Editing Maxentius (section)

{{short description|Roman emperor from 306 to 312}}
{{For|the saint of the same name|Saint Maxentius}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Maxentius
| image        = Portrait of Maxentius (SK Dresden Hm 406) 03.jpg
| image_size   = 
| alt          = Bust of Maxentius
| caption      = Bust from [[Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden]]<ref>[http://laststatues.classics.ox.ac.uk/database/detail.php?record=LSA-896 http://laststatues.classics.ox.ac.uk, LSA-896 (J. Lenaghan)]</ref>
| succession   = [[Roman emperor]]
| moretext     = (in [[Roman Italy|Italy]])
| reign        = 28 October 306 – {{nowrap|28 October 312}}
| predecessor  = [[Severus II]]
| successor    = [[Constantine I]]
| regent       = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|''See list''}}
|Severus II (306–307)
|[[Galerius]] ([[Eastern Roman Empire|East]], 306–311)
|[[Maximian]] (306–308)
|[[Constantine I]] (306–312)
|[[Licinius]] (308–312)
|[[Maximinus II]] (East, 310–12)}}
| reg-type     = {{nowrap|Co-rulers}}
| birth_date   = {{circa}} 283<ref>Barnes, ''New Empire'', p. 34</ref>
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 28 October 312 (aged c. 29)
| death_place  = [[Battle of the Milvian Bridge|Rome]]
| burial_place = 
| spouse       = [[Valeria Maximilla]]
| issue        = [[Valerius Romulus]] and 1 other son
| full name    = {{bulleted list|Marcus Aurelius Maxentius|Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius}}
| regnal name  = Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius Augustus
| father       = [[Maximian]]
| mother       = [[Eutropia]]
}}

'''Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius''' ({{Circa}} 283 – 28 October 312) was a [[Roman emperor]] from 306 until his death in 312. Despite ruling in [[Roman Italy|Italy]] and [[Africa (Roman province)|North Africa]], and having the recognition of the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] in [[Rome]], he was not recognized as a legitimate emperor by his fellow emperors.

He was the son of former Emperor [[Maximian]] and the son-in-law of Emperor [[Galerius]]. The latter part of his reign was preoccupied with [[Civil wars of the Tetrarchy|civil war]], allying with [[Maximinus Daza|Maximinus]] against [[Licinius]] and [[Constantine I|Constantine]]. The latter defeated him at the [[Battle of the Milvian Bridge]] in 312, where Maxentius, with his army in flight, purportedly perished by drowning in the [[Tiber]] river.

Maxentius was the last emperor permanently to reside in [[Rome]]. He attempted to embellish, restore and improve the ancient capital, carrying out important building works, including the [[Temple of Romulus|Temple of the Divine Romulus]] (dedicated to his deceased son), the [[Basilica of Maxentius]], which was completed by [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]], the [[Villa of Maxentius|villa]] and the [[Circus of Maxentius|circus]] of Maxentius.