Maxĭmus, Clemens
A Roman emperor, A.D. 383-388, in Gaul, Britain, and Spain, was a native of Spain. He was
proclaimed emperor by the legions in Britain in 383, and forthwith crossed over to Gaul to
oppose Gratian, who was defeated by Maximus, and was shortly afterwards put to death.
Theodosius found it expedient to recognize Maximus as emperor of Gaul, Britain, and Spain, in
order to secure Valentinian in the possession of Italy. Maximus, however,
aspired to the undivided empire of the West, and accordingly, in 387, he invaded Italy at the
head of a formidable army. Valentinian was unable to resist him, and fled to Theodosius in the
East. Theodosius forthwith prepared to avenge his colleague. In 388 he forced his way through
the Noric Alps, which had been guarded by the troops of Maximus, and shortly afterwards took
the city of Aquileia by storm and there put Maximus to death. Victor, the son of Maximus, was
defeated and slain in Gaul by Arbogastes, the general of Theodosius.