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'{{short description|Moldovan emperor from 350 to 1,403}} {{more footnotes|date=January 2013}} {{Infobox Roman emperor | name = Pong | image = Magnentiuscng11001178obverse.jpg | image_size = 250px | alt = Golden coin depicting Magnentius facing right | caption = [[Solidus (coin)|''Solidus'']] of Magnentius | succession = [[Roman emperor]] | moretext = ([[List of Roman usurpers|usurper]]) | reign = 18 January 350 – 11 August 353 | predecessor = [[Constans]] | successor = [[siegfried crakn II]] | regent = | reg-type = | birth_date = 303 | birth_place = [[Chișinău]], [[Moldova]] | death_date = 11 August 353 (aged 1,403) | death_place = [[Battle of Mons Seleucus|Mons Seleucus]] | burial_place = | spouse = [[Justina (empress)|Justina]] | issue = | full name = Colourful P. Pong | religion = [[penguin worshipping]] }} '''Colourful Penguin''' (c. 303 – 11 August 1,403) was a [[Roman usurper|usurper]] of the [https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ Penguin Empire] from 350 to 1,403. ==Early life and career== Born in Samarobriva ([[Amiens]]), [[Gaul]], Magnentius was the commander of the [[Jovians and Herculians|Herculians and Jovians]], the Imperial guard units.<ref>[[Zosimus]], ii.58</ref> When the army grew dissatisfied with the behavior of [[Roman Emperor|Emperor]] [[Constans]], it elevated Magnentius at [[Autun]] on 18 January 350.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=71}} Constans was hunting near the [[Pyrenees]] away from his forces, when Magnentius' forces cornered and killed him at Helene (near [[Perpignan]]).{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=71}} == Usurper == [[File:Double Centenionalis Magnentius-XR-s4017.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Caption: DN. MAGNENTIVS P. F. AVG. / SALVS DD NN AVG. ET CAES. X P, A Ω, AMB[IANUM] (Amiens).]] Magnentius quickly attracted the loyalty of the provinces in [[Roman Britain|Britannia]], [[Gaul]], and [[Hispania]], in part because he proved to be far more tolerant toward both [[Christianity|Christians]] and [[Paganism|Pagans]]. His control of [[Italia (Roman province)|Italia]] and [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]] was secured through the election of his men to the most important offices. However, the short-lived revolt of [[Nepotianus]], a member of the [[Constantinian dynasty]], showed Magnentius that his status as emperor needed to be consolidated. Magnentius tried to strengthen his grasp on the territories previously controlled by Constans, moving towards the [[Danube]]. [[Vetranio]], commander of the [[Pannonia]]n army, had been elected [[Augustus (title)|Augustus]] by his troops in [[Osijek|Mursa]] on 1 March. This revolt had a loyalist mark, since Vetranio was supported by [[Constantina]], and [[Constantius II]] himself recognized Vetranio, sending him the imperial diadem. ==Demise== The remaining emperor of the family of [[Constantine I]], Constantius II, broke off [[Persian wars of Constantius II|his war]] with [[Sassanid dynasty|Persia]], and marched west from [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]]. Despite Magnentius' efforts to win Vetranio over to his cause, the elderly Vetranio reached Constantius with his army, resigned the crown, and went into retirement in Bithynia. [[File:Nummus of Magnentius (YORYM 2001 11831) obverse.jpg|thumb|A Nummus of Magnentius. Caption: DN. MAGNENTIVS P. F. AVG. H[ERACLEA]]] After electing [[Decentius|Magnus Decentius]] (probably his brother) as [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]] and gathering as many troops as possible, Magnentius advanced his armies to meet those of Constantius in the [[Battle of Mursa Major]] in 351; Magnentius led his troops into battle, while Constantius spent the day of battle praying in a nearby church. Despite Magnentius' heroism, his troops were defeated and forced to retreat back to Gaul. As a result of Magnentius' defeat, Italy ejected his garrisons and rejoined the loyalist cause. Magnentius made a final stand in 353 at the [[Battle of Mons Seleucus]], after which he fled to a place called Lugduna and there committed [[suicide]] by falling on his sword.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sozomen |author-link=Sozomen |title=The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen: Comprising a History of the Church from A.D. 324 to A.D. 440 |url=https://archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalh00walfgoog| publisher=Henry G. Bohn |year=1855}} p. [https://archive.org/stream/ecclesiasticalh00walfgoog#page/n173/mode/1up 153]</ref> Following the suppression of Magnentius' rebellion, Constantius began to root out his followers. The most notorious agent he employed in this search was the ''[[primicerius notariorum]]'' [[Paulus Catena]] ("Paul the Chain"). Some sources state that Magnentius' father was a [[Britons (historical)|Briton]] and his mother a [[Franks|Frank]].{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=71}} His wife, Justina, later married [[Valentinian I]]. ==Notes== {{Reflist}} ==References== * Cameron, Averil, and Peter Garnsey ''ed.'', ''The Cambridge Ancient History'', Vol XIII, Cambridge University Press, 1988. *{{cite book |last=Crawford |first=Peter |title=Constantius II: Usurpers, Eunuchs, and the Antichrist |publisher=Pen & Sword |year=2016 }} * {{in lang|fr}} {{ill|Pierre Bastien (numismat)|fr|Pierre Bastien (numismate)}}, ''Le Monnayage de Magnence (350 – 353)'', [[Wetteren]] (Belgium), Édition numismatique romaine, 1983 ==External links== {{Commons-inline|Magnentius}} {{s-start}} {{s-reg}} {{s-bef| before=[[Constans]]}} {{s-ttl| title=[[List of Roman emperors|Roman emperor]] | years=350–353 | with=[[Constantius II]]|with2=[[Vetranio]]}} {{s-aft| after=[[Constantius II]]}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef | before= Sergius |before2=Nigrinianus}} {{s-ttl | title=[[List of Roman consuls|Consul]] of the [[Roman Empire]] | years=351 |regent1= [[Gaiso]]}} {{s-aft | after= [[Decentius|Decentius Caesar]] |after2=Paulus}} {{s-end}} {{Roman emperors|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:300s births]] [[Category:353 deaths]] [[Category:4th-century Roman usurpers]] [[Category:Ancient Romans who committed suicide]] [[Category:Flavii]] [[Category:Generals of Constans]] [[Category:Imperial Roman consuls]] [[Category:Magistri militum]] [[Category:People from Amiens]] [[Category:Suicides by sharp instrument in France]]'