Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 2.djvu/1011

MAXIM us. cognised by Theodosius and Valentinian as Augus- tus and sole emperor in Gaul, Spain, and Britain, while the new emperor in his turn promised not to molest Valentinian in the possession oi" Italy and lUyricura, which he had held already in the time of his brother Gratian. Nothing now prevented Maximus from enjoying his power, and promoting tlie happiness of his sub- jects, but two circumstances, each of which was sufficient to foretell a future commotion. The professed friendship of Theodosius was not real, and the unparalleled success of Maximus swelled his ambition so much that he stepped beyond those limits of wisdom within which he ought to have kept his future planj. Italy was governed by a f«eble youth, but who might become dangerous when a man, unless he forgot that he was the brother of a murdered emperor. The possession of Italy was therefore the great object at which Maximus aimed ; and the revenues of his vast do- minions were exhausted to form an army, the con- tingents of which were raised among the most war- like barbarians of the time. Yet less confident in arms than in intrigues, Maximus prevailed upon the ministers of young Valentinian to accept from him auxiliaries for an intended war in Pannonia ; and, although his motives were seen through by St. Ambrose and the other councillors of Valentinian, the forces of Maximus were allowed to cross the passes of the Alps (387). In their rear followed Maximus with his main army, and while the in- habitants of Milan, where the imperial court of Italy then resided, expected to welcome allies, they and their master were terrified by the sudden and unaccountiible appearance of a hostile army under their walls. Flight was the only means of safety for Valentinian. Without loss of time he escaped with his mother Justina to Aquileia, and thence by sea to Thessalonica, whence he despatched mes- sengers to Constantinople to apprise Theodosius of his fate. Maximus entered Milan in triumph, and Rome and the rest of Italy soon submitted to him almost without a struggle. The alarm of Theodosius at hearing at once of the loss of Italy, the disgrace of a weak yet be- loved colleague, and the triumph of a hated rival, may be easily imagined. Instead of inviting Va- lentinian to proceed to Constantinople, he hastened, without losing any time, to Salon ica, accompanied by his principal ministers, and then, with the fugi- tive emperor and his mother Justina, concerted measures to check the threatening course of the British conqueror. His love for Valentinian's sister Galla added wings to his resolution : in the midst of his preparations for bloodshed and war he married that beautiful princess, and then set out to encounter the legions of Gaul. Maximus, mean- while, prepared for resistance by sea and land. Aiidragathus covered the coast of Italy with a powerful fleet, and the emperor concentrated his troops near Aquileia, despatching his van into Noricum and Pannonia, in order to receive Theo- dosius in that quarter if he should choose to come by land. Theodosius did come by land, and in the first engagement at Siscia, on the Save, the Western troops were completely defeated : they suffered a second defeat, being then commanded by Marcellinus, the brother of Maximus ; and now Theodosius broke through the Noric Alps into Italy. Maximus, flying before him, took refuge within the walls of Aquileia, arriving there nearly MAXIMUS. 997 at the same time as his pursuers. The troops of Theodosius immediately stormed the city, and with such energy that they took it at once, and seized Maximus, it is said, while seated on his throne. Theodosius was waiting the issue at his head-quar- ters, three miles from Aquileia. Thither Maximus was carried, loaded with chains. With a stern yet calm voice Theodosius reproached him for his rebellion against Gratian and unbounded ambition, and then gave orders for his decapitation, which took place on the same day (27th or 28th of August, 388). Victor, the son of Maximus, being then engaged in Gaul against the Franks, Arbo- gastes marched against him with a strong force. Victor was defeated and taken prisoner, and shared the fate of his father. Andragathus, the com- mander of the fleet of Maximus, upon hearing of the death of his master, threw himself in a fit of despair into the sea and was drowned. Theodosius was merciful and generous towards the mother and sisters of his fallen rival ; but he nullified all the laws issued by Maximus. Valentinian nominally succeeded Maximus in the possession of Italy and the country beyond the Alps, but the real emperor was Theodosius. (Zosim. iv. p. 247, &c. ed. Oxon. 1679, 8vo. ; Sozomen. vii. 12, &c.; Oros. vii. 34, «kc.; Socrates, H.E. v. ll,&c.; Rufin. ii. 14 — 17; Greg. Turon. Hist. Franc, i. 43 ; Ambros. Enar- ratio in Psalm. LXI. (in the first vol. of his works, p. 961), Epistol. XXIV. in vol. ii. p. 888, ep. 40, p. 952, &c., De Ohitu Valentin, ibid. p. 11 82, in th-e Benedictine ed. ; Sulpic. Sever. Vita B. Martini, c. 23, Dialog, ii. 7, iii. 15 ; Pacatus, Panegyric. Theodosii, in "Panegyr. Vet." xii. ; Prosper, Chron.; Marcellin. Chron.; Theoph. p. 57, &c. ed. Paris.) [W. P.] COIN OP MAXIMUS MAGNUS. MA'XIMUS, CN. MA'LLIUS, was consul in B.C. 105, when he carried his election against Q. Catulus [Catulus, No. 5]. Cicero represents Mallius as an utterly worthless man. {Pro Plane. 5, pro Muraen. 36.) Mallius obtained Transalpine Gaul for his province, and, principally through dis- sensions with his colleague, the proconsul Q. Ser- vilius Caepio [Caepio, Skrvilius, No. 7], he was utterly defeated by the Boian Gauls. PI is two sons perished in the action, and on his return to Rome he was impeached, and defended by M. Antonius, the orator.' (Sail. B.J. 114 ; Liv. Epit. 67 ; Cic. de Orat. 28.) [W. B. D.] MA'XIMUS, MA'RIUS, is repeatedly cited as a weighty authority by the Augustan historians. He appears to have written at great length the biographies of the Roman emperors, beginning with Trajan and ending with Elagabalus, and very pro- bably, as Casaubon conjectures, flourished under Alexander Severus. He is named with great re- spect by Ammianus Marcellinus, but is termed by Vopiscus {Firm. c. 1 ) " homo omnium verbo- sissimus qui et mythistoricis se voluminibus impli- cavit." (See Spartian. Hadrian. 2, Casaubon's 3s a