Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Magnus Maximus, post: 8329457, member: 73473&quot;]Greetings everyone,</p><p>As my username suggests, I am a fan of the late Roman period, specifically from the reigns of Valentinian I to Theodosius I.</p><p>One character from this period that has always stood out to me has been Magnus Maximus. I have always found him a fascinating character from Roman history; to my knowledge, he is the only usurper who had ever gained recognition from a legitimate Emperor. The man having a badass name doesn&#039;t hurt, either! Unfortunately, we don&#039;t know much about Maximus&#039;s life; most sources state that he was from modern-day Galicia, Spain. Maximus claimed to be related to Theodosius the Elder, father of Emperor Theodosius I. However, it is more likely that he was a client of Theodosius I rather than a relative.</p><p>Magnus Maximus was likely a junior officer attached to his family&#039;s patron, Theodosius the Elder, and was sent to Britain in the wake of the Great Conspiracy of 367. After that, he appeared as a trusted lieutenant to Valentinian I in Africa, where he worked with the Romanized moor, Gildo. Here is where things get a bit messy! From Ammianus, we hear of a Maximus who worked with a greedy official named Lupicinus to extort the Goths for money and valuables.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ammianus writes: &quot;<i>At their head were two rivals in recklessness: one was Lupicinus, commanding general in Thrace, the other Maximus, a pernicious leader (dux exitiosus). Their treacherous greed was the source of all our evils.</i>&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>These two Romans never heeded Emperor Tiberius&#039;s advice that &quot;the shepherd must fleece his flock, not skin it,&quot; as Maximus and Lupicinus sold spoiled dog meat to the starving gothic migrants in exchange for them selling their children into slavery. The heavy-handed treatment by the Roman magistrates began the Gothic war of 378 that would lead to the death of Emperor Valens and the destruction of the field army of Thrace at the battle of Adrianople.</p><p><br /></p><p>After this supposed incident, Maximus was sent to Britain, where he remained semi-relevant until he defeated a large band of raiding Scotts. His troops, growing dissatisfied with Emperor Gratian, then raised him to the rank of Emperor. Maximus overthrew Gratian in a relatively bloodless coup and ruled the provinces of Hispania, Gaul, and Britiania until he invaded Italy in 387. After his decisive victory over the forces of Valentinian II in 387, he fought a pitched battle against Theodosius I at the battle of the Save in 388. Maximus retreated from the battle and was encircled at Aquliae, where he was turned over to the forces of Theodosius I and executed.</p><p><br /></p><p>I never fully believed that Magnus Maximus was the Maximus that Ammianus mentions, solely because it would odd be for a high-ranking Roman to move from an Eastern Court to a Western Court as Maximus supposedly did. Much to my delight, author Jeron Wijendaele shared my skepticism on the topic and wrote an excellent paper on it.&nbsp; Wijendaele points out that transferring a disgraced Maximus from Thrace to Britain in 380 would not have been possible as the courts of Gratian and Theodosius I were on cool terms and kept their subordinates on a tight leash. In addition, Maximus was a common name at the time, with Wijendaele noting that &quot;The first volume of the Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire alone records 11 namesakes who were late Roman officials and (near) contemporaries of Ammianus.&quot;</p><p>Lastly, Ammianus neutrally mentions Magnus Maximus when he talks about his ventures in Britain and Africa. However, the Maximus stationed in Thrace receives no such treatment and is scorned by the author in his texts.</p><p>Wijendaele finally puts to rest the error of earlier historians that the Maximus of Thrace and Magnus Maximus are the same people.</p><p><br /></p><p>To celebrate Magnus Maximus&#039;s exoneration for human rights violations against the Goths, the indirect killing of Emperor Valens, and the destruction of the field army of Thrace, please post your coins of his!</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/8e60cb94-af01-41c3-af1e-6297c8cca38e-jpeg.1451031/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Magnus Maximus Siliqua</p><p>Trier mint</p><p>weight 1.96 grams</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/3a5c281d-5171-48aa-86ea-a833d9f3f3d8-jpeg.1451030/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/fcdd8e14-40b7-49ff-ab91-d5a283ad6aeb-jpeg.1451032/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/img_1767-jpg.565618/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>Magnus Maximus, 383-388 Siliqua Treveri circa 383-388, AR 18.5mm., 1.84g. D NMAG MAXIMVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. VIRTVS ROMANORVM Roma enthroned facing, head l., holding globe and spear; in exergue, TRPS. RIC 84b. C20.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/img_1299-jpg.565665/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></i></p><p><i><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/img_1300-jpg.565666/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></i></p><p><i>This coin was struck in the 18 month period of time that Magnus Maximus occupied Milan and the entire Western Roman Empire.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Magnus Maximus</i></p><p><i>AR Siliqua</i></p><p><i>387-388 CE</i></p><p><i>1.84 Grams</i></p><p><i>Mediolanum mint</i></p><p><i><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/0-jpeg.934752/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></i></p><p><i><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/0-1-jpeg.934753/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></i></p><p><i>Magnus Maximus AR Siliqua</i></p><p><i>383-388 CE</i></p><p><i>Tier mint</i></p><p><i>18mm, 2.17 grams</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Source:</i></p><p><i><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/B72141580D83AEFB704E27C6A0FBADCD/S0068113X20000045a.pdf/ammianus-magnus-maximus-and-the-gothic-uprising.pdf" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/B72141580D83AEFB704E27C6A0FBADCD/S0068113X20000045a.pdf/ammianus-magnus-maximus-and-the-gothic-uprising.pdf" rel="nofollow">BRI_51_1_Shorter-Contributions 307..387 (cambridge.org)</a></i></p><p><i><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/britannia/article/ammianus-magnus-maximus-and-the-gothic-uprising/B72141580D83AEFB704E27C6A0FBADCD" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/britannia/article/ammianus-magnus-maximus-and-the-gothic-uprising/B72141580D83AEFB704E27C6A0FBADCD" rel="nofollow">Ammianus, Magnus Maximus and the Gothic Uprising | Britannia | Cambridge Core</a></i></p><p><i></i>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in