Maximinus Thrax: From Common Soldier to Emperor of Rome

Maximinus was a half-barbarian strongman of frightening appearance and colossal size who could smash stones with his bare hands and pull fully laden wagons unaided. Such feats impressed the emperor Severus who enlisted him into the imperial bodyguard whereupon he embarked on a distinguished military career. Eventually he achieved senior command in the massive Roman invasion of Persia in 232 and three years later became emperor himself in a military coup. Supposedly over seven feet tall (it is likely he had a pituitary disorder), Maximinus was surely one of Rome’s most extraordinary emperors. He campaigned across the Rhine and Danube for three years until a rebellion erupted in Africa and the snobbish senate engaged in civil war against him. This is a narrative account of the life and times of Maximinus, from his humble origins up to and beyond the civil war of 238, written for enthusiasts of Roman history and warfare. AUTHOR: Paul Pearson is a Professor of Earth Sciences at Cardiff University but has deep and long-held fascination for Roman history. This book is the product of years of research, including personal study of the battlefields and other key sites in Germany and Italy. He is the author of The Roman Empire in Crisis 248-260 (Pen & Sword Books, 2022).
30 b/w illustrations