Dawn of a New Rome

The silence in Constantine’s private study within the Trier palace was heavy, broken only by the crackle of a nearby brazier. Valerius stood patiently, having delivered his momentous news of the turmoil in Rome and Maxentius’s ambition. Constantine stared at the map of Italia spread before him, his mind a vortex of cold, rapid calculations. Maxentius. A new piece on the board, a disruptive element that shattered the already fragile Tetrarchic order.

Constantine’s inherited memories of Maxentius painted a picture of arrogance and entitlement, but also of a certain popular appeal, especially among the Praetorians his father, Maximian, had once commanded. This was no minor frontier rebellion. This was a direct strike at the heart of the Empire, a challenge to Galerius’s entire system.

And a magnificent opportunity, Constantine thought, a predatory gleam in his eyes that Valerius, despite his years of service, found subtly unsettling in one so young.

"So Galerius’s taxes have finally set Rome alight," Constantine mused, more to himself than Valerius. "And Maxentius is there to feed the flames, using his father’s old name as a shield." "It seems so, Augustus," Valerius confirmed. "Word is the Praetorians are rallying to him quickly." Constantine absorbed this, nodding slowly. "A new player in Italy then. The entire game shifts."

His gaze shifted on the map, from Rome to the territories controlled by Flavius Valerius Severus, Galerius’s appointed Augustus of the West. "Severus. He is now caught between my forces here in Gaul and Maxentius in Italy. A most unenviable position."

He summoned Claudius Mamertinus, the acting prefect, and his key military commanders – Crocus, Metellus, and others he had come to trust in the whirlwind days since his acclamation. When they were assembled, he laid out the intelligence. The reactions were varied. Mamertinus, ever the administrator, blanched at the thought of further widespread chaos. Crocus’s eyes lit up at the prospect of more war and the potential for shifting alliances. Metellus and the Roman officers listened with grim focus.

"Severus is Galerius’s man," Constantine stated, cutting through any potential debate. "His authority in Italy was already tenuous. With Rome in revolt under Maxentius, his position becomes critical. He will be forced to march on Rome to crush this new rebellion, on Galerius’s orders."

"And if he succeeds?" Metellus asked.