Some Rights Reserved (2009-2020) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Thirteen years later in 235 CE, after unsuccessful assaults against the Parthians and Germans, the army, tired of his inability to command, murdered him and his mother, Julia Mamaea, and rallied behind a semi-illiterate barbarian commander named Maximinus Thrax. Gordianus and his son Gordian II, who was proclaimed Augustus by his father, may have had the support of the Senate but their days on the throne were numbered. Die Herrschaft des Kaisers Maximinus Thrax und das Sechskaiserjahr 238. Books Gaius Julius Verus was born in 172 or 173 CE in Thrace, a region northeast of Macedonia near the Black Sea, to a peasant father and an Alanic mother. Maximinus, original name Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus, also called Maximin or Maximinus Thrax (“The Thracian”), (born c. 173, Thrace [modern Bulgaria and portions of Turkey]—died 238, near Aquileia [now in Italy]), first soldier who rose through the ranks to become Roman emperor (235–238). [26] Their heads were cut off, placed on poles, and carried to Rome by cavalrymen.[13]. [15] Afterwards they planned to elect senator Magnus emperor; however the plot was discovered and the conspirators executed. Realizing they could no longer tolerate the excesses of Maximinus, the Senate threw their support behind the eighty-year-old governor of Africa, Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus or Gordian I. Maximinus was declared an enemy of the state. [6], Maximinus hated the nobility and was ruthless towards those he suspected of plotting against him. Historian Herodian in his History of the Roman Empire wrote of the new emperor. From 235-236 CE he advanced towards the Danube, earning the titles of Dacius Maximus and Samaticus Maximus. Most likely Maximinus was of Thraco-Roman origin (believed so by Herodian in his writings). by John Drinkwater. Still refusing to accept Maximinus as emperor, the Senate appointed co-emperors -  Decius Caelius Calvinus Balbinus and Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus. To the modern historian, Maximinus’s reign appears as the beginning of a half century of crisis and chaos. Pier 9. He died at Aquileia whilst attempting to put down a Senatorial revolt. After Maximinus had impoverished most of the distinguished men and confiscated their estates, which he considered small and insignificant and not sufficient for his purposes, he turned to the public treasuries; all the funds which had been collected for the citizens' welfare or for gifts, all the funds being held in reserve for shows or festivals, he transferred to his own personal fortune. Under Severus Alexander (emperor 222–235), Maximinus held high command in the Army of the Rhine, and, when Severus was murdered, he was proclaimed emperor by the Rhine army. The young Roman Emperor Alexander Severus secured the imperial throne after the assassination of his cousin Elagabalus by the Praetorian Guard in 222 CE. Ancient History Encyclopedia. In the early spring of 235 CE Alexander Severus and his mother attempted an offensive against the Germans with the sole intent of resurrecting the young emperor’s image with the army and people of Rome. Written by Donald L. Wasson, published on 18 November 2013 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. [27] A faction in Rome preferred Gordian's grandson (Gordian III), and there was severe street fighting. Tired of both men the Praetorian Guard stormed the imperial palace. Others, who remained loyal to Alexander, chose Titus Quartinus as emperor, but unfortunately he met his death as he slept at the hands of one of his most vocal supporters, a man named Macedo who elected to change sides and support Maximinus instead. He is eager to pass knowledge on to his students. Maximinus is described by several ancient sources, though none are contemporary except Herodian's Roman History. Web. [25], When the African revolt collapsed, the Senate found itself in great jeopardy. Those in Rome, as well as many in the army, preferred a senator named Magnus; however, when news of the plot became known, several of his followers met their untimely death on the orders of Maximinus. [12] The second plot involved Mesopotamian archers who were loyal to Alexander. They had been in power for only twenty-two days. In Thracia anno 172 aut 173 aut 182 natus est. Thinking that this act would win him great favor with Maximinus, Macedo cut off Quartinus' head and brought it to the emperor. There his immense strength attracted the attention of Septimius Severus (emperor 193–211). The troops were ready to revolt, and Maximinus was ready to lead them. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. When did Maximinus Thrax die? Building a pontoon bridge and crossing the Rhine, the new emperor moved further into Germany, plundering and burning villages as he went. The death of Maximinus brought about what many historians consider a period of crisis and chaos. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. [13], Meanwhile, in Africa, the revolt had not gone as planned. They also named a Council of Twenty to advise them. He was a so-called barracks emperor of the 3rd century; his rule is often considered to mark the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Emperor Pupienus set out from Rome to meet Maximinus. [11] The Praetorian Guard acclaimed him emperor, and their choice was grudgingly confirmed by the Senate,[6] who were displeased to have a peasant as emperor. [5], His background was, in any case, that of a provincial of low birth, and was seen by the Senate as a barbarian, not even a true Roman, despite Caracalla’s edict granting citizenship to all freeborn inhabitants of the Empire. [14] The first was during a campaign across the Rhine, during which a group of officers, supported by influential senators, plotted the destruction of a bridge across the river, then leave Maximinus stranded on the other side. Pupienus entered Aquileia a hero. ISBN, People of the American Civil War by state, Articles incorporating a citation from The