Galeria Valeria
Encyclopedia
Galeria Valeria was the daughter of Roman Emperor
Diocletian
and wife of his co-emperor Galerius
.
Born as Valeria to Diocletian and Prisca
, she married Galerius in 293, when her father elevated him to the position of Caesar. This marriage was clearly organized to strengthen the bonds between the two emperors.
Galeria was sympathetic towards Christians, while Galerius persecuted them.
Galeria was raised to the title of Augusta
and Mater Castrorum in November 308. Since she gave no child to Galerius, Galeria adopted her husband's illegittimate son, Candidianus, as her own.
When Galerius died, in 311, Licinius
was entrusted with the care of Valeria and her mother Prisca. The two women, however, fled from Licinius to Maximinus Daia, whose daughter was betrothed to Candidianus. After a short time, Valeria refused the marriage proposal of Maximinus, who arrested and confined her in Syria
and confiscated her properties. At the death of Maximinus, Licinius ordered the death of both women. Valeria fled, hiding for a year, until she was found in Thessaloniki
. She was captured by the mob, beheaded in the central square of the city, and her body thrown in the sea. She was canonized as a Christian saint with her mother (see Saint Alexandra
).
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
and wife of his co-emperor Galerius
Galerius
Galerius , was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311. During his reign he campaigned, aided by Diocletian, against the Sassanid Empire, sacking their capital Ctesiphon in 299. He also campaigned across the Danube against the Carpi, defeating them in 297 and 300...
.
Prisca (empress)
Prisca was the Empress of Rome and wife of Emperor Diocletian.-Biography:Nothing is known of her family background. Although she was a Christian or favorably disposed to Christianity, she was forced to sacrifice to the gods during the Great Persecution of 303...
, she married Galerius in 293, when her father elevated him to the position of Caesar. This marriage was clearly organized to strengthen the bonds between the two emperors.
Galeria was sympathetic towards Christians, while Galerius persecuted them.
Galeria was raised to the title of Augusta
Augusta (honorific)
Augusta was the imperial honorific title of empresses. It was given to the women of the Roman and Byzantine imperial families. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum and Mater Patriae .The title implied the greatest prestige, with the Augustae able to...
and Mater Castrorum in November 308. Since she gave no child to Galerius, Galeria adopted her husband's illegittimate son, Candidianus, as her own.
When Galerius died, in 311, Licinius
Licinius
Licinius I , was Roman Emperor from 308 to 324. Co-author of the Edict of Milan that granted official toleration to Christians in the Roman Empire, for the majority of his reign he was the rival of Constantine I...
was entrusted with the care of Valeria and her mother Prisca. The two women, however, fled from Licinius to Maximinus Daia, whose daughter was betrothed to Candidianus. After a short time, Valeria refused the marriage proposal of Maximinus, who arrested and confined her in Syria
Syria (Roman province)
Syria was a Roman province, annexed in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursuing victory in the Third Mithridatic War. It remained under Roman, and subsequently Byzantine, rule for seven centuries, until 637 when it fell to the Islamic conquests.- Principate :The...
and confiscated her properties. At the death of Maximinus, Licinius ordered the death of both women. Valeria fled, hiding for a year, until she was found in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. She was captured by the mob, beheaded in the central square of the city, and her body thrown in the sea. She was canonized as a Christian saint with her mother (see Saint Alexandra
Saint Alexandra
Saint Alexandra of Rome — Christian saint, known from "Martyrdom of Saint George" as Emperor Diocletian's wife. She is also sometimes called Priscilla or Prisca...
).