Res Gestae

Besides these also Tarracius Bassus, afterwards prefect of the city,[*](In 390.) his brother Camenius, a certain Marcianus, and Eusaphius, all men of senatorial rank, were brought to trial on the ground that they were said to be making much of the charioteer[*](For the bad repute of charioteers cf. 4, 25, below; xxvi. 3, 3.) Auchenius, and were his accomplices in the use of poisons; but because the evidence was even then doubtful, they were acquitted, as widespread rumour declared, through the influence of Victorinus, who was the closest friend of Maximinus.

Not even women were more immune from similar calamities. For many of high birth belonging to this sex too were charged with the disgrace of adultery or of fornication, and put to death. Conspicuous among these were Charitas and Flaviana, of whom the latter, when she was led to death, was stripped of the clothing which she wore, being allowed not even to keep sufficient covering for the secret parts of her body. But for that reason the executioner was convicted of having committed a monstrous crime, and was burned alive.

Nay more, two senators, Paphius and Cornelius, both of whom confessed to having disgraced themselves by the wicked practices of poisons, by the sentence of the same Maximinus were put to death. Even the head of the mint[*](Called monetae praepositus, xxii. 11, 9.) perished by a like fate. But Sericus and Asbolius, mentioned above,[*](See 1, 8.) because when he urged them to name indiscriminately such accomplices as they wished, he had declared on oath that he would order no

It is, I think, fitting now to set forth the cause which drove Aginatius headlong to death, a man of noble descent from his early ancestors, as persistent report declared; for as to this there is no trustworthy documentary evidence.