You might be related.  Start your tree to find out. It's free!

We’ll search our network daily and notify you when we find family tree matches.

Start your tree
Added by SherylReti

Flavius Magnus "The Usurper" Magnentius

303-353
Born: Samarobriva (Amiens), Gaul
Died: Möns, Friesland, Niedersachsen, Germany

Footprints
 
Family Members
  • Getting family members ...
 
Life Story
  • Birth

  • Death: As A Result Of Magnentius' Defeat, Italy Ejected His Garrisons & Rejoined The Loyalist Cause. Magnentius Made A Final Stand In 353 In The Battle Of Mons Seleucus, After Which He Committed Suicide By Falling On His Sword.

  • Story: Flavius Magnus Magnentius 303 - 353

    <font color="#000000">Magnentius</font><div><!-- /jumpto --><!-- bodytext --><font size="3" color="#000000">Flavius Magnus Magnentius</font><font size="3" color="#000000">usurper</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> of the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Roman Empire</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Reign</font><font size="3" color="#000000">January 18, 350 &ndash; August 11, 353</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Born</font><font size="3" color="#000000">303</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Birthplace</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Samarobriva</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Gaul</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Died</font><font size="3" color="#000000">August 11, 353 (aged 50)</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Place of death</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Mons Seleucus</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Predecessor</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constans</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Successor</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constantius II</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Wife</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Justina</font><p><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><strong>Flavius Magnus Magnentius</strong> (303&ndash;August 11, 353) was a </font></font><font size="3" color="#000000">usurper</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> of the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Roman Empire</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> (January 18, 350 &ndash; August 11, 353).</font></p><span><font size="3" color="#000000">Early life and career</font></span><p><font size="3" color="#000000">Born in Samarobriva (</font><font size="3" color="#000000">Amiens</font><font size="3" color="#000000">), </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Gaul</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, Magnentius was the commander of the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Herculians</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> and Iovians, the imperial guard units<sup><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></sup>. When the army grew dissatisfied with the behaviour of </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Roman Emperor</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constans</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, it elevated Magnentius at </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Autun</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> on January 18, 350. Constans was abandoned by all except a handful of retainers, and he was slain shortly afterwards by a troop of light </font><font size="3" color="#000000">cavalry</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> near the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Pyrenees</font><font size="3" color="#000000">.</font></p><span><font size="3" color="#000000">Usurper</font></span><p><font size="3" color="#000000">Magnentius quickly attracted the loyalty of the provinces in </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Britannia</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Gaul</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, and </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Hispania</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, in part because he proved to be far more tolerant towards both </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Christians</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> and </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Pagans</font><font size="3" color="#000000">. His control on </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Italia</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> and </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Africa</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> was applied through the election of his men to the most important offices. However, the short-lived revolt of </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Nepotianus</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, a member of the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constantinian dynasty</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, showed Magnentius that his status of Emperor was to be consolidated against the members of that dynasty.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">The self-proclaimed emperor tried to strengthen his grasp on the territories previously controlled by Constans, moving towards the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Danube</font><font size="3" color="#000000">. </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Vetranio</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, commander of the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Pannonian</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> army, had been elected </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Augustus</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> by his troops in </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Mursa</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> on 1 March. This revolt had a loyalist mark, since Vetranio was supported by </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constantina</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, and </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constantius II</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> himself recognized Vetranio, sending him the imperial diadem.</font></p><span><font size="3" color="#000000">Demise</font></span><p><font size="3" color="#000000">The remaining emperor of the family of </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Constantine I</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, Constantius II broke off his war in </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Syria</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> with </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Persia</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, and marched west. Despite Magnentius&#39; efforts to gain Vetranio to his cause, the old general reached Constantius with his army, and resigned the crown.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">After electing </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Magnus Decentius</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> (probably his brother) to </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Caesar</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> and gathering as many troops as possible, the armies of Magnentius and Constantius met in the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Battle of Mursa Major</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> in 351; Magnentius led his troops into battle, while Constantius spent the day of battle praying in a nearby church. Despite Magnentius&#39; heroism, his troops were defeated and forced to retreat back to Gaul.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">As a result of Magnentius&#39; defeat, Italy ejected his garrisons and rejoined the loyalist cause. Magnentius made a final stand in 353 in the </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Battle of Mons Seleucus</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, after which he committed </font><font size="3" color="#000000">suicide</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> by falling on his sword.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">Following the suppression of Magnentius&#39; rebellion, Constantius commanded an investigation be made to find his followers. The most notorious agent in this search was the <em>primicerius notariorum</em> </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Paulus Catena</font><font size="3" color="#000000">.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">Some sources state that Magnentius&#39; father was a </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Briton</font><font size="3" color="#000000"> and his mother a </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Frank</font><font size="3"><font color="#000000">.<sup><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></sup></font></font></p><span><font size="3" color="#000000">Notes</font></span><div><ol><li><strong><font size="3" color="#000000">^</font></strong><font size="3" color="#000000"> </font><font size="3" color="#000000">Zosimus</font><font size="3" color="#000000">, ii.58</font></li><li><strong><font size="3" color="#000000">^</font></strong><font size="3" color="#000000"> Drinkwater pp.131&ndash;59. Original sources: Epit. de Caes. 42.7; Zos. HN 2.46.3, 54.1; Zonar. 13.6.1.</font></li></ol></div><span><font size="3" color="#000000">References</font></span><ul><li><font size="3" color="#000000">Cameron, Averil, and Peter Garnsey <em>ed.</em>, <em>The Cambridge Ancient History</em>, Vol XIII, Cambridge University Press, 1988.</font></li><li><span><font size="3" color="#000000">Drinkwater, J.F. (2000). &quot;The revolt and ethnic origin of the usurper Magnentius (350&ndash;53), and the rebellion of Vetranio (350)&quot;. <em>Chiron</em> (30).</font></span></li></ul></div>

 
 
Do you know more about this person's life story? Contact profile creator SherylReti
Errors OccurredX
Errors Loading Page_