Page "Constantius Chlorus" Paragraph 3

In 286, Diocletian elevated a military colleague, Maximian, to the throne as co-emperor of the western provinces, while Diocletian took over the eastern provinces, beginning the process that would eventually see the division of the Roman Empire into two halves, a Western and an Eastern portion.

By 288, his period as governor now over, Constantius had been made Praetorian Prefect in the west under Maximian.

Throughout 287 and into 288, Constantius, under the command of Maximian, was involved in a war against the Alamanni, carrying out attacks on the territory of the barbarian tribes across the Rhine and Danube rivers.

To strengthen the ties between the emperor and his powerful military servant, in 289 Constantius divorced his wife ( or concubine ) Helena, and married the emperor Maximian ’ s daughter, Theodora.