Maximinus' Siege of Aquiliea (1 marzo 238 anni – 15 giug 238 anni)

Descrizione:

On hearing the news of the approach of Maximinus Thrax and his army, many people flock to Aquileia from the surrounding countryside, trusting they would find safe refuge there. The refugees join their forces with those of the residents and the military garrison. Thus a spontaneous defense was formed, which, refusing to welcome the “barbarian” Maximinus and to negotiate with him, now try to save the city. The defenders are coordinated by Tullius Menophilus and Rutilius Prudens Crispinus on behalf of the local Senate, of which they are part. They prepare to withstand a long siege. Among other things, they restore and/or raise the surviving sections of the Republican walls, already heavily compromised, and rebuild the demolished sections, then reinforce everything with the construction of towers and other fortification works (Herodian. 8.2.5). All this happens in great haste and with the reuse of architectural elements taken from buildings intended for civil or religious use, even prestigious ones, such as splendid marble entablature.

Maximinus intimates the Aquileians to surrender, on pain of the destruction of the city and horrible reprisals. For this purpose, he uses a local military tribune whose wife, children, and relatives are in the city. However, the defenders refused to surrender after senator Crispinus urged them not to trust the promises of a liar and hypocritical tyrant and revealed to them that he has learned from the haruspices that Maximinus will be defeated. That prediction is based on the divine signs that emerged from the ritual sacrifices to Apollo Belenus, the tutelary deity of the city, around the cult of which the population has tightened.

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