Profile for Emperor: Maximinus Thrax - A guide to the coins of the Roman Empire

Maximinus Thrax

Reece Period attributed: Period 11

Member of the Third Century Emperors dynasty.

Coins for this issuer were issued from 235 until 238.

Gaius Julius Valerius Maximinus was born in Thrace and began life as a lowly soldier. He rose through the ranks until, by the military campaigns of Severus Alexander, he had control of a legion and governorship of Mesopotamia. He was involved in Alexander’s German campaign and acclaimed emperor by his troops near Mainz.

The Senate did not like Maximinus because he spent no time in Rome and extorted huge sums of money to finance his very successful military campaigns. They also viewed him with prejudice because of his very humble origins. Gordian I and II tried to take over the government from Africa, but that rebellion was put down; in Rome, Balbienus and Pupienus were elected joint emperors by the Senate and Maximinus marched towards Rome. He was stopped in Aquileia when the town refused to offer him shelter. He started a siege but was killed by assassins who took his head to Rome.

Maximinus, also called Maximinus Thrax in refernce to his Thracian origins, was a huge man with a prominent chin. Reports characterize him as abnormally tall and very muscular.

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Maximinus Thrax.

Wikipedia derived information

Maximinus Thrax, also known as Maximinus I, was Roman Emperor from 235 to 238.

Maximinus is described by several ancient sources, though none are contemporary except Herodian's Roman History. Maximinus was the first emperor never to set foot in Rome. He was the first of the so-called barracks emperors of the 3rd century; his rule is often considered to mark the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century.

He died at Aquileia whilst attempting to put down a Senatorial revolt..

Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximinus_Thrax
This data is sourced from dbpedia, and as such should be treated with caution