50 Facts About Maximian

Maximian shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn.

Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent most of his time on campaign.

Maximian failed to oust Carausius, and his invasion fleet was destroyed by storms in 289 or 290.

The rebel leader was ousted in 296, and Maximian moved south to combat piracy near Hispania and Berber incursions in Mauretania.

In early 310, Maximian attempted to seize Constantine's title while the emperor was on campaign on the Rhine.

However, after Constantine ousted and killed Maxentius, Maximian's image was rehabilitated, and he was deified.

Maximian was born around 250 near Sirmium in the province of Pannonia, into a family of shopkeepers.

The panegyric of 289, after comparing his actions to Scipio Africanus' victories over Hannibal during the Second Punic War, suggested that Maximian had never heard of them.

Maximian's ambitions were purely military; he left politics to Diocletian.

The Christian rhetor Lactantius suggested that Maximian shared Diocletian's basic attitudes but was less puritanical in his tastes, and took advantage of the sensual opportunities his position as emperor offered.

Lactantius charged that Maximian defiled senators' daughters and traveled with young virgins to satisfy his unending lust, though Lactantius' credibility is undermined by his general hostility towards pagans.

Maximian had two children with his Syrian wife, Eutropia: Maxentius and Fausta.

Theodora, the wife of Constantius Chlorus, is often called Maximian's stepdaughter by ancient sources, leading to claims by Otto Seeck and Ernest Stein that she was born from an earlier marriage between Eutropia and Afranius Hannibalianus.

Historian Stephen Williams suggests that Diocletian considered himself a mediocre general and needed a man like Maximian to do most of his fighting.

Maximian was forced therefore to seek a co-ruler from outside his family and that co-ruler had to be someone he trusted.

Once the rituals were over, Maximian assumed control of the government of the West and was dispatched to Gaul to fight the rebels known as Bagaudae while Diocletian returned to the East.

Maximian has been implicated in a massacre of Coptic Christian troops from the headquarters unit of a legion raised in Thebes at Aucanus in modern Switzerland in early 285, during the preparations for the campaign against the Bagaudae.

Maximian traveled to Gaul, engaging the Bagaudae late in mid-285.

Maximian did not put down the Bagaudae swiftly enough to avoid a Germanic reaction.

The first army was left to die of disease and hunger, while Maximian intercepted and defeated the second.

Maximian soon heard that Carausius was waiting until the pirates had finished plundering before attacking and keeping their booty himself instead of returning it to the population at large or into the imperial treasury.

Maximian ordered Carausius' arrest and execution, prompting him to flee to Britain.

Diocletian could not have been present at Maximian's appointment, causing Seeck to suggest that Maximian usurped the title and was only later recognized by Diocletian in hopes of avoiding civil war.

Maximian realized that he could not immediately suppress Carausius and campaigned instead against Rhenish tribes.

Maximian believed the Burgundian and Alemanni tribes of the Moselle-Vosges region to be the greatest threat, so he targeted them first.

Maximian campaigned using scorched earth tactics, laying waste to their land and reducing their numbers through famine and disease.

Maximian fought in person, riding along the battle line until the Germanic forces broke.

Maximian moved deep into Germanic territory, bringing destruction to his enemies' homelands and demonstrating the superiority of Roman arms.

Early the next year, as Maximian made preparations for dealing with Carausius, Diocletian returned from the East.

In early 288, Maximian appointed his praetorian prefect Constantius Chlorus, husband of Maximian's daughter Theodora, to lead a campaign against Carausius' Frankish allies.

The Franks sued for peace and in the subsequent settlement Maximian reinstated the deposed Frankish king Gennobaudes.

Maximian allowed a settlement of Frisii, Salian Franks, Chamavi and other tribes along a strip of Roman territory, either between the Rhine and Waal rivers from Noviomagus to Traiectum, or near Trier.

Maximian tolerated Carausius' rule in Britain and on the continent but refused to grant the secessionist state formal legitimacy.

Constantius was made to understand that he must succeed where Maximian had failed and defeat Carausius.

In 296, Maximian raised an army, from Praetorian cohorts, Aquileian, Egyptian, and Danubian legionaries, Gallic and German auxiliaries, and Thracian recruits, advancing through Spain later that year.

Maximian returned to Italy in early 299 to celebrate another triumph in Rome.

The succession did not go entirely to Maximian's liking: perhaps because of Galerius' influence, Galerius' former army comrade Severus and Galerius' nephew Maximinus were appointed Caesar, thus excluding Constantine and Maxentius.

Maximian quickly soured to the new tetrarchy, which saw Galerius assume the dominant position Diocletian once held.

Maximian retired to villas in Campania, Lucania or Sirmium, where he lived a life of ease and luxury.

The city was strongly fortified so Maximian offered terms, which Severus accepted.

Maximian then seized Severus and took him under guard to a public villa in southern Rome, where he was kept as a hostage.

Maximian spoke of Rome's sickly government, disparaged Maxentius for having weakened it, and ripped the imperial toga from Maxentius' shoulders.

Maximian expected the soldiers to recognize him but they sided with Maxentius, and Maximian was forced to leave Italy in disgrace.

In early 309 Maximian returned to the court of Constantine in Gaul, the only court that would still accept him.

In 310, Maximian rebelled against Constantine while the Emperor was on campaign against the Franks.

Maximian had been sent south to Arles with part of Constantine's army to defend against attacks by Maxentius in southern Gaul.

Maximian was captured, reproved for his crimes, and stripped of his title for the third and last time.

Maximian minted coins bearing his father's deified image and proclaimed his desire to avenge his death.

Maximian was apprehended when he killed the eunuch and was offered suicide, which he accepted.

Maximian began appearing on Constantine's coinage as divus, or divine, by 318, together with the deified Constantius and Claudius Gothicus.