reconqute et la domination de la Dacie mridionale", in:
Pontica, 41 (2008), pp. 299-301.
48 The C hron icle o f T h e o p h an e s C o n fe s s o r . By z an tin e an d N ear Eastern History, AD
284-813, translated with introduction and commentary by Cyril M a n g o and Roger
Sc o t t , Oxford, 1997, p. 44; G e o r g iu s C e d r e n u s Io an n is S c y lit z ae ope ab Im m an u ele Bek'<ero su ppletu s et em en datu s, vol. I, Bonn, 1838, p. 517.
49 So c r a t e s , 1,18 ( S o c r a t i s Sc h o l a s t i c i , Ecclesiastica Historia, ed. Robertus H u s s e y ,
I, Oxford, 1853, p. 110; Socrates and Sozomenus Ecclesiastical Histories, ed. Philip S c h a f f
(Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church. Second Series,
Translated into English with Prolegomena and Explanatory Notes, vol. II), New York, 1886,
p. 22.

50 Chronicon Paschale: 284-628 AD, translated with notes and introduction by Mi

h i t b y and Mary W h i t b y , Liverpool, 1989, p. 15.
51 Iu lia n u s , Kaisares, 329C ( The Works of the Emperor Julian, w ith an English transla
tion by W . C a v e W r ig h t, vol. I, London, Cambridge (Massachussetts), 1913, pp. 396397; FHDR II, p. 30-31).
52 For instance M. C o m a , Dacia n epoca lui Constantin cel Mare i a urmailor
si", in: Pontica, 10 (1977), p. 223.
c h ael W

591

Alexandru Madgearu
em pero r. Indeed , Co nstantine did no t reco ver the entire fo rm er prov
ince o f Dacia, but the extensio n o f the Ro man co ntro l and influence over
a part o f Gothia gave to the Ro m anizatio n a new im petus and a chance
to evo lve o utsid e the fo rm er pro vince, no t o nly amo ng the free Dacians
but also am o ng the Go ths. This co uld be called a kind o f seco nd Roma
nizatio n. The d efeat o f the Go ths and the beginning o f their Christianiza
tion started their integratio n in the Ro m an w o rld , reflected by the large
num ber o f im p o rts d isco v ered in the settlem ents and cemeteries of the
Sntana de M ure-Cerneaho v culture.
The last no rth-D anubian cam paign co mm and ed or at least ordered
by Co nstantine the Great co uld be dated sho rt time befo re his death (21
M ay 337). A fter the peace w ith the Tervingi, the empire co ntinued the
o ffensive strategy, in the new circum stances o f the internal fights in Sar
matia. In this w ay co uld be exp lained the title Dacicus M aximus received
by Co nstantine in 335 or 336, m entio ned in the inscrip tio n reco rd ing all
his victo ries, d isp layed in Ro me in February 33753. Tim o thy Barnes anc
A leksand er Bursche sup p o sed that the title co ncerned a campaign tha:
led to the partial reco v ery o f D acia54, w hile Peter Heather and Everen
W heeler co nsid ered that the title reflected the pacificatio n o f the entire
Danubian regio n55. Bo th p o ints o f view are unpro ven. We can o nly guess
that the internal fights am o ng the Sarm ats in the territo ry that belo ngec
to Dacia w ere the o p p o rtunity fo r an extensio n o f the area under Ro
m an d o m inatio n. Co nstantine w as p resent at Vim inacium o n 4 Augu-c
335. O ther ed icts w ere signed by him in Co nstantino p le in the days oc
17 A p ril and 22 O cto ber 335, w hich m eans that he started the campaigr.
at the beg inning o f the sum m er and came back by the mid d le October^.
Therefo re, the o ffensive that reached so uth-w estern Dacia by Viminaciur-.
co uld be d ated in the sum m er o f 335. The gold m ed allio ns issued in 3?~
or 338 fo r a v icto ry o f Co nstans (the so n o f Co nstantine) discovered in
the areas p eo p led by Vand als and Go ths (the W ielbark culture in Poland
w ere gifts for these allies w ho jo ined the Ro m an army in this campaign
53 T.D. B a r n e s , The Victo ries...", pp. 151-152; A . A r n a l d i , La successione o e
cognomina...", pp. 201-202; C. M a t s o n O d a h l , Constantine..., p. 233.
54T.D. B a r n e s , The New Empire..., p. 80; A . B u r s c h e , Later Roman..., p. 132, footnoae
206.
55P. H e a t h e r , Goths..., p. 108; E. W h e e l e r , Constantine's...", p. 91.
56 C o d e x T h e o d o s ia n u s , VIII, 9,1; XII, 1, 21; XVI, 8,5 (pp. 404, 668, 888); A. A rn altc
La successione dei cognomina...", p. 202.

592

Military operations commanded by Constantine the Great...

against the Sarmats. Co nstans received the title Sarmaticus, reco rd ed in
the inscrip tio n d ated 337-340 d isco v ered at Carcaliu (p revio usly it w as
believed that the find sp o t w as Tro esm is)57.
In conclusion, different parts of the no rth-Danubian area w ere reached
several times by Co nstantine the Great d uring his military actions,
co mmand ed by him self or by his representatives.

O peraiuni militare la nord de D unre comandate

de Constantin cel M are
C o nstantin cel M are a p articip at la rzbo iul co ntra sarm ailo r co n
dus de Galerius n 302, pe cnd el era tribun, co m and ant al unei legiuni
in arm ata co m itatensis. Z o na und e s-a p etrecut o fensiv a a fo st stabilit
pe baza num elo r A ugustoflavianensia i Constantia, pe care le-a av ut fo r
tificaia de lng Kuv in, situat n faa celei de la M argus. A m bele co
m emo rau p articip area lui Co nstantin. n 310, Galerius a ncercat s m
bunteasc relaiile cu Co nstantin, recuno scnd u-1 ca augustus. N u
mele no ii fo rtificaii co nstruite aco lo und e a lup tat Co nstantin i cinstea
faptele de arme. D up ce a d ev enit m p rat, Co nstantin a co nd us alt
cam panie co ntra sarm ailo r n aceeai regiune d intre D unre i Tisa, n
iunie-iulie 322. A rm ata a av ansat pe la Bo no nia (Bano sto r) i s-a nto rs
pe la A ugustoflavianensia. A fo st ncheiat un foedus cu sarm aii. n 323,
mpratul a lup tat co ntra celeilalte ram uri a sarm ailo r, cei rsriteni,
care au atacat limes-ul d unrean m p reun cu go ii. A rm ata ro m an co
mand at de Co nstantin a d esfurat o o fensiv la no rd de D unre. Co n
d ucto rul sarm ailo
r Rausim o d us a fo st ucis,' iar m uli
d intre o am enii
si au fo st cap turai. A cest co nd ucto r era de fap t Rhad am sad io s, reg e
le Reg atului Bo sp o ran. D up aceast v icto rie a ncep ut un am p lu p ro
gram de fo rtificare pe m alul de no rd al limes-ului d unrean. n afar
57
Em. P o p e s c u , Inscripiile..., p. 251 (nr. 238); T.D. B a r n e s , Imperial Campaigns...,
p. 154; T. D. B a r n e s , The Victories..., p. 154; J. A r c e , The Inscription of Troesmis (ILS
724) and the First Victories of Constantius II as Caesar", in Zeitschrift fr Papyrologie und
Epigraphik, 48 (1982), pp. 245-249; A . B u r s c h e , The Victoria Sarmatica of AD 340 and three
gold medallions from Barbaricum, in Kontakt, Kooperation, Konflikt. Germanen und Sarmaten
zwischen dem 1. und 4. Jahrhundert nach Christus. Internationales Kolloquium des Vorge
schichtlichen Seminars der Philipps-Universitt, Marburg, 12-16 Februar 1998, Neumnster,
2003, pp. 409-413.

593

Alexandru Madgearu
de Kuv in, s-au m ai co nstruit sau refcut alte fo rtificaii la Sap aja, Vre, Go rnea, O ro va, M ehad ia, H ino va, Puinei, Desa, Bistre. Cea
m are realizare a fo st p o d ul d intre O escus i Sucid av a (328), m ai impor
tant p entru p ro p ag and a im p erial d ect p entru necesitile eco no mice
i m ilitare. Lim ita de no rd a terito riului recup erate era v alul de pmr*
Brazd a lui N o v ac de N o rd . n 332, cnd g o ii i-au atacat pe sarman;
care erau aliai cu Im p eriul Ro m an, Co nstantin a o rd o nat o campanie
co ntra acesto ra, co m and at de C o nstantinus II. Ea a fo st nd rep tat ce.
m ai p ro babil co ntra centrului de p utere go tic d in no rd -estul M untenieL
N um ele no ii fo rtificaii D ap hne d in faa castrului Transm arisca am irtete de aceast v icto rie. Go ii au fo st silii s cap ituleze. Ultim a campa
nie no rd -d unrean co m and at sau cel p uin p lanificat de C o nstanz r
este atestat de titlul D acicus M axim us p rim it n 335, p entru o o fensiv i
ncep ut la V im inacium , n aceeai regiune a sarm ailo r.

M o ned de bro nz cu chrismon d easupra labarum-ului, care

strp unge un arpe; em isiune Siscia, tipul spes publica.

594