Maximinus Thrax

April 1, 2017
Emperor of Rome from 235 to 238 AD, Maximinus was known for rapacity and cruelty and blamed for instigating 50 years of instability that left the empire on the brink of collapse. In this first comprehensive biography, a work of extensive research, Pearson draws on ancient histories, coins, statues, and archaeology to create a commendably fluid narrative that will intrigue Roman history enthusiasts. Remarkable for his height (he topped seven feet), Maximinus was also notable for being an outsider as a non-noble Thracian who rose through the army to become its commander on the empire's Rhine-Danube frontier. Pearson surmises that the incumbent emperor, Alexander Severus, would not yield to the army's desire for an invasion of Germany. He was murdered, and the newly crowned emperor Maximinus delivered for the legions, as recorded by recent archaeological findings in a Roman battlefield in Germany. Success in the north, however, was not matched by support in Italy. The Roman senate revolted and prevailed over Maximinus in a siege of an Adriatic seaport. Steeped in his subject, Pearson successfully illuminates this long-overlooked Roman emperor.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)