Fausta, as Salus, holding her two sons, Constantine II and Constantius II. In Greek mythology, Hygieia ( or Hygeia ( was a daughter of Asclepius. Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as Constantine II, (316 – 340 was Roman Emperor from 337 to 340 Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II ( 7 August, 317 - November 3, 361) was a Roman Emperor

Fausta Flavia Maxima, Roman Empress, (289-326A. D. ) She was the daughter of the Roman Emperor Maximianus. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius (c 250 &ndash c To seal the alliance between them for control of the Tetrarchy, Maximianus married her to Constantine I in 307. Tetrarchy ( Greek: "leadership of four " can be applied to any system of government where power is divided between four individuals Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine Events Roman Empire March 31 — After divorcing his wife Minervina Constantine marries Fausta the daughter of the retired Emperor Constantine and Fausta had been betrothed since 293. Events By Place Roman Empire March 1 — Diocletian and Maximian appoint Constantius Chlorus and Galerius

Fausta had a part in her father's downfall. In 310 Maximian died as a consequence of an assassination plot against Constantine. Maximian decided to involve his daughter Fausta, but she revealed the plot to her husband, and the assassination was disrupted. Maximian died, by suicide or by assassination, in July of that same year.

Empress Fausta was held in high esteem by Constantine and proof of his favour was that in 323 she was proclaimed Augusta, previously she held the title of Nobilissima Femina. However 3 years later Fausta was put to death by Constantine. Although the real reasons are not clear, Constantine put her to death following the execution of Crispus, his eldest son by a previous marriage to Minervina, in 326. Flavius Julius Crispus, also known as Flavius Claudius Crispus and Flavius Valerius Crispus was a Caesar of the Roman Empire. Minervina was the wife or mistress of Constantine. She had one son Crispus. Events By Place Roman Empire Constantine I founds Constantinople and incorporates Byzantium into the new city According to the ancient sources, she accused Crispus of rape, and Constantine had Crispus executed. Fausta was later executed by suffocation in an over-heated bath,^[1] when her charge was discovered to be false. Modern commentators have tended to ignore the allegation of rape and to seek some other explanation for what happened. It has often been argued that Fausta wanted to get rid of Crispus who was a dangerous rival for her sons in the competition to succeed Constantine. The Emperor ordered the damnatio memoriae of his wife. Damnatio memoriae is the Latin phrase literally meaning "damnation of memory" in the sense of removed from the remembrance. Significantly her sons once in power never revoked this order.

Her sons became Roman Emperors: Constantine II reigned 337 - 340, Constantius II reigned 337 - 361, and Constans reigned 337 - 350. Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as Constantine II, (316 – 340 was Roman Emperor from 337 to 340 Events By Place Roman Empire September 9 — Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans succeed their Events By Place Roman Empire Constantinople, capital of Emperor Constantius II, becomes the largest city of the world taking Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II ( 7 August, 317 - November 3, 361) was a Roman Emperor Events By Place Roman Empire September 9 — Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans succeed their Events By Place Roman Empire Julian the Apostate becomes Roman Emperor, and tries to restore paganism in the empire Flavius Julius Constans (320-350 was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 337 to 350 Events By Place Roman Empire September 9 — Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans succeed their Events By Place Roman Empire January 18 — Magnentius is proclaimed emperor by the army in Autun. She also bore three daughters Constantina, Helena and Fausta. Constantina (also named Constantia and Constantiana; b after 307/before 317 - d Of these, Constantina married her cousins, firstly Hannibalianus and secondly Constantius Gallus, and Helena married Emperor Julian. Flavius Hannibalianus (also Hanniballianus; d September 337 was a member of the Constantinian dynasty, which ruled over the Roman Empire in the 4th century Flavius Claudius Constantius Gallus (ca 325/326 - 354 better known as Constantius Gallus, was a member of the Constantinian dynasty and Caesar Apparently a genealogical claim that her daughter Fausta became mother of Emperor Valentinian I is without foundation (Valentinian I and children of Constantine I's second marriage were born in years close to each other, i. Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, ( 321 - November 17, 375) was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death e they were of the same generation).

References

Bibliography

J. W. Drijvers, 'Flavia Maxima Fausta: Some Remarks', Historia 41 (1992) 500- 506.

D. Woods, ‘On the Death of the Empress Fausta’, Greece & Rome 45 (1998), 70-86.

External links

• Media related to Fausta from the Wikimedia Commons.