Maxentius

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

NAME:
- Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius
MAXENTIUS’S DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
- 28 October 306 CE to 28 October 312 CE.
MAXENTIUS’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born c. 278 CE. Died 28 October 312 CE.
PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Died Ponte Milvio, Rome.
MAXENTIUS’ PREDECESSOR:
- Constantius I Chlorus then Galerius
MAXENTIUS’ SUCCESSOR:
- Maximinus Daia then Constantine I
HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
- When his father, the retired Emperor of the West Maximian, declined to be proclaimed Emperor again, the city of Rome elected Maxentius Emperor instead.
DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
- Maxentius was killed at the Battle of Milvian Bridge by Constantine I
WHERE BURIED:
- Unknown.
MAXENTIUS WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
- He was a member of the Constantinian Dynasty.
- Damnatio Memoriae by Constantine I.
- Maxentius martyred Catherine of Alexandria aged 18, in 305 CE (of Catherine Wheel fame).
- His defeat at the Battle of Milvian Bridge led to the accession of Constantine I, the Roman Empire’s first Christian Emperor.
- The Discovery in 2006 CE, of the only Imperial Insignia ever found:
  - Owned by Maxentius: 3 Lances, 4 Javelins, 3 Glass Spheres, 1 Chalcedony Sphere and a Sceptre holding a blue-green globe.
MONUMENTS:
- Circus of Maxentius

In 305 CE, Diocletian and Maximian abdicated and were replaced as Augustii by Constantius I Chlorus in the West and Galerius in the East.
However, Constantine I and Maxentius were bypassed as co-emperors, instead Diocletian proclaimed Severus II based in Milan, as Caesar in the West, and Maximinus Daia (nephew to Galerius, as Caesar in the East.

Maxentius decided to rebel against this decision and sought to become Emperor himself, probably with help from his father Maximian.
On 28 October 306 CE, the city of Rome elected Maxentius Emperor, after his father, the retired Emperor Maximian, had declined the offer of the title. Maxentius ruled over North Africa, Southern Italy, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. However, Severus II ruled Northern Italy from Milan.

In 307 CE, Galerius instructed Severus II to advance south with his army. However, the army changed sides and Severus II was forced to surrender. Maxentius now ruled Northern Italy as well as the south.
Later, in 307 CE, Galerius brought an army to Italy, but this army also defected. Severus II was executed by Maxentius, and Galerius was forced to withdraw from Italy.

In 308 CE, North Africa seceded from Maxentius, when the governor Domitius Alexander proclaimed himself Emperor.

After Maximian‘s death in July 310 CE, Constantine I allied with Licinius, forcing Maxentius to seek an alliance with Maximinus Daia. After Galerius died on 11 April 311 CE, Maxentius took his armies to Asia Minor and forced Licinius into an alliance. After reinforcing the Alpine passes, he sent an army to North Africa, which successfully defeated the Revolt of Domitius Alexander. But low tax revenues and with the Christian Bishops against him, his future looked weak, unless he could reunite the Western Empire.
By the summer of 311 CE, Maxentius was ready to attack Constantine I.

Constantine I formed an alliance with Licinius, who ruled half the Eastern Empire.
Maxentius allied himself with Maximinus Daia, who ruled the other half of the Eastern Empire. In effect, the Tetrarchy went to war with itself.

Maxentius now had an army of 100,000 men. To meet an expected invasion by Licinius from the East, he based himself and most of this army in Verona. The rest were sent to reinforce the frontier towns.
Although Constantine I had a bigger army, he dare not withdraw the Rhine Legions for fear of a Germanic Invasion. He then made a strategic decision to strike quickly with a small force of 40,000 men.

In the Spring of 312 CE, Constantine I took his army through the Mont Cenis Pass in the Alpes Cottiae, arrived at Susa where he overwhelmed the fortress.

At Turin he was opposed by a large force of Maxentius’ heavily armed cavalry, the Equites Cataphractarii. The riders and their horses were fully coated in armour, making them the ‘tank’ of the ancient world. However, Constantine I knew they were vulnerable to a flank attack.
He allowed the Cataphractii to advance into his lines without resistance, then his own cavalry charged from the side, attacking them with clubs tipped with iron.
Maxentius‘ Equites Cataphractarii were soon knocked down and dismounted. Constantine I then gave the order for his infantry to attack Maxentius‘ infantry, and the defenders soon fled back to Turin. However, the city refused to allow them back in, and changed sides, welcoming Constantine I‘s army instead.
The other Italian cities all welcomed Constantine I and he made his base in Milan.

In October, Constantine I marched down the Via Flaminia which leads into Rome and camped to the north of the Milvian Bridge.
Constantine I had a dream the night before the Battle, in which he was told to put the sign of the Cross on his shields. In the sky, he also saw the first two initials of Christ’s name in Greek Chi Rho.

Instead of withstanding a prolonged siege behind the Aurelian Walls, Maxentius decided to confront Constantine I with a pitched battle.
After consulting the Sibylline Books, he chose the date of his attack as the date of his proclamation as Emperor, 28 October 306 CE.
On the 28 October, Maxentius‘ army sallied out across a temporary bridge laid beside the fortified Milvian Bridge. Constantine I‘ cavalry again defeated Maxentius‘ cavalry, and the defenders were forced back towards the Tiber. A rout ensued in which many soldiers fell or were pushed into the Tiber, including Maxentius.
Maxentius‘ body was later recovered from the Tiber and his head decapitated and put on display in a parade around Rome.