American Cyclopaedia with a Wikisource reference, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm. After hearing of the Gordian appointment and despite the growing animosity of his troops, Maximinus moved his army towards Italy. Ancient sources, ranging from the notoriously unreliable Historia Augusta to Herodian, speak of Maximinus as a man of significantly greater size than his contemporaries. Cite This Work His thumb was said to be so large that he wore his wife's bracelet as a ring for it. Wasson, Donald L. "Maximinus Thrax." [33][34] He is, moreover, depicted in ancient imagery as a man with a prominent brow, nose, and jaw; symptoms of one form of overgrowth. Although he had no reason for enmity or hatred, Macedo killed the man whom he himself had chosen and persuaded to accept the empire. [13], According to early church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, the Imperial household of Maximinus' predecessor, Alexander, had contained many Christians. [23] Maximinus, wintering at Sirmium immediately assembled his army and advanced on Rome, the Pannonian legions leading the way. (The... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. In 190 CE he entered the military and because of his immense size and strength, quickly rose through the ranks, eventually commanding a legion in Egypt in 232 CE, governing the Roman province of Mesopotamia, and lastly, in 234 CE leading recruits in Germany. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. They awoke to the awful commotion of angry, chanting soldiers and clashing weapons. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Maximinus_Thrax/. Herodian, who refers to the victorious co-emperor as Maximus, wrote that the city opened their gates and welcomed Maximus into the city. [13] His suspicions may have been justified; two plots against Maximinus were foiled. Alexanderfound himself deserted by his troops and was killed. The soldier were unhappy with the young Alexander's policy paying off the aggressive Alemanni (a Germanic people) to avoid war, killed him and elected Maximinus. 09 Oct 2020. [22] The Senate in Rome switched allegiance, gave both Gordian and Gordian II the title of Augustus, and set about rousing the provinces in support of the pair. He joined the army during the reign of Septimius Severus,[7] but did not rise to a powerful position until promoted by Alexander Severus. He was the first of the so-called barracks emperors of the 3rd century; his rule is often considered to mark the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century. Several centurions of the Second Parthica entered the tent, and a … Humili familia ortus et ... Novissima mutatio die 5 Augusti 2017 hora 17:34 facta. Ancient History Encyclopedia. 2014-05-01 00:15:25 2014-05-01 00:15:25. The province of Africa was bordered on the west by the province of Numidia, whose governor, Capelianus, nursed a long-standing grudge against the Gordians and controlled the only legionary unit (III Augusta) in the area. Wasson, D. L. (2013, November 18). Maximinus spent most of his reign fighting invading tribes along the Danube and the Rhine. According to Herodian, many of the defeated men of Maximinus remained angry, grieving their fallen commander. Maximinus Thrax (Latin language: Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus Augustus;[1] c. 173 – May 238), also known as Maximinus I, was Roman Emperor from 235 to 238. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty [image:486] Augustus 16 Jan 27... A marble bust of Roman emperor Maximinus I, r. 235-238 CE. [36], Although not going into the supposedly detailed portions of Historia Augusta, the historian Herodian, a contemporary of Maximinus, mentions him as a man of greater size, noting that: "He was in any case a man of such frightening appearance and colossal size that there is no obvious comparison to be drawn with any of the best-trained Greek athletes or warrior elite of the barbarians. [12] He began by eliminating the close advisors of Alexander. At a very opportune moment, Maximinus would be acclaimed as the empire’s new leader. Maximinus, original name Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus, also called Maximin or Maximinus Thrax (“The Thracian”), (born c. 173, Thrace [modern Bulgaria and portions of Turkey]—died 238, near Aquileia [now in Italy]), first soldier who rose through the ranks to become Roman emperor (235–238). Asked by Wiki User. British historian Ronald Syme, writing that "the word 'Gothia' should have sufficed for condemnation" of the passage in the Augustan History, felt that the burden of evidence from Herodian, Syncellus and elsewhere pointed to Maximinus having been born in Moesia. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. He travelled further to the walled city of Aquileia, but his repeated attacks on the city failed. Gordian III was proclaimed the new emperor, the last in the Year of the Six Emperors. [17] After the victory, Maximinus took the title Germanicus Maximus,[6] raised his son Maximus to the rank of caesar and princeps iuventutis, and deified his late wife Paulina. [6] In many ways, Maximinus was similar to the later Thraco-Roman Roman emperors of the 3rd-5th century (Licinius, Galerius, Aureolus, Leo the Thracian, etc. The army was furious and rallied behind Maximinus against Alexander. Eusebius states that, hating his predecessor's household, Maximinius ordered that the leaders of the churches should be put to death. [20] The landowners armed their clients and their agricultural workers and entered Thysdrus (modern El Djem), where they murdered the offending official and his bodyguards[21] and proclaimed the aged governor of the province, Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus (Gordian I), and his son, Gordian II, as co-emperors. A lively and informative new podcast for kids that the whole family will enjoy! Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus Thrax, praenomine abbreviato C. Iulius Verus Maximinus Thrax, fuit imperator Romanus inter annos 235 et 238.

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