Maximian (c. 250 – c. 310) was Roman Emperor from 285 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent most of his time on campaign. From 285 to 288, he fought against Germanic tribes along the Rhine frontier. After Carausius's rebellion in Northern Gaul was put down in 296, Maximian moved south to combat piracy near Hispania and Berber incursions in Mauretania. When these campaigns concluded, he returned to Rome in 299 to receive a triumph. After several years of leisure, he retired as Augustus at Diocletian's request in 305. However, he took up the title once again the following year, joining his son Maxentius in rebellion. After a failed leadership challenge in 307, Maximian fled to the court of Constantine in Trier. At the Council of Carnuntum in November 308, Diocletian forced Maximian to once again renounce his imperial claim. In early 310, Maximian attempted to seize Constantine's title while the emperor was on campaign on the Rhine. Few supported him, and he was captured by Constantine. He committed suicide later that year on Constantine's orders.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1261:

Alexios Strategopoulos led the Nicaean forces of Michael VIII Palaiologos to recapture Constantinople, re-establish the Byzantine Empire, and end the Latin Empire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexios_Strategopoulos

1722:

Samuel Shute, Governor of Massachusetts, declared war on the Abenaki people to begin Dummer's War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dummer%27s_War

1893:

The Corinth Canal , connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth in the Aegean Sea, opened to sea traffic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinth_Canal

1978:

Two Puerto Rican pro-independence activists were killed by police at Cerro Maravilla in Villalba. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Maravilla_incident

2000:

Air France Concorde Flight 4590, en route from Paris to New York City, crashed in Gonesse, France, killing all 100 passengers and nine crew members, as well as four people on the ground. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_4590

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

passing (adv): To a surpassing degree; extremely http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/passing

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The central task of education is to implant a will and a facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together.

In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. --Eric Hoffer http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eric_Hoffer