Magnentius, 18 January 350 - 10 August 353 A.D.Ancient| |Roman coins| of |Decentius for |sale in the |Forum |Ancient |Coins |consignment |shop. Flavius
Magnus Magnentius was born in Samarobriva (Amiens), Gaul. Some sources
state that Magnentius' father was a Briton and his mother a Frank and he
may have once been a slave owned by Constantine the Great. He was a man
of studious habits, powerful in conversation, with great military
skill, but hard-hearted and cruel. When he was a captain of the guard, a
group of his soldiers threatened to murder him; Constans threw his
paludamentum over him as a protection and saved his life. Constans made
Magnentius commander of the Herculians and Jovians, the Imperial guard
units.
When the army grew dissatisfied with the Emperor Constans
the soldiers elevated Magnentius to the purple at Augustodunum (Autun)
on 18 January 350. Constans was hunting near the Pyrenees away from his
forces when he heard the news, he took sanctuary in a temple at Castrum Helenae in Hispania.
Magnentius sent a few of his men who tracked him down, breached the
temple, and murdered him. Magnentius quickly attracted the loyalty of
the provinces in Britannia, Gaul, and Hispania, in part because he
proved to be far more tolerant towards Pagans. His control of Italia and
Africa was secured through the election of his men to the most
important offices.
There were some that resisted Magnentius.
Nepotian, a member of the Constantinian dynasty, rebelled and ruled the
city of Rome for twenty-eight days. Vetranio, commander of the Pannonian
army, was elected Augustus by his troops in Mursa on 1 March 350.
Unlike Magnentius, Constantius II recognized Vetranio, sending him the
imperial diadem. This resistance strained Magnentius' resources while
Constantius' army approached.
Constantius II had been thousands
of miles away embroiled in a difficult war with the Parthians in Syria
and it took several months to hear of what happened out west. He had the
difficult choice of following through with this war or deal with the
dangerous usurpation of Magnentius. He decided to sign a hasty peace
treaty with the Parthians which ceded vast sections of territory and
marched west with 60,000 men to deal with Magnentius.
Magnentius tried in vain to seek a diplomatic solution to the problem
with Constantius as he wanted to avoid an open armed conflict with his
army at all costs. After electing his brother Decentius as Caesar
and gathering as many troops as possible, Magnentius advanced his
armies to meet those of Constantius. 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. Magnentius
made a final stand in 353 at the Battle of Mons Seleucus. Defeated
again, he fled to Lugdunum (Lyons) where he committed suicide by falling
on his sword.
Following the suppression of Magnentius'
rebellion, Constantius began to root out his followers. The most
notorious agent he employed in this search was the primicerius
notariorum Paulus Catena ("Paul the Chain"). Magnentius' wife, Justina,
later married Valentinian I.
Also see: ERIC - Decentius
Obverse LegendsDECENTIVSFORCAES DNDECENTIVSCAESAR DNDECENTIVSFORTCAES DNDECENTIVSNOBCAES DNMAGDECENTIVSNOBCAES
Mints Ambianum Aquileia Arelate Lugdunum Roma Siscia Treveri
|Dictionary of Roman Coins|
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Decentius (Magnus), brother or cousin of Magnentius by whom, after the death of Constans, he was named Caesar, at Milan, A.D. 351, and raised to the consulship the following year. Magnentius appointed him to command in Gaul, for the purpose of keeping in check the German tribes; but he was defeated by Chnodomarius, leader of the Allemanni and other tribes. On this or some previous occasion, the people of Treves revolting, closed the gates of their city against him. On being apprised of the death of Magnentius to whose assistance he was hastening; apprehensive of falling into the hands of Constantius Chlorus, who had already defeated his brother; and surrounded by foes without hope of escape, Decentius strangled himself at Seus, A.D. 353.
His brass coins are common, except medallions, which are rare, silver very rare, especially medallions, gold still rarer, one medallion in gold of extreme rarity. He is styled on these Dominus Noster DECENTIVS FORTissimus CAESar; also D. N. MAGnus DECENTIVS Nobilissimus CAESar, and D. N. DECENTIVS NOB. CAES.
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Magnentius, 18 January 350 - 10 August 353 A.D.Ancient| |Roman coins| of |Decentius for |sale in the |Forum |Ancient |Coins |consignment |shop. In the winter of 351/352, shortly after Magnentius gained control of Italy, he elevated his brother Decentius to Caesar, and assigned him to oversee the defense of Gaul and the Rhine frontier. After Constantius defeated Magnentius at the Battle of Mursa Major, the brothers lost support lost the support of the capital, and the people of Treveri closed their gates against Decentius. Constantius incited the Germanic tribes to invade the Gaul and Decentius was defeated by Chnodomar, leader of the Allemanni, and besieged in Senonae. When he learned of Magnentius' defeat and subsequent suicide, Decentius hanged himself in the besieged city, ending the civil war on 18 August 353.
Also see: ERIC - Decentius
Obverse LegendsDECENTIVSFORCAES DNDECENTIVSCAESAR DNDECENTIVSFORTCAES DNDECENTIVSNOBCAES DNMAGDECENTIVSNOBCAES
Mints Ambianum Aquileia Arelate Lugdunum Roma Siscia Treveri
|Dictionary of Roman Coins|
| Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate.
Decentius (Magnus), brother or cousin of Magnentius by whom, after the death of Constans, he was named Caesar, at Milan, A.D. 351, and raised to the consulship the following year. Magnentius appointed him to command in Gaul, for the purpose of keeping in check the German tribes; but he was defeated by Chnodomarius, leader of the Allemanni and other tribes. On this or some previous occasion, the people of Treves revolting, closed the gates of their city against him. On being apprised of the death of Magnentius to whose assistance he was hastening; apprehensive of falling into the hands of Constantius Chlorus, who had already defeated his brother; and surrounded by foes without hope of escape, Decentius strangled himself at Seus, A.D. 353.
His brass coins are common, except medallions, which are rare, silver very rare, especially medallions, gold still rarer, one medallion in gold of extreme rarity. He is styled on these Dominus Noster DECENTIVS FORTissimus CAESar; also D. N. MAGnus DECENTIVS Nobilissimus CAESar, and D. N. DECENTIVS NOB. CAES.
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