Marcus Gavius Maximus

Marcus Gavius Maximus (died 156) was an eques of ancient Rome who held several imperial positions, both civil and military, under Hadrian and Antonius Pius.

Firmum in northern Italy is considered his hometown, confirmed by the fact that his voting tribe, Palatina, is found there. His filiation records his father's praenomen, Marcus.[1]

Gavius Maximus first appears in history as procurator or governor of Mauretania Tingitana;[2] Anthony Birley believes Hadrian appointed him to that post in 128, and governed there until 132.[3] While governor, he was one of several governors to receive an imperial rescript from Hadrian concerning how to handle witnesses that is preserved in the Digest.[4] Maximus next appears as procurator of the province of Asia, where he may have come to the attention of Antonius Pius, who was proconsul of that Senatorial province in 134/135.[5] Antonius Pius later appointed him praetorian prefect, as the colleague of Marcus Petronius Mamertinus; this was one of the highest offices an eques could hold.

According to the Historia Augusta, Maximus was praetorian prefect for twenty years; the author of this work also describes Maximus as a harsh man.[6] There is independent evidence attesting that he was prefect between 139 and 143.[7] His successor, Gaius Tattius Maximus, is attested as holding the appointment in 156;[8] this would indicate that Maximus was appointed close to the beginning of the start of Antonius Pius' reign.

We know that he and the advocate Marcus Cornelius Fronto were acquaintances, if not friends: Fronto was made primary heir and executor of the will of one Niger Censorius, who had included unflattering comments about both Gavius Maximus and the emperor. Fronto wrote apologetic letters to both men concerning the will, stating he had little choice in reading those comments out loud.[9]

See also

References
  1. CIL IX, 5358 = ILS 1325
  2. CIL XVI, 173
  3. Birley, Hadrian: the Restless Emperor (London: Routledge, 1997), p. 205
  4. Birley argues that "Gabinius" is a corruption of Maximus' name. (Hadrian: the Restless Emperor, p. 261)
  5. Birley, Marus Aurelius: A Biography, revised edition (London: Routlege, 1987), p. 60
  6. Historia Augusta, "Antonius Pius", 8.7
  7. CIL VI, 31147 = ILS 2185; CIL VI, 31151
  8. CIL VI, 222
  9. Ad Antonium Pium 3,4,7. English translation in Charles R. Haines, The correspondence of Marcus Cornelius Fronto with Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Lucius Verus, Antoninus Pius, and various friends (London: Heinemann, 1919), vol. 1, pp. 254ff


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