A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

099g MAXIMUS. MAXIMUS.
note; Lamprid. Alex. Sev. 30; Vulcat. Gallic. among the gay companions of the corrupt ValentiAvid. Cass. 6, 9; Lamprid. Conzmod. 13, 15; nian. Maximus found no scruple in secretly helpSpartian. S. Sever. 15; Capitolin. Albin. 3, 9, 12; ing the emperor in his intrigues against Aitius,
Spartian. Get. 2; Lamprid. Alex. Sev. 5, 65, Elayub. which ended in the murder of that great man in
11.) 454; but he was now to experience that while it
No distinct idea can be formed of the arrange- is only dangerous to be disliked by men like Vament of the work from the manner in which it is lentinian, it is at once dangerous and disgraceful
quoted by Spartianus (Get. 2), " de cujus vita et to be liked by them, because their attachment is
moribus in vita Severi Marius Maximus primno neither guided by principles nor ennobled by esseptenario satis copiose retulit." [W. R.] teem. Maximus had a beautiful and virtuous wife
MA'XIMUS, ME'SSIUS, one of the most in- of whom Valentinian was enamoured. One day,
timate friends of the younger Pliny, seems to have having lost a great deal of money to the emperor,
been a native of Verona, and certainly possessed while playing with him, he gave him his seal
considerable influence in the neighbourhood of that ring as a pledge for the debt. Valentinian sent
town, to which his wife belonged. (Plin. Ep. ii. this ring to the wife of Maximus in the name
14.) Hence Pliny recommends to him Arrianus, of the empress Eudoxia, with a request to join her
of Altinum, a town near Venice (iii. 2). Maximus and her husband at the palace. The unsuspicious
was subsequently sent into Achaia to arrange the lady proceeded thither forthwith, and was ushered
affiLirs of the free towns in the province, on which into a solitary room where, instead of her husband
occasion Pliny addressed him a letter, in imitation and the empress, she found the emperor, who began
of Cicero's celebrated epistle to his brother Quintus, by a declaration of love. Meeting with an indigto teach him how he ought to discharge the duties nant repulse he forced her person. The disgraced
of his new appointment (viii. 24). Maximus was woman returned to her mansion, almost dying with
an author, and one of his works is praised by Pliny shame, and accused Maximus of having had a hand
in the most extravagant terms (iv. 20). Pliny in this infamous transaction. The feelings of her
appears to have frequently consulted him respect- husband need no description. His wife died soon
inll his own literary compositions. The following afterwards. He brooded revenge, and the numerous
letters of Pliny are addressed to Maximus: ii. 14, friends of the murdered Aitius being animated by
iii. 2, 20, iv. 20, 25, v. 5, vi. 11, 34, vii.'26, viii. the same feelings, he joined them joyfully. On the
19, 24, ix. 1, 23. 16th of March 455, Valentinian was amusing himMA'XIMUS, PETRO'NIUS (ANI'CIUS?), self in the Campus Martius; suddenly a band of
Roman emperor, A. D. 455. His long and meritorious armed men rushed upon him, and the emperor was
life as an officer of state forms a striking contrast with murdered.
his short and unfortunate reign. He belonged to the Maximus was now proclaimed emperor, and he
high nobility of Rome, and was a descendant, or accepted the crown, but never enjoyed it. On the
at any rate. a kinsman, of Petronius Probus, who very day of his accession he was a prey to grief
gained so much power in Rome towards the end and remorse, and, fully aware of the danger that
of the fourth century of our era; it is doubtful surrounded the master of Rome, he compared his
whether he was the son of a daughter of the em- fate with that of Damocles. Anxious to secure
peror Maximus Magnus; nor is his title to the himself on his bloody throne he appointed his friend
Anician name sufficiently established, although Avitus commander-in-chief, and he contrived a
Tillemont says that there are two inscriptions on marriage between his son Palladius and Eudoxia,
which he is called Anicius. Maximus Petronius the daughter of the late Valentinian. He then
was born about A. D. 388, or perhaps as late as forced Eudoxia, the widow of Valentinian, to marry
395. At the youthful age of 19 he was admitted him. This proved his ruin. Eudoxia, twice emto the council of the emperor Honorius in his press, yet disdained her condition, and full of
double quality of tribune and notary (407 or 414). hatred against Maximus, entered into intrigues
In 415 he was comes largitionum, and in 420 he with Genseric, the king of the Vandals, at Carfilled the important office of praefectus Romae,l thage, the result of which was that the barbarian
discharging his duty with such general satisfaction equipped a fleet for the conquest of Rome. Maxithat, in 421, on the solicitation of the senate and mus was apprised of the fact, but did nothing to
people of Rome, the emperors Honorius and Arca- prevent the approaching storm: he was incompedius caused a statue. to be erected to him on the tent as an emperor. Suddenly news came that the
Campus Trajani. In 433 he was second consul, Vandals were disembarking at the mouth of the
the emperor Theodosius II. being the first. During Tiber. Rome was in commotion and fear, and the
the years 439 till 441, and afterwards in 445, he trembling people looked up to Maximus for relief.
was praefectus Italiae. In 443 he was again chosen He advised flight to those who could fly, resignaconsul, being the first: his colleague was Paterius. tion to those who could not, and then set out to
Valentinian III. held him in such esteem that he abandon his capital and his people. But he had
ordered a medal to be struck in honour of him, not yet left Rome when he was overtaken by a
which represented onthe obversethe headand name band of Burgundian mercenaries, commanded by
of the emperor, and on the reverse the name and some old officers of Valentinian; they fell upon
image of Maximus dressed in the consular garb. him, and he expired under their daggers. His
Maximus was in every respect what we now un- body was dragged through the streets of Rome,
derstand under the French term, a "grand seig- mutilated, and then thrown into the Tiber. Three
neur:" he was of noble birth, rich, generous, well days afterwards Genseric made his entry into
educated, with a strong turn for literature, fine arts, Rome and sacked the city. The reign of Maximus
and science, full of dignity yet affable and conde- lasted between two and three months, but there
scending, a professed lover and practiser of virtue, are great discrepancies regarding the exact number
yet with a sufficient smack of fashionable follies of days. The reader will receive ample information
and amiable vices to secure him an honourable rank on this point from not. xii. to page 628 of the 6th