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Chapter XXXII.—Overthrow of the Usurper Magnentius.
Magnentius in the meanwhile
having made himself master of the imperial city Rome, put to death many
members of the senatorial council, as well as many of the populace. But
as soon as the commanders under Constantius had collected an army of
Romans, and commenced their march against him, he left Rome, and
retired into the Gauls. There several battles were fought, sometimes to
the advantage of one party, and sometimes to that of the other: but at
last Magnentius having been defeated near Mursa—a fortress of
Gaul—was there closely besieged. In this place the following
remarkable incident is said to have occurred. Magnentius desiring to
reassure the courage of his soldiers who were disheartened by their
late overthrow, ascended a lofty tribunal for this purpose. They,
wishing to give utterance to the usual acclamation with which they
greet emperors, contrary to their intention simultaneously all shouted
the name not of Magnentius, but of Constantius Augustus. Regarding this
as an omen unfavorable to himself, Magnentius immediately withdrew from
the fortress, and retreated to the remotest parts of Gaul. Thither the
generals of Constantius hastened in pursuit. An engagement having again
taken place near Mount Seleucus,380380
So in the Allat. ms., with
the variant reading in other mss. Μιλτοσέλευκος
.
Magnentius was totally routed, and fled alone to Lyons, a city of Gaul,
which is distant three days’ journey from the fortress at Mursa.
Magnentius, having reached this city, first slew his own mother; then
having killed his brother also, whom he had created Cæsar, he at
last committed suicide by falling on his own sword. This happened in
the sixth consulate of Constantius, and the second of Constantius
Gallus, on the fifteenth381381
353 a.d.; but the date is
given differently in Idatius’ Fasti.
day of August. Not long after, the other brother of Magnentius, named
Decentius, put an end to his own life by hanging himself. Such was the
end of the enterprises of Magnentius. The affairs of the empire were
not altogether quieted; for soon after this another usurper arose whose
name was Silvanus: but the generals of Constantius speedily put him
also out of the way, whilst raising disturbances in Gaul.
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