Marcus Valerius Maximianus

The inscription from Trenčín ( CIL 3, 13439 )

One of the inscriptions from Diana Veteranorum ( CIL 8, 4600 )

Marcus Valerius Maximianus was a member of the Roman knighthood ( Eques ) living in the 2nd century AD , who rose to the rank of senator and finally became consul . Through an inscription that was found in Diana Veteranorum and which is dated to 183/185, individual stations of his career are known.

Maximianus was probably born between 130 and 140 and came from Poetovio in the province of Pannonia superior . He was initially pontiff in his hometown . He then received a horse at state expense ( equo publico ) and thus belonged to a special group within the knighthood. His subsequent military career went beyond the usual tres militiae for a member of the equestrian order . First he took over the management of a Cohors I Thracum as prefect . Then he became tribune of the Cohors I Hamiorum civium Romanorum , which was probably stationed in the province of Syria at the time. There he was also given the task of securing the Roman supply lines along the southern coast of the Black Sea during the Parthian War of Lucius Verus ( praepositus orae gentium Ponti Polemoniani ). For this he received awards ( donis donato bello Parthico ).

He may have returned to his hometown for some time after the end of the Parthian War. He was then selected by Marcus Aurelius (161–180) and sent to the front in Germania ( adlecto [..] et misso in procinctu Germanicae expeditionis ) to supply the troops in the two Pannonian provinces on the Danube from Germania bring to. In order to be able to carry out this order, several units from the fleet and army were subordinate to him with the rank of Praepositus . These were vexillations from the two main fleets, which were stationed in Misenum and Ravenna, as well as from the Classis Britannica ; In addition, there were selected North African and Moorish riders for reconnaissance and exploration purposes ( ad curam explorationis Pannoniae ).

After he had fulfilled this task, the third stage of the Tres militiae followed the command as prefect of the Ala I Aravacorum , which was stationed in the province of Pannonia superior . With this unit, it struggled in the first marcomannic wars 173 against Germans ( in procinctu Germanico ), whereby it with his own hand a leader of popular strain of Narister called Valao killed ( quod manu sua ducem Naristarum Valaonem interemisset ). For this he was publicly praised by the emperor in front of the troops ( coram laudato ) and as a reward he received the horse, the phalerae and the weapons of his defeated opponent ( equo et phaleris et armis donato ). In addition, he was awarded his fourth command of an auxiliary unit ( quartae militiae ) as prefect of the Ala Contariorum as an additional award . With this unit he took part in further fights and received awards again around 175 ( donis donato bello Germanico Sarmatico ).

Subsequently he was appointed to the post of a cavalry corps with the rank of centenarius ( honore centenariae dignitatis ); this post was linked to an annual income of 100,000 sesterces . With this corps, which consisted of the riders of the previously defeated Marcomanni , Narister and Quads , he was sent to the east of the Roman Empire to take part in the suppression of the usurpation of Avidius Cassius ( ad vindictam Orientalis motus pergentium ). On his return he was appointed procurator in the province of Moesia inferior with a higher salary ( aucto salario ) ; so he took over his first office in the state civil administration. At the same time, however, he was once again entrusted with military tasks by the emperor in order to act as the praepositus of vexillations of unknown units against robbers from the Brisei tribe ( Briseorum latronum ) who were up to mischief on the border with the provinces of Macedonia and Thracia . He then became procurator in other provinces, first in Moesia superior and then in Dacia Porolissensis .

During the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus ( Sacratissimis Impperatoribus ) he was admitted to the senatorial rank with the rank of praetor and immediately appointed commander ( Legatus ) of the Legio I Adiutrix , which was stationed in the province of Pannonia superior . Next he became Legatus of the Legio II Adiutrix , which was stationed in Pannonia Inferior . As a praepositus of vexillations, he wintered ( hiemantium ) around 179/180 in Laugaricio , today's Trenčín , 120 km north of the Danube and thus deep in enemy territory. This stay is documented by another inscription found near Trenčín. Then he was still commander of the legions V Macedonica in Dacia Porolissensis , I Italica in Moesia inferior and XIII Gemina in Dacia (in that order). In Apulum , the location of the XIII Gemina, one was dedicatory inscription found he the god Mithras devoted. After the death of Marcus Aurelius , he received further awards from Commodus for his achievements in the second Marcomannic War ( donis donato [..] expeditione secunda Germanica ).

At the end of his career he became governor ( Legatus Augusti pro praetore ) in the province of Africa and at the same time commander of the Legio III Augusta . In several places in North Africa further inscriptions were found which he had erected or which were erected in his honor. The high point of his career was his appointment as consul ; in some inscriptions from North Africa he is referred to as consul designatus or as consul . Presumably he became a suffect consul between 183 and 185 and exercised the office in absentia while he was governor.

Two inscriptions show that his father of the same name was a magistrate ( quinquennalis ) and priest ( sacerdotalis ). The wife of Maximianus, Ulpia Aristonica , is listed in three inscriptions.

Web links

Commons : Marcus Valerius Maximianus - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

Hans-Georg Pflaum : Les carrières procuratoriennes équestres sous le Haut-Empire Romain , Paris 1960, volume 1.

Remarks

↑ There were several units with this designation (see Cohors I Thracum ). The inscription does not reveal which unit Maximianus commanded. John Spaul assigns Maximianus to the Cohors I Thracum (Britannia) .
↑ According to Hans-Georg Pflaum, this passage in the inscription was linked by Eric Birley with section 30 of De Munitionibus Castrorum , in which the following figures stand for the strength of the individual units: 600 mounted Moors, 500 seamen from Misenum and 800 seamen from Ravenna ( Mauri equites DC, [..] classici Misenates D, Ravennates DCCC ).
↑ According to Hans-Georg Pflaum, the use of the words et mox (and immediately) is unique in a cursus honorum of the imperial era and therefore clearly shows that an experienced military was needed as a legionary commander.
↑ The inscription shows that it was built by the legate of Legio II Adiutrix and that 855 soldiers of the Legion stayed here ( Laugaricione sedit milites DCCCLV ).

Individual evidence

^ Inscription from Diana Veteranorum ( AE 1956, 124 ).
↑ ^a ^b ^c Marcus Valerius Maximianus. www.rimskelegie.olw.cz, accessed on February 26, 2020 (English).
↑ John Spaul , Cohors² The evidence for and a short history of the auxiliary infantry units of the Imperial Roman Army , British Archaeological Reports 2000, BAR International Series (Book 841), ISBN 978-1-84171-046-4 , page 357 -358.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hans-Georg Pflaum : Les Carrières , No. 181 bis, pp. 476–490, 493–494.
↑ Inscription from Trenčín ( CIL 3, 13439 ).
↑ Inscription from Apulum ( CIL 3, 1122 ).
↑ Further inscriptions: from Cuicul ( AE 1920, 16 , AE 1935, 45 ), from Diana Veteranorum ( AE 1933, 70 , CIL 8, 4600 ), from Lambaesis ( AE 1915, 28 , AE 1955, 79 , CIL 8, 2621 , CIL 8, 2698 , CIL 8, 2749 , CIL 8, 2777 , CIL 8, 18247 ), from Thamugadi ( AE 1934, 40 ) and from Verecunda ( CIL 8, 4212 , CIL 8, 4234 ).

personal data
SURNAME	Valerius Maximianus, Marcus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Roman officer (imperial era)
DATE OF BIRTH	2nd century
DATE OF DEATH	2nd century or 3rd century

[AN1-4] There were several units with this designation (see Cohors I Thracum ). The inscription does not reveal which unit Maximianus commanded. John Spaul assigns Maximianus to the Cohors I Thracum (Britannia) .

[AN2-6] According to Hans-Georg Pflaum, this passage in the inscription was linked by Eric Birley with section 30 of De Munitionibus Castrorum , in which the following figures stand for the strength of the individual units: 600 mounted Moors, 500 seamen from Misenum and 800 seamen from Ravenna ( Mauri equites DC, [..] classici Misenates D, Ravennates DCCC ).

[AN3-7] According to Hans-Georg Pflaum, the use of the words et mox (and immediately) is unique in a cursus honorum of the imperial era and therefore clearly shows that an experienced military was needed as a legionary commander.

[AN4-9] The inscription shows that it was built by the legate of Legio II Adiutrix and that 855 soldiers of the Legion stayed here ( Laugaricione sedit milites DCCCLV ).

[IN1-1] Inscription from Diana Veteranorum ( AE 1956, 124 ).

[rim-2] Marcus Valerius Maximianus. www.rimskelegie.olw.cz, accessed on February 26, 2020 (English).

[jsp-3] John Spaul , Cohors² The evidence for and a short history of the auxiliary infantry units of the Imperial Roman Army , British Archaeological Reports 2000, BAR International Series (Book 841), ISBN 978-1-84171-046-4 , page 357 -358.

[hgp-5] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hans-Georg Pflaum : Les Carrières , No. 181 bis, pp. 476–490, 493–494.

[IN2-8] Inscription from Trenčín ( CIL 3, 13439 ).

[IN3-10] Inscription from Apulum ( CIL 3, 1122 ).

[IN4-11] Further inscriptions: from Cuicul ( AE 1920, 16 , AE 1935, 45 ), from Diana Veteranorum ( AE 1933, 70 , CIL 8, 4600 ), from Lambaesis ( AE 1915, 28 , AE 1955, 79 , CIL 8, 2621 , CIL 8, 2698 , CIL 8, 2749 , CIL 8, 2777 , CIL 8, 18247 ), from Thamugadi ( AE 1934, 40 ) and from Verecunda ( CIL 8, 4212 , CIL 8, 4234 ).