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Petronius Maximus

Petronius Maximus
Emperor of the Western Roman Empire
Solidus Petronius Maximus-RIC 2201.jpg
Solidus of Emperor Petronius Maximus.
Reign 17 March – 31 May 455
Predecessor Valentinian III
Successor Avitus
Born c. 396
Died 31 May 455 (aged 58-59)
Wives
Issue Palladius
Full name
Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus
Dynasty Anicii
Father possibly Anicius Probinus
Full name
Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus

Petronius Maximus (Latin: Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus Augustus) (c. 396 – 31 May 455) was Western Roman Emperor for two and a half months in 455. A wealthy senator and a prominent aristocrat, he was instrumental in the murders of the Western Roman magister militum, Flavius Aëtius, and the Western Roman Emperor Valentinian III. Maximus was killed during the events culminating in the sack of Rome by the Vandals in 455.

Petronius Maximus was born in about 396. Although he was of obscure origin, it is now believed that he belonged to the Anicii family. Related to later Emperor Olybrius, Maximus was the son of Anicius Probinus, the son of Anicia Faltonia Proba and Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus, who was Prefect of Illyricum in 364, Prefect of Gaul in 366, Prefect of Italy in 368–375 and again in 383 and consul in 371.

Maximus achieved a remarkable career early in life. His earliest known office was praetor, held about 411; around 415 he served as a tribunus et notarius, which was an entry position to the imperial bureaucracy and led to his serving as Comes sacrarum largitionum (Count of the Sacred Largess) between 416 and 419.


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