Magnentius
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Although Magnentius restored certain rights to the pagans, the reverse of this coin leaves little doubt as to his religious beliefs. |
Magnentius (ruled
January 18,
350–
August 11,
353), was a
Roman usurper.
Magnentius was the commander of the
Herculians and Iovians, the imperial guard units (Zosimus, ii.58). When the army grew dissatisfied with
Constans behaviour, it elevated Magnentius at
Autun 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
cavalry near the
Pyrenees.
Magnentius quickly attracted the loyalty of the provinces in
Britannia,
Gaul, and
Hispania, in part because he proved to be far more tolerant towards both
Christians and
pagans. His control on
Italia and
Africa was applied through the election of his men to the most important offices. However, the short-lived revolt of
Nepotianus, a member of the
Constantinian dynasty, showed Magnentius that his status of Emperor was to be consolidated against the members of that dynasty.
The self-proclaimed emperor tried to strengthen his grasp on the territories previously controlled by Constans, moving towards the
Danube.
Vetranio, commander of the
Pannonian army, had been elected
Augustus by his troops in
Mursa on
1 March. This revolt had a loyalist mark, since Vetranio was supported by
Constantina, and
Constantius II himself recognized Vetranio, sending him the imperial diadem.
The remaining emperor of the family of
Constantine I, Constantius II broke off his war in
Syria with
Persia, and marched west. Despite Magnentius effort to gain Vetranio to his cause, the old general reached Constantius with his army, and deposed the crown.
After electing
Magnus Decentius (probably his brother) to
Caesar and gatering as many troops as possible, the armies of Magnentius and Constantius met in the
Battle of Mursa Major in
351; Magnentius led his troops into battle, while Constantius spent the day of battle praying in a nearby church. Despite Magnentius' heroism, his troops were defeated and forced to retreat back to Gaul.
As a result of Magnentius' defeat, Italy ejected his garrisons and rejoined the loyalist cause. Magnentius made a final stand in
353 in the
Battle of Mons Seleucus, after which he committed suicide.
Following the suppression of Magnentius' rebellion, Constantius commanded an investigation be made to find his followers. The most notorious agent in this search was the
primicerius notorarum Paulus Catena.
* Cameron, Averil, and Peter Garnsey
ed.,
The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol XIII, Cambridge University Press, 1988.
