Maxentius

Maxentius, Marcus Aurelius Valery - Roman emperor in 306-312 years. Son of Maximilian. Genus. app. 280 g. + 28 October. 312 g.
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Maxentius was the son-gallery, but has not received their share in power as the Emperor openly disliked him. All my life I lived far from Rome, Galerius supposed to give Italy, though a subordinate province, under the management of Flavius North. His, and not Maxentius, he proclaimed co-emperor, first with the title of Caesar, and later in August. His desire was never to be realized. In 306 g. pretorians supported the Romans rose against the Gallery, and proclaimed emperor Maxentius. Galerius not immediately recognized the son-in-law. In 307 g. He sent against him 'the North with a large army, but he was abandoned by the soldiers and soon lost his life. The second march on Rome Galerius led personally and also not succeeded. Involuntarily he was compelled to accept the situation.

Won the test, Maxentius in the same year, nearly suffered from the machinations of his own father Maximilian. This power-hungry old man tried to arrange a plot against her son, but the soldiers did not support his. Thus, thanks to the support of the Romans Maxentius, remained in power, and within five years, driven by Italy and Africa (Lactantius: 26-28, 32). But it was not much time, and the Romans were convinced that they put me on the neck of this tyrant. By nature Maxentius was barbaric and inhuman and became even worse, yielding to his passions (Victor: "O Caesar '; 40). First, wanting to please people, he was ordered to cease the persecution of Christians, and portraying themselves pious, the governor took the form of affordable and more gentle than the previous. Nadel, he was not what he thought about. In some cases only the wicked, he himself did not find: he was legally separated spouses, mocked the women shamelessly and sent them back to their husbands. And hurt he was not simple, unknown women, mostly wives of senators. It is impossible to enumerate the number of senators he executed, to seize their property, many were destroyed in various false pretenses. The crimes he crowned his appeal to magic, and for their sorceries, he then cut the belly of pregnant women, then burrowed into the bowels of the newborn (Eusebius: 'Ecclesiastical History', 8, 14).

. Given that he was cowardly and bellicose (Victor: "O Caesar ', 40), it is first declared war against Maxentius ruled Gaul, Constantine, accusing him of murdering his father
. In 312 g. Constantine came to Italy and began an offensive on the capital. Maxentius himself remained in Rome and intended to wage war through its commanders. But when close to the walls of the city began a decisive battle, the people's anger caused him to join the army. Maxentius came to his legions, when the battle was in full swing (Lactantius: 44). After some time the soldiers ran to him. On the bridge over the Tiber began crowding. In the rush of Emperor horse stumbled, and Maxentius fell into the river depths. His body was under the weight of the shell immediately went to the bottom and was covered with mud, so that the body was then scarcely able to find (Victor: 'On the life and morals of the Roman emperors', 40). The news of the death of Maxentius had received and the people and the Senate with an incredible joy: so intolerable for all was his depression (Victor: "O Caesar ', 40).