Galerius in Roman Biography

Ga-le'rl-us, [Fr. Gai.ekk, gi'iaiR',] (Cai'us Vai.k'- RIUS Maximia'.ni's,) a Roman emperor, was a native of Dacia. and of humble origin. From the rank of private soldier he rose to the highest commands in the army. In the year 292 A.D. he was adopted as sou or heir, with the title of Caesar, by Diocletian, whose daughter he married ; and a few years later he commanded the army which defeated the Persian king Narses. The violent persecution of the Christians by Diocletian is ascribed to the instigation of Galerius. When Diocletian and Maximian abdicated, in 305, Galerius and Constantius Chlorus succeeded as colleagues in the empire, and the former took for his share Illyria, Thrace, Macedonia, Greece, and the Eastern provinces. His colleague having died in 306, Galerius wished to choose Severus in his place; but Constantine and Maxentius opposed him, and Severus was slain. After he had failed in an attempt to capture Rome, he retired to one of his provinces, and died in 311 a.d. See Gibbon, " Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ;" TlEfcsmont, H Histoire des Lnipereurs."