MAXIMUS (Magnus Maximus), Roman Emperor. - Born of a humble Spanish family, he enlisted in the army and was appointed by Gratian to the command of the troops in Britain. There in 383 he was acclaimed emperor.
He then crossed into Gaul, while Gratian, who was fleeing before the usurper, was killed at Lyon. For the moment he was recognized by Valentinian II and by Theodosius, and through the intervention of St. Ambrose an agreement was reached with whom the government of Spain, Gaul and Britain was left to M. In 387 M. came into Italy and occupied Milan; Valentinian with his mother Justina took refuge with Theodosius. The latter, seeing the danger now imminent, marched against the usurper, who was defeated and killed near Aquileia in August 388. Toward Christianity, M., for political advantage, posed as a zealous protector of orthodoxy, having the Priscillianists condemned (v. PRISCILLIANESIMO) and persecuting the Arians; but neither St. Ambrose nor Pope Siricius was willing to approve his conduct, truly factious and brutal.
(courtesy of Fr. G. Massaruti)Bibliography4 worksW. Ensslin, s. v. in Pauly-Wissowa, XIV, coll. 2546-2555; A. De Broglie, S. Ambrogio, Rome 1906, pp. 63-68, 99-115; Fliche-Martin-Frutz, III
BIBL.: W. Ensslin, s. v. in Pauly-Wissowa, XIV, coll. 2546-2555; A. De Broglie, S. Ambrogio, Rome 1906, pp. 63-68, 99-115; Fliche-Martin-Frutz, III, pp. 394 f., 475 f., 516-18; R. Paribeni, Da Diocleziano alla caduta dell'Impero d'Occidente, Bologna 1941, pp. 171-73.
Amore, Agostino. “Massimo (Magnus Maximus), imperatore romano.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VIII, coll. 309–310. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952. https://azioneromana.com/article/massimo-magnus-maximus-imperatore-romano.
MLA
Amore, Agostino. “Massimo (Magnus Maximus), imperatore romano.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VIII, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952, coll. 309–310. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/massimo-magnus-maximus-imperatore-romano.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec8_massimo_magnus_maximus_imperat,
author = {Amore, Agostino},
title = {Massimo (Magnus Maximus), imperatore romano},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {VIII},
pages = {309--310},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1952},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/massimo-magnus-maximus-imperatore-romano}
}
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