Late Roman Empire, Valentinian-Theodosian Dynasty, Interregnum: Constantine III, Constans II: Introduction

77 *CONSTANTINE III (r.409-411) (W)

78 *CONSTANS II (r.409-411) (W)

In Hispania some of Honorius’ relatives raised a private army and prevented the Vandals, Suebi and Alani from crossing the Pyrenees. But they still adhered to the government in Ravenna and so their success was a challenge to Constantine, who now dispatched his son Constans (fl.408-411) along with his general Gerontius to deal with them. Honorius’ loyalists were easily overpowered somewhere near the passes of the Pyrenees. Constans returned to Arelate, leaving Gerontius and much of the army to guard Hispania.

Sarus and his forces, after the death of Stilicho (408), abandoned the Western Army and thus left Honorius without any significant military force to confront Alaric, under whom the Gothic army was roaming unchecked in Etruria. So in 409 Honorius accepted overtures from Constantine III in Ravenna and received him as co-emperor. Constantine then, without the approval of Honorius, elevated his son to augustus.

In September the Vandals and their allies crossed into Hispania unopposed. Constantine, angered by this new threat to recently conquered Hispania, ordered Constans to return there and replace Gerontius with a certain Justus. Gerontius, rather than give up his new status and position, now chose rebellion and proclaimed his own man Maximus of Hispania, augustus.

In 410 the Britons, having been deserted by Constantine, expelled his governors and appealed to Honorius for help. In his reply, according to the historian Zosimus (fl.490s-510s), the emperor informed the citizens of Britain that they must in future take care of themselves (Bruttium, not Britain?).

In 411 Gerontius and Maximus invaded Gaul where they met Constans at Vienne and killed him in battle, before moving on to besiege Constantine at Arelate. Honorius sent his magister militum and future emperor ⁶¹Flavius Constantius (fl.410-421) into Gaul. After routing a relieving army from the north, Constantius captured Constantine and took him and his other son Julianus back to Italy, where they were both beheaded.

Gerontius and Maximus fled to Hispania, where the former was killed by his own troops and the latter found safety among the barbarians. In 419-421 there was another rebellion in Spain led by another Maximus and it is generally accepted that this was the same man. He was captured and executed.