Emperor Maximian was the person who supported Diocletian and Tetrarchy in the Dominated politics founded by Emperor Diocletian, and his name recognition in Japan is close to zero.
It is because of this Maximian that Emperor Diocletian was able to carry out Tetrarchy, and considering that, it would be of great significance in world history.
Let's take a look at Maximian this time!
The second emperor
Little is known about Maximian's half-life.
All he knows is that he was born in Pannonia and made good progress under Aurelian, Probus, and Callus.
He was appointed Deputy Emperor as soon as Diocletian was crowned Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian seems to have been a less talented commander in the military, although the circumstances around here are not known, and it was important to make Emperor Maximianus, who was a talented military officer, a deputy emperor. It seems that it is.
Emperor Maximian responded well to the expectations of Emperor Diocletian and was successful in repelling foreigners, and he was promoted to the Emperor the following year when he became the Deputy Emperor.
However, it is not a joint rule, and Diocletian was equated with the god and supreme god Jupiter, while Maximian was equated with Heracles (a hero of Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and half human). ..
Tetrarchy and military talent
Perhaps the two were too wide to rule the vast Roman Empire, Diocletian divides the halved empire into two more and realizes the rule of the four emperors.
Diocletian's terrible thing was not only thinking but also realizing it, but Maximian was in charge of the west of the empire, and there was a limit because it was going back and forth between Germany, England and North Africa as it is now. right.
Still, Emperor Maximian worked well.
The North often defeated the leading Germanic tribes of the Burgundians and Alemannis, immediately subdued any rebellion in Britannia, defeated the growing Moors in Hispania, and destroyed the bandits that were rampaging around the country. Driven into.
The common people suffered from the tax burden caused by the Dominates administration, but it is certain that this did not ruin the territory.
Emperor Constantianus, who was appointed as the vice emperor of the west, married Theodora, the daughter of his remarriage partner, strengthened his relationship with him, and left it mainly to German, and he himself was one after another on the southern African front. He retired when Emperor Diocletinus retired.
In addition, although it was Emperor Maximian who could be called the YES man of Emperor Diocletian, it seems that he was not active in the persecution of Christianity, and it can be said that he later made the ground for Christianity to become dominant in Rome. May.
Old soldiers never died, just didn't leave
Diocletian did not return to the throne after his retirement, but Maximian has regained the throne twice.
Behind this was the collapse of Tetrarchy.
The system of four emperors standing side by side is only possible with the overwhelming charisma of Diocletian, and the four emperors who have lost their heads will be in conflict with each other.
Before I knew it, there were six emperors instead of four, and the blood-fighting Roman civil war had re-emerged.
Maxentius, the son of Emperor Maximian, could not be a regular emperor or a deputy emperor, despite his blood. This is because Emperor Diocletian had another person as the emperor when he retired.
Such a man and the neglected Roman Senate wanted to join hands and claim to be the emperor, but there is no justification.
So Maxentius considered carrying out his father, who was the emperor.
Whether Maximian had a cute child or did not rampage, he led the army again to defeat other emperors and strengthened his power by letting Constantine, who succeeded Constantius, marry his daughter. planned.
However, I waited here but entered.
The retired Emperor Diocletian called him directly to Carnuntium and told him to step down from the throne. Emperor Maximian, a great YES man, abdicates his throne accordingly.
Retired Maximian retired to Gaul with his son-in-law, Constantine, where he re-declares his appointment as emperor and fights Constantine, who has the ambition to become an emperor himself.
The result is Constantine's victory, and Maximian escapes to Massilia, the current Marseille, but the locals present him to Constantine.
The captured Maximian was taken away from all his powers and forced to live in seclusion, but he still plans to assassinate Contantinus with the intention of returning to the emperor.
Her plans were communicated to her husband Constantine by her real daughter, Fausta, and immediately arrested.
Constantine announced that Maximian had committed suicide.
It is unknown in the past or present whether he really committed suicide.
Personal evaluation of Emperor Maximian
In terms of his military talent, he would be one of the best in Roman history.
He has won in various battles and has won a total of five times against the Germanic people, who can be said to be Rome's greatest enemy.
It can be said that Diocletian was able to realize Diocletian and Tetrarchy under the Dominated politics only because Emperor Maximian had honesty and military talent.
In fact, Emperor Maximian fulfilled his responsibilities without betraying the trust of Emperor Diocletian.
But why did we reach such a miserable end?
If you think about it, I think that Aurelius, who was once called the Five Good Emperors, made Commodus his successor because he knew that if he didn't, there would be a civil war in his successor problem.
In fact, after the retirement of Emperor Diocletian, Rome was immediately in a state of civil war, and Maxentius, who was not appointed as his successor, attacked Tetrarchy.
As a result, Emperor Maximian was involved in a civil war and was eventually killed by his son-in-law Constantine by a secret notice of his daughter.
Suicide and Constantine have announced, but they would not be credible.
Why did Maximian attack Constantine in the first place?
I think that Cunning Constantine was probably the one who made it so. He eliminated and purged anything that would interfere with his supremacy. It didn't matter if it was his family.
Alas, the man who spent his life reviving the Roman Empire was taken to ruin by his own relatives.
Emperor Aurelius, Emperor Maximian, Yoshiko Mita, and the people who pollute their later years because of their unscrupulous children are endless.
This may also be the repeated history of mankind.