Maximus (urban prefect under Julian)

Last updated

Maximus (floruit 361–363) was a Roman politician.

Biography

Maximus was a member of the Roman senatorial class. It is speculated that he was the son of Valerius Maximus and second wife possibly a Vulcacia, supposedly the daughter of a Neratius Junius Flavianus. It has been postulated that they had two children, a son, Maximus, and a daughter, Valeria, who may have become a Christian through her possible marriage to a Rufius Maecius Placidus. [1]

Contents

Probably, it was Maximus to be sent by the usurper Magnentius to Emperor Constantius II and Vetranio in 350. [2]

In the late 361, Maximus and Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus, both sent by the Roman Senate to Emperor Constantius II, meet Julian at Naissus. Julian received them with all honors, [3] then he appointed Maximus as praefectus urbi of Rome in place of Tertullus (praefectus urbi); his choice was motivated by the desire to please Vulcacius Rufinus, uncle of Maximus. [4] Maximus was still in charge on January 28 362, as attested an inscription. [5]

During his tenure, the alimentaria was amply provided, which placated the inhabitants of Rome. [4]

The senator Maximus can be identified with the praefectus urbi of Rome from December 361 to February 363. [6]

Ammianus Marcelinus named him as Maximus, [4] the orator Quintus Aurelius Symmachus refers to him as Clytholias Maximus [7] and finally we find him as Artorius Clytholias Maximus. [8]

Clytholias Maximus [3] was nephew of Vulcatius Rufinus [4] and Neratius Cerealis and therefore a first cousin of Constantius Gallus (son of Galla, and half-brother of Julian the Apostate).

He may have married Saint Melania the Elder. [9] He may also be related, or identical with, a Basilius who served as governor of Achaea around the same period; both were probably descended from Valerius Maximus Basilius, praefectus urbi from 319 to 323. [10] [11]

Notes

  1. ↑ Settipani, Christian, Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale, (2000) p. 229
  2. ↑ «Maximus 12», PLRE I, p. 581.
  3. 1 2 Corsini, Edoardo (1763). Series praefectorum urbis ab urbe condita ad annum mcccliii.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ammianus Marcellinus, XXI.12.24.
  5. ↑ AE 1904, 33
  6. ↑ Symmachus X ep. 54
  7. ↑ Symmachus X ep. 47
  8. ↑ Louis Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont. Histoire des empereurs et des autres princes qui ont régné durant les six premiers siecles de l'Eglise. p. 741.
  9. ↑ PLRE I, pp. 1142, 1145, 1147
  10. ↑ PLRE I, pp. 148–149, 582, 1142, 1145, 1147
  11. ↑ Inge Mennen (26 April 2011). Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284. BRILL. pp. 127–. ISBN   90-04-20359-1.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valeria gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Valeria was a patrician family at ancient Rome, prominent from the very beginning of the Republic to the latest period of the Empire. Publius Valerius Poplicola was one of the consuls in 509 BC, the year that saw the overthrow of the Tarquins, and the members of his family were among the most celebrated statesmen and generals at the beginning of the Republic. Over the next ten centuries, few gentes produced as many distinguished men, and at every period the name of Valerius was constantly to be found in the lists of annual magistrates, and held in the highest honour. Several of the emperors claimed descent from the Valerii, whose name they bore as part of their official nomenclature.

Sextus Aurelius Victor was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire. Victor was the author of a short history of imperial Rome, entitled De Caesaribus and covering the period from Augustus to Constantius II. The work was published in 361. Under the emperor Julian (361-363), Victor served as governor of Pannonia Secunda; in 389 he became praefectus urbi, senior imperial official in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont</span> French ecclesiastical historian (1637–1698)

Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont was a French ecclesiastical historian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurelia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Aurelia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which flourished from the third century BC to the latest period of the Empire. The first of the Aurelian gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Aurelius Cotta in 252 BC. From then to the end of the Republic, the Aurelii supplied many distinguished statesmen, before entering a period of relative obscurity under the early emperors. In the latter part of the first century, a family of the Aurelii rose to prominence, obtaining patrician status, and eventually the throne itself. A series of emperors belonged to this family, through birth or adoption, including Marcus Aurelius and the members of the Severan dynasty.

Justina was a Roman empress. She was initially the wife of the rebel emperor Magnentius and was then married to Valentinian I, with whom she had four children, including the emperor Valentinian II and the empress Galla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Praefectus annonae</span> Manager of the grain supply to Roman cities

The praefectus annonae, also called the praefectus rei frumentariae was a Roman official charged with the supervision of the grain supply to the city of Rome. Under the Republic, the job was usually done by an aedile. However, in emergencies, or in times of extraordinary scarcity, someone would be elected to the office, and would take charge of supplying the entire city with provisions.

Quintus Clodius Hermogenianus Olybrius was a Roman politician, praefectus urbi of Rome from 368 to 370 and Roman consul in 379. Olybrius has been characterized as belonging to "the breed of flexible politicians who did well both under Valentinian I [...] and under Gratian."

Vettius Agorius Praetextatus was a wealthy pagan aristocrat in the 4th-century Roman Empire, and a high priest in the cults of numerous gods. He served as the praetorian prefect at the court of Emperor Valentinian II in 384 until his death that same year.

Lucius Aurelius Avianius SymmachussignoPhosphorius was an aristocrat of the Roman Empire, and father of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus.

Septimius Bassus was a Roman politician, and a member of the Septimia gens.

(Lucius Valerius) Messalla was a Roman senator.

Valerius Maximus was a Roman senator.

The gens Anicia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, mentioned first towards the end of the fourth century BC. The first of the Anicii to achieve prominence under the Republic was Lucius Anicius Gallus, who conducted the war against the Illyrii during the Third Macedonian War, in 168 BC.

The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.

The gens Ceionia or gens Caeionia or the Caeionii family was an ancient Roman senatorial family of imperial times. The first member of the gens to obtain the consulship was Lucius Ceionius Commodus in AD 78. The rise of this family culminated in the elevation of the emperor Lucius Verus, born Lucius Ceionius Commodus, in AD 161.

Aurelius Celsinus was a politician of the Roman Empire.

The gens Messia was a plebeian family at Rome. The first person of this name to appear in history is Vettius Messius, a Volscian soldier whose courage inspired his comrades in a desperate battle against the Romans in 431 BC. It is not known when the Messii first obtained Roman citizenship. Members of the family appear in the lists of annual magistrates during the final decades of the Republic. In imperial times, some of the Messii achieved the highest offices of the Roman state.

Memmius Vitrasius OrfitussignoHonorius was a Roman politician.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.