Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. VII, 1951 History & biography

Magnentius (Flavius Magnus Magnentius), Roman Emperor

MAGNENZIO (FLAVIUS MAGNUS MAGNENTIUS) IMPERATORE ROMANO

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MAGNENTIUS (Flavius Magnus Magnentius), Roman Emperor. - Of barbarian origin, probably Germanic, having risen to high ranks in the military, he was induced by the foolish conduct of Constans, son of Constantine, to usurp the purple in agreement with the comes sacrarum largitionum Marcellinus. Constans was killed and M. was recognized as emperor in Gaul, Spain and Africa (350).

But the wisest and most cunning of the three sons of Constantine, Constantius II, could neither recognize the killer of his brother nor tolerate that all the western provinces should be separated from the rest of the Empire, all the more so as other usurpers were arising in Illyricum and at Rome. He therefore prepared for war, which the impulsive M. had moreover made inevitable by advancing into Illyricum and the Balkan peninsula. M. was defeated near Mursa (Osijek), but managed to flee and take refuge in Aquileia, whence, owing to the exceedingly slow advance of Constantius, he then crossed into Gaul. Defeated once again at Mons Seleucus (La Batie Neuve), he shut himself up in Lugdunum, where, little assured of the loyalty of his men, he killed himself in Aug. 353.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: O. Seeck, Geschichte des Untergangs der antiken Welt, IV, Berlin 1911; C. Jullian, Histoire de la Gaule, VII, Paris 1926, p. 150; R. Paribeni, Da Diocleziano alla caduta dell'Impero d'Occidente, Bologna 1942, pp. 117-19.

Roberto Paribeni

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By Roberto Paribeni

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Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII (1951), coll. 1842–1843.

More by Roberto Paribeni: Macedonia · Licinius (Valerius Licinianus Licinius), Roman Emperor · Libanius · Intercessio · Marcian, Emperor of the East

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Chicago

Paribeni, Roberto. “Magnenzio (Flavius Magnus Magnentius) Imperatore Romano.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII, coll. 1842–1843. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951. https://azioneromana.com/article/magnenzio-flavius-magnus-magnentius-imperatore-romano.

MLA

Paribeni, Roberto. “Magnenzio (Flavius Magnus Magnentius) Imperatore Romano.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951, coll. 1842–1843. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/magnenzio-flavius-magnus-magnentius-imperatore-romano.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec7_magnenzio_flavius_magnus_magne,
  author    = {Paribeni, Roberto},
  title     = {Magnenzio (Flavius Magnus Magnentius) Imperatore Romano},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {VII},
  pages     = {1842--1843},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1951},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/magnenzio-flavius-magnus-magnentius-imperatore-romano}
}

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