Ruricius Pompeianus

Ruricius Pompeianus († 312 near Verona ) was a late antique Roman officer.

Pompeianus was Praetorian Prefect of Maxentius , who ruled Italy and (formally) Africa in 312 . Otherwise very little is known about Pompeianus, but he appears to have been an experienced general.

In 312 (probably in spring) Maxentius' adversary Constantine crossed the Alps to Italy with a battle-tested army of around 40,000 men. Maxentius was apparently surprised by the advance. Maxentius's troops were defeated in a battle near Turin and a little later near Brescia , but there was another army in the northeast under the command of Pompeianus.

Pompeianus was in Verona, which had been built into a strong fortress, when Constantine closed his ring around the city. Pompeianus was able to escape and returned with more troops. Then there was a battle in front of the walls of Verona. The result was a complete success for Constantine: Pompeianus fell in battle, his army surrendered and the city of Verona opened its gates. The way to the south was open to Constantine, where he defeated Maxentius on October 28, 312 in the battle of the Milvian Bridge and thus became the sole ruler of the west.

literature

In almost every relevant account of Constantine or Maxentius, Pompeianus is also (though usually very briefly) referred to.

• Bruno Bleckmann : Constantine the Great . 2nd edition Reinbek 2003, p. 53.
• Oliver Schmitt: Constantin the Great . Stuttgart u. a. 2007, p. 138ff., Especially p. 147f.
• Joseph Vogt : Constantine the Great and his Century . 2nd edition Munich 1960, p. 158f.