Maximian

Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus (c. 240 at Sirmium, today Sremska Mitrovica, in Pannonia, † 310 in Gaul ), called Herculius, was from 1 March 286 to May 1 305 with Diocletian emperor of the Roman Empire.

Life

Maximian came from a poor family and was obviously uneducated. He made up 285 career in the Army, as the new emperor Diocletian, with whom he had known previously, made ​​him Caesar ( Under Emperor ). Diocletian took over the rule in the east and Maximian had the government of the western part to. Here, Maximian showed the expectations quite grown and led in due time campaigns in Gaul and in Africa by. 286 Maximian was raised by Diocletian Augustus ( co-emperor ), although Diocletian played a leading position. In the year 293, when Diocletian introduced the Tetrarchy, Maximian's son Constantius was his Caesar.

Maximian was able to achieve some military successes against the Alamanni and Burgundians on the Rhine and against Karpen at the Danube frontier, he was going to be successful. In the Rhine area is also the small Franconian king Gennobaudes subjugated 288/89 the Romans after Maximian had several times crossed the Rhine. Carausius, who rebelled in Britain and proclaimed himself emperor, was defeated by Constantius.

On 1 May 305 Diocletian and Maximian resigned together. Maximian had been urged by some sources to Diocletian, but the exact background unclear. Perhaps Diocletian had in mind a temporary empire; at least the withdrawal had apparently been systematically prepared from Diocletian to ensure the order of the Tetrarchy. Galerius and Constantius Chlorus were new emperors ( Augusti ), Severus and Maximinus Daia new Caesars.

When Constantius died in the following year, Maximian reached back into the imperial politics: his son Maxentius in Rome took the title of emperor in the west and Maximian appointed himself in February 307 again to Augustus. Maximian solved the conflicts surrounding his government by bringing Severus and Galerius ' troops to be simplistic and earned Constantius ' son Constantine to his side and married his daughter Fausta.

On the Emperor Conference of Carnuntum 308 Maximian of Diocletian but was again forced to abdicate and fled after he had fallen out with Maxentius to his son Constantine in Gaul. 310 he declared himself there again to the emperor, but was no longer able to defend itself against Constantine. He was delivered by his soldiers to Constantine, who eventually forced him to commit suicide.