Valerius Maximus (consul 327)

(Lucius) Valerius Maximus (Basilius)^[1] (fl. 4th century) was a Roman senator who was appointed Roman consul in AD 327.

Biography

Valerius Maximus was a member of the fourth century patrician Gens Valeria, and probably the son of Valerius Maximus Basilius. He served as the Vicarius Orientis in AD 325 before being appointed the eastern Praetorian prefect, probably in late 326, when the emperor Constantine I returned from Italy. This was an unusual appointment, as the office of Praetorian prefect was reserved for members of the Equestrian order, not senators, and it displayed the emperor’s confidence in Valerius Maximus, allowing him to exercise command over the extensive resources of the east.^[2] He continued to serve Constantine in this role throughout 327 and 328, relinquishing the office in early 329 after Constantine returned from Gaul.^[3]

During this period, in AD 327, Valerius Maximus was appointed consul posterior, alongside Flavius Constantius. Then in late AD 331, he was probably sent to Gaul with the Caesar Constantius II, serving as Constantius’ Praetorian Prefect. Valerius Maximus served him there until late 333 or early 334, when Constantius returned to his father’s court at Constantinople.

In around AD 336, Valerius Maximus was appointed Praetorian Prefect for a third time, this time accompanying the Caesar Dalmatius to the provinces along the Danubian frontier, which had been assigned to him as the territory he was to manage, in Constantine’s planned administrative division of the empire. He served under Dalmatius until 337, when Valerius Maximus was replaced shortly before the murder of Dalmatius in the wake of the death of Constantine I.^[4]

It is speculated that Valerius Maximus was married twice. His first marriage may have been to a Septimia, a daughter of Septimius Bassus. They possibly had one son together, named Lucius Valerius Septimius Bassus. His second marriage was possibly to a Vulcacia, supposedly the daughter of a Neratius Junius Flavianus. It has been postulated that they had two children, a son Valerius Maximus Basilius, and a daughter Valeria, who may have become a Christian through her possible marriage to a Rufius Maecius Placidus.^[5]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Valerius Maximus

16. L. Valerius Claudius Acilius Priscillianus Maximus[anc 1]               8. L. Valerius Poplicola Balbinus Maximus                       4. L. Valerius Messalla                             2. L. Valerius Maximus Basilius                                   1. Valerius Maximus                                         24. Lucius Septimius               12. Lucius Septimius Severus                       6. Septimius Bassus                             26. Pomponius Bassus[anc 2]               13. Pomponia Bassa                       27. Pomponia Gratidia               3. Septimia

1. Lucius Valerius Claudius Acilius Priscillianus Maximus was a descendant of Octavia the Younger, through her granddaughter Valeria Messalla (daughter of Claudia Marcella Minor).
2. Pomponius Bassus was the son of Annia Aurelia Faustina, grandson of Tiberius Claudius Severus Proculus, great-grandson of Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina and great-great-grandson of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Sources

• Martindale, J. R.; Jones, A. H. M, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I AD 260-395, Cambridge University Press (1971)

References

1. The praenomen Lucius and the agnomen Basilius are assumed.
2. Potter, David S., The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395 (2004), pg. 389
3. Martindale & Jones, pg. 590
4. Martindale & Jones, pg. 591
5. Settipani, Christian, Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale, (2000) p. 229