Claudius Maximus - Characterization in Works

Characterization in Works

In the Meditations

In the first book of his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius remembers all of the people who have had a strong and benevolent influence upon him. A "Maximus" is listed last among Marcus Aurelius' teachers and to him is given one of the longer descriptions in the first book. It is likely that Maximus' education of the future emperor took place during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Marcus claims to have learned from Maximus among other virtue self-control, honesty, gravity of character, and kindness. He describes Maximus as the perfect sage.

Later in the Meditations, Marcus Aurelius, when reflecting on suffering and death remembers how Maximus endured sickness and the death of his wife without complaint. He takes this as a model of good behavior.

In the Apologia

In the Apologia, Apuleius, author of The Golden Ass, the only surviving Roman novel, attempts to defend himself against a charge of magic, largely by appealing to his judge whom he identifies as Claudius Maximus. According to Apuleius, Maximus was a pious man who shunned ostentatious displays of wealth and was intimately familiar with the works of Plato and Aristotle. Apuleius also makes reference to the sternness of his judge's philosophy which is understood to be a reference to Stoicism. Though Apuleius is clearly trying to flatter his judge, at least some of his attributions were likely true since he was acquitted.

In the Historia Augusta

The Historia Augusta is a collection of historical accounts covering the lives of prominent persons in the Roman Empire between 117 and 284. It is the collective work of six authors, characterized by numerous inaccuracies and blatant fabrications, but as it is one of the few continuous sources covering this period, attempts are constantly being made at identifying accurate portions.

This text only mentions Claudius Maximus in a single sentence in the section on Marcus Aurelius. It mentions that his name was Claudius Maximus, he was one of the emperor's instructors, and that he was a Stoic philosopher. It is from this entry that association was originally made between the Claudius Maximus of the Apologia and the Maximus mentioned in the Meditations. It is also from this that we gain confirmation of his status as a Stoic.

Though the Historia Augusta is known for chronic inaccuracies, Pierre Hadot feels that there is no reason to doubt this portion of the text because it accurately characterizes other philosophers mentioned in the same paragraph.