 Constantine initially presented the suicide as an unfortunate family tragedy . By 311 , however , he was spreading another version . According to this , after Constantine had pardoned him , Maximian planned to murder Constantine in his sleep . Fausta learned of the plot and warned Constantine , who put a eunuch in his own place in bed . Maximian was apprehended when he killed the eunuch and was offered suicide , which he accepted . In addition to the propaganda , Constantine instituted a damnatio memoriae on Maximian , destroying all inscriptions referring to him and eliminating any public work bearing his image . 
