Galerius

Roman emperor (305–11), born near Serdica, Dacia. He was a Roman soldier of humble extraction who rose from the ranks to become deputy ruler of the E half of the empire under Diocletian (293), and chief ruler after Diocletians's abdication in 305. He was a notorious persecutor of the Christians (303–11) until near the end of his reign, when after an illness he granted them some toleration.

Galerius
Coin of Galerius
Reign	293 - 305 (as Caesar, under Diocletian); 305 - 311 (as Augustus alongside Constantius Chlorus)
Full name	Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus
Born	c. 250
	Serdica
Died	5 May 311
Predecessor	Maximianus and Diocletian
Successor	Constantine I
Consort to	Galeria Valeria
Father	A herdsman

Galerius Maximianus (c. 250–5 May 311), formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311. He served with distinction as a soldier under Emperors Aurelian and Probus, and in 293 at the establishment of the Tetrarchy, was designated Caesar' along with Constantius Chlorus, receiving in marriage Diocletian's daughter Valeria (later known as Galeria Valeria), and at the same time being entrusted with the care of the Illyrian provinces.

In 296, at the beginning of the Persian War, he was removed from the Danube to the Euphrates;

In 305, on the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian, he at once assumed the title of Augustus, with Constantius his former colleague, and having procured the promotion to the rank of Caesar of Flavius Valerius Severus, a faithful servant, and (Maximinus II Daia), his nephew, he hoped on the death of Constantius to become sole master of the Roman world.

It was at the insistence of Galerius that the last edicts of persecution against the Christians were published, beginning on February 24, 303, and this policy of repression was maintained by him until the appearance of the general edict of toleration, issued from Nicomedia in April 311, apparently during his last bout of illness, in his own name and in those of Licinius and Constantine.

According to Lactantius, Galerius had affirmed his Dacian identity, and he had avowed himself the enemy of the Roman name;

Galerius died on 5 May 311 from a horribly gruesome disease described by Eusebius, possibly some form of bowel cancer.

Galerius is remembered in Romanian religious-folk songs as Ler Imparat (Emperor Ler).