Candidianus (c. 296–313) was the son of the Roman Emperor

Galerius Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (; 258 – May 311) was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. During his reign he campaigned, aided by Diocletian, against the Sasanian Empire, sacking their capital Ctesiphon in 299. He also campaigned across the D ...

and adoptive son of

Galeria Valeria Galeria Valeria (died 315) was the daughter of Roman Emperor Diocletian and wife of his co-emperor Galerius. Biography Born as Valeria to Diocletian and Prisca, she married Galerius in 293, when her father elevated him to the position of Caesar ...

, the wife of Galerius and daughter of

Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...

Life and execution

Candidianus was the son of Galerius and a concubine whose name has not been recorded. He was later adopted by Galerius's legitimate wife, Galeria Valeria, who had no children of her own.

Lactantius Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (c. 250 – c. 325) was an early Christian author who became an advisor to Roman emperor, Constantine I, guiding his Christian religious policy in its initial stages of emergence, and a tutor to his son Cr ...

records that Galerius intended to make Candidianus a Caesar, or junior emperor, upon the celebration of his vicennalia in 312. However, Galerius perished in 311 while preparations for the celebration were underway and was succeeded by

Maximinus Daza Galerius Valerius Maximinus, born as Daza (20 November 270 – July 313), was Roman emperor from 310 to 313 CE. He became embroiled in the Civil wars of the Tetrarchy between rival claimants for control of the empire, in which he was defeated ...

and

Licinius Valerius Licinianus Licinius (c. 265 – 325) was Roman emperor from 308 to 324. For most of his reign he was the colleague and rival of Constantine I, with whom he co-authored the Edict of Milan, AD 313, that granted official toleration to C ...

. Along with Severianus, son of the deceased emperor

Severus II Flavius Valerius Severus (died September 307), also called Severus II, was a Roman emperor from 306 to 307. After failing to besiege Rome, he fled to Ravenna. It is thought that he was killed there or executed near Rome. Background and early ...

, Candidianus feared the intentions of Licinius and fled to the court of Maximinus Daza where he resided until 313. It was probably about this time that young Candidianus was betrothed to the daughter of Daza who was seven years old at the time. When Daza went to war against Licinius in 313, Candidianus was captured after Licinius emerged victorious and Daza perished. According to Lactantius, Candidianus presented himself at the court of Licinius and was received with honor. However, as soon as the youth felt himself safe, Licinius had him executed. His unnamed betrothed and her brother, Maximus, also lost their lives.Lactantius. ''On the Deaths of the Persecutors'', p. 91

References

Sources

* Lactantius. Lord Hailes (transl.) (2021
''On the Deaths of the Persecutors: A Translation of De Mortibus Persecutorum by Lucius Cæcilius Firmianus Lactantius''
Evolution Publishing, Merchantville, NJ {{ISBN, 978-1-935228-20-2, p. 91 * Mackay, Christopher S. “Lactantius and the Succession to Diocletian.�
''Classical Philology''
vol. 94, no. 2, 1999, pp. 198–209. JSTOR. Accessed 15 May 2021. * Leadbetter, William Lewis.
''Galerius and the Will of Diocletian''
United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2009. 313 deaths 4th-century Romans People executed by the Roman Empire Executed ancient Roman people Tetrarchy Sons of Roman emperors Illegitimate children of Roman emperors Year of birth uncertain