Entry (Details):

Full name Coins; Magnus Magnentius II 4791, II 6225 = D 743, VIII 22284, XIII 9135, D 744.

Probably born c. a. 303 Aur. Vict. 42. 6 (see below); of German origin Jul. Or. I 33D-34A, 34D, II 56B-C, Aur. Vict. Caes. 41.25 ‘gentis barbarae’, Aur. Vict. Epit. 42.7 ‘ortus parentibus barbaris, qui Galliam inhabitant’; a Laetus, he prospered under Constantine Zos. II 46.3, 54.1 (γένος μὲν ἕλκων ἀπὸ βαρβάρων, μετοικήσας δέ εἰς Λετούς, ἔθνος Γαλατικόν, παιδείας τε τῆς Λατίνων μετασχών), cf. Jul. Or. 134Α. He was possibly born at Amiens of a British father (so also Zon. XIII 6) and a Frankish mother, Scholiοn on Julian (in REA XXVII (1925), 312-18).

PROTECTORiRole name: PROTECTOR, then COMES (REI MILITARIS)iRole name: COMES (REI MILITARIS), before 350: ἐν τοῖς προτίκτορσι δ’ἐστρατεύετο, εἶτα καὶ κόμης ὠνομάσθη ταγμάτων δύο Ῥωμαϊκῶν Zon. XIII 6. He was in command of the Ioviani and the Herculiani in 350 Zos. II 42.2 (presumably the Ioviani seniores and the Herculiani seniores, both palatine legions later stationed in Italy Not. Dig. Occ. V 145-6 = VII 3-4).

Proclaimed AugustusiRole name: Augustus 350 Jan. 18 Cons. Const. s.a. 350, Jul. Or. I 26B-C, II 55C-D, Zos. II 42.3-5, Eutr. X 9.3, Aur. Vict. Caes. 41.23, Aur. Vict. Epit. 41.22, Soc. II 25.7, Soz. IV 1.1-2, Zon. XIII 6, Oros. VII 29.8. Committed suicide 353 Aug. 10 Eutr. X 12.2, Aur. Vict. Caes. 42.10, Aur. Vict. Epit. 42.6, Jul. Or. I 40Β, Zos. II 53.3, Soc. II 32, Soz. IV 7.2-3, Joh. Ant. fr. 174; he died aged about 50 Aur. Vict. Epit. 42.6.

Probably brother of Magnus Decentius. His wife was Iustina. See further P-W XIV 445ff. See stemma 4.

The name ‘Magnentius’ appears on a seal from Trier XIII 12878.