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'Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius' (c. 250 - July 310), known in English as 'Maximian', was Roman Emperor (together with Diocletian) from March 1, 286 to 305.

Contents

Life

Rise to power

Rule

Retirement

Augustus for the second and third times

Death

Honours

Offspring

External links

Life

Rise to power

Born near Sirmium (city in Pannonia), Maximian made a career in the army. He served under Aurelian and Probus. Maximian probably participated to the Mesopotamian campaign of Carus in 283, so that he was with Diocletian in 284 at Nicomedia, when his colleague was elected emperor.

Rule

In 285, Diocletian decided to divide the Roman empire in two because it was too large to be governed by a single emperor. Diocletian would rule the eastern half of the empire and Maximian would rule the western part.
He appointed Maximian to the position of Augustus. While they were considered to be coemperors, Diocletian in fact was the superior. In 293, when Diocletian introduced the Tetrarchy, Constantius Chlorus became Maximian's Caesar and married Maximian's step-daughter, Flavia Maximiana Theodora.
During his reign, Maximian had several military successes, against the Alemanni and Burgundians in northern Germany, against the Carpi on the Danube frontier and against Carausius, who had rebelled in Britain and declared himself emperor there. He also strengthened the frontier defenses in Africa.
While dealing against the German tribes, Maximian had entrusted Carausius of the northern fleet, with the aim of defeating the pirates. It is known that some financial irregularities characterized Carausius administration, so that, fearing to be punished, Carausius declared himself emperor, effectively ruling over Britain and northern Gaul. Still entangled with the German threat, Maximian sent his newly-appointed caesar, Constantius, to deal with Carausius. Constantius first took back the Gaul defeating Carausius, then, in 296, definitively ended the rebellion defeating Carausius successor, Allectus, in Britain.
In 297-299, Maximinian attacked the Moors in Spain, and campaigned in northern Africa against the local tribes. After these campaigns, Maximian retired in Milan and Aquileia, with his ''Caesar'' Constantius in charge of dealing with the German tribes.
As regards politics, Maximian was more aggressive in his relationship with the Senate than Constantius, while he did not collaborate actively in the anti-Christian persecution promoted by his eastern colleagues Diocletian and Galerius.
'^ Part of the above claim - about Maximian not actively persecuting Christians - is incorrect.' It also contradicts the Wikipedia article on Saint Maurice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Maurice):
"''Saint Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, or Mauritius) was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century. According to the hagiographical material the legion, entirely composed of Christians, had been called from Thebes in Egypt to Gaul to assist Maximian, which they did valiantly. However, when Maximian ordered them to harass some local Christians, they refused and Maximian ordered the unit punished. Every tenth soldier was killed, a military punishment known as decimation. More orders followed, they still refused, due in part to encouragement from Maurice, and a second decimation was ordered. In response to their refusal to use violence against fellow Christians, Maximian ordered all the remaining members of the 6,600 unit executed.'' ...."
The officer Maurice was loyal to Maximian, but he ranked his emperor second to God. This was an insult to Maximian, who saw himself as godlike. This spelled Maurice's martyrdoom. (Source: Discovery/BBC documentary film, title uncertain.)

Retirement

On May 1, 305, Diocletian and Maximian retired together. Maximian did not do so voluntarily; he was forced to do so by Diocletian because Maximian had taken an oath at the temple of Jupiter Capitoline to follow his colleague in retirement. Galerius (in the east) and Constantius Chlorus (in the west) became the new emperors. As caesars, they were the rightful successors to the position of augustus. They then took the title of augustus and appointed their own caesars, Flavius Valerius Severus and Maximinus Daia. Maximian retired in his lands in Lucania or Campania

Augustus for the second and third times

When Constantius died the next year, Maximian's son Maxentius took the western emperorship (28 October 306). Needing to vest the mantle of officiality, he named Maximian Augustus. Maximian defeated Severus and Galerius in battle and brought Constantius' son, Constantine, on his side by having Constantine marry his daughter Fausta.
However, Maximian's role was a cover for Maxentius's real power, and in 308 the older augustus rebelled against his own son, marching upon Rome, but was beaten. Diocletian's refusal to take back the purple, after a meeting in Carnuntum, forced Maximian to find refuge with Constantine in Gaul.
Another occasion to gain the purple rose in 310, when Constantine had moved with part of his army to quell a revolt of the Franks. Maximian declared himself emperor for the third time, gaining the loyalty of the troops through a ''donativum'', but was unable to defend himself against Constantine, who quickly moved to Arelate to besiege his father-in-law. Maximian fled to Massilia but was again defeated, taken prisoner, and deposed.

Death

Even if stripped of the purple, Maximian received pardon for his revolt against Constantine, and allowed to settle in his court.
Maximian died as a consequence of an assassination plot against Constantine. He decided to involve his daughter Fausta in the plot, but she decided to reveal the attempt to her husband, and the assassination was disrupted. Maximian committed suicide by hanging himself, in July of that same year.

Honours

For his own and his colleagues' victories, Maximian received the titles ''Germanicus Maximus V'' (twice in 287, and in 288, 293, and 301), ''Sarmaticus Maximus III'' (in 289, 294, and 300), ''Armeniacus Maximus'' (298), ''Medicus Maximus'' (298), ''Adiabenicus Maximus'' (298), ''Persicus Maximus II'' (295 and 298), ''Carpicus Maximus'' (297), ''Britannicus Maximus'' (297).
Maximian was also consul nine times, in 287, 288, 290, 293, 297, 299, 303, 304 and 307.

Offspring

Maximian married Eutropia, and from their union Maxentius (Caesar of the West and later usurper) and Fausta (later wife of Constantine I) were born. Maximian had also a step-daughter, Theodora (wife of Constantius Chlorus).

External links

★ DiMaio, Michael, "Maximianus Herculius (286-305 A.D)" ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''

★ A Detailed Chronology of the Tetrarchy until 324 AD