Roman AE Of Magnentius (AD 350-353) NGC

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Magnentius was a military commander in Gaul who rebelled against the Roman emperor Constantius II, removing and killing his junior colleague Constans, in the west. He appears to have had widescale support in Britain, Gaul and Hispania because he proved to be far more tolerant towards both Catholic Christians and Pagans. His rival Constantius subscribed to the heretical doctrine of Arianism. He failed in his attempts to invade Constantius’s territory, and was finally defeated at the Battle of Mons Seleucus in France in 353 CE. Harsh and repressive counter measures were taken against his supporters.

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Magnus Magnentius (c. 303 – 10 August 353) was a Roman general and usurper against Constantius II. Of Germanic descent, Magnentius served with distinction in Gaul under the emperor Constans. On 18 January 350 Magnentius was acclaimed Augustus. Quickly killing the unpopular Constans, Magnentius gained control over most of the Western Empire. The Eastern emperor Constantius II, the brother of Constans, refused to acknowledge Magnentius' legitimacy and led a successful campaign against Magnentius. Ultimately, Magnentius' forces were scattered after the Battle of Mons Seleucus, and he died by suicide on 10 August 353.^[8]

Much of Magnentius' short reign was concerned with asserting his legitimacy. Unlike Constans, Magnentius was unrelated to Constantine the Great, and so had no dynastic claim to the emperorship. Magnentius instead sought popular support by modeling himself as a liberator who had freed the Western Empire from the tyranny of Constans. He attempted various public and religious reform, but almost all his acts were quickly repealed by Constantius after his death.^[8] In light of the political instability of his reign, modern and ancient historians tend to consider him a usurper rather than an emperor.