"Co-Emperors"

("Co-Emperors")

The Pax Romana, "Roman Peace" was a roughly two century period where the Roman Empire was at its height. Its decline began with the onset of the Third Century, where there was a revolving door of Emperors, each Legion declaring its own commander to the Purple. The Empire was on the verge of collapse altogether until the ascent of Emperor Diocletian in 270 C.E. It was Diocletian that first divided the Empire into East and Weat and also divided the Office of Emperor into four, the Tetrarchy, two Augustus' and two Caesars.

Diocletian's' reforms stabilized the Empire and possibly allowed it another century. However, the Tetrarchy began to fracture as soon as Diocletian's death. Civil war broke out almost immediately between the four "emperors." In the West, it was Constantine, an "Augustus" and Licinius, also an "Augustus," was sent East. In the West, Constantine was able to triumph over rival Maxentius along the Tiber River (is it also the source of the probably apocryphal story of Constantine seeing a Christian symbol and hearing "under this sign, you will conquer. Constantine decked his army with the CHI-RHO signs. Constantine won decisively). In the East, Licinius was equally successful. He even married Constantine's sister.

That being said, even this "Co-Emperor" situation could not endure. After his "Devine" experience along the Tiber, Constantine came to favor Christians. He himself would be Baptized at the end of his life. In the East, however, Licinius, continued to persecute the Faith. That gave Constantine the excuse to himself move east, defeating his co-Emperor, despite familial ties, Constantine had Licinius executed. Constantine was then made sole Emperor of the Empire.

How does President Biden feel about Vice President Harris ? Neither is a Licinius, much less a Constantine but their relationship is just as dicey. Harris was forced on Biden and now her liability has been exposed. If the President, for whatever reason, cannot finish his term, it will be then be President Harris and she does not engender confidence. When the Biden-Harris Ticket was assembled, the shortcomings of each were known but the heavy lifting was to be done by the Democrat-controlled Capitol Hill. When events transpired that would require the President to take a more active role in his Administration, that, by extension, would require an more active role for the Vice President.

This is no Huey Lewis and the News song: "Happy to be Stuck With You." For the moment, Biden and Harris are in a state of flux. The President is deteriorating and Harris knows that no one has confidence in her. She has heard that she might be replaced. In a way, a civil war, like the one between Constantine and Licinius could be brewing between Biden and Harris, the new Co-Emperors.