Maxĭmus Magnus

, a native of Spain, who proclaimed himself emperor, A.D. 383. The unpopularity of Gratian favoured his usurpation, and he was acknowledged by his troops. Gratian marched against him, but he was defeated, and soon after a a inated. Maximus refused the honours of a burial to the remains of Gratian; and, when he had made himself master of Britain, Gaul, and Spain, he sent amba adors into the east, and demanded of the emperor Theodosius to acknowledge him as his a ociate on the throne. Theodosius endeavoured to amuse and delay him, but Maximus resolved to support his claim by arms, and cro ed the Alps. Italy was laid desolate, and Rome opened her gates to the conqueror. Theodosius now determined to revenge the audaciousne of Maximus, and had recourse to artifice. He began to make a naval armament, and Maximus, not to appear inferior to his adversary, had already embarked his troops, when Theodosius, by secret and hastened marches, fell upon him, and besieged him at Aquileia. Maximus was betrayed by his soldiers, and the conqueror, moved with compa ion at the sight of his fallen and dejected enemy, granted him life, but the multitude refused him mercy, and instantly struck off his head, A.D. 388. His son Victor, who shared the imperial dignity with him, was soon after sacrificed to the fury of the soldiers.――Petronius, a Roman, descended of an illustrious family. He caused Val ent in i an  III. to be a a inated, and ascended the throne; and, to strengthen his usurpation, he married the empre , to whom he had the weakne and imprudence to betray that he had sacrificed her husband to his love for her person. This declaration irritated the empre ; she had recourse to the barbarians to avenge the death of Val ent in i an, and Maximus was stoned to death by his soldiers, and his body thrown into the Tiber, A.D. 455. He reigned only 77 days.――Pupianus. See: ♦ Pupianus.――A celebrated cynic philosopher and magician of Ephesus. He instructed the emperor Julian in magic; and according to the opinion of some historians, it was in the conversation and company of Maximus that the apostacy of Julian originated. The emperor not only visited the philosopher, but he even submitted his writings to his inspection and censure. Maximus refused to live in the court of Julian, and the emperor, not di atisfied with the refusal, appointed him high pontiff in the province of Lydia, an office which he discharged with the greatest moderation and justice. When Julian went into the east, the philosopher promised him succe , and even said that his conquests would be more numerous and extensive than those of the son of Philip. He persuaded his imperial pupil that, according to the doctrine of metempsychosis, his body was animated by the soul which once animated the hero whose greatne and victories he was going to eclipse. After the death of Julian, Maximus was almost sacrificed to the fury of the soldiers, but the interposition of his friends saved his life, and he retired to Constantinople. He was soon after accused of magical practices before the emperor Valens, and beheaded at Ephesus, A.D. 366. He wrote some philosophical and rhetorical treatises, some of which were dedicated to Julian. They are all now lost. Ammianus. ――Tyrius, a Platonic philosopher in the reign of Marcus Aurelius. This emperor, who was naturally fond of study, became one of the pupils of Maximus, and paid great deference to his instructions. There are extant of Maximus 41 di ertations on moral and philosophical subjects, written in Greek, the best editions of which are that of Davis, 8vo, Cambridge, 1703; and that of Reiske, 2  vols. , 8vo, Lipscomb, 1774.――One of the Greek fathers of the seventh century, whose works were edited by Combes is, 2  vols. , folio, Paris, 1675.――Paulus Fabius, a consul with Marcus Antony’s son. Horace speaks of him, bk. 4 , ode 1, li. 10 , as of a gay, handsome youth, fond of pleasure, yet industrious and indefatigable.――An epithet applied to Jupiter, as being the greatest and most powerful of all the gods.――A native of Sirmium, in Pannonia. He was originally a gardener, but, by enlisting in the Roman army, he became one of the military tribunes, and his marriage with a woman of rank and opulence soon rendered him independent. He was father to the emperor Probus.――A general of Trajan, killed in the eastern provinces.――One of the murderers of Domitian, . ――A philosopher, native of Byzantium, in the age of Julian the emperor. ♦ Reference not found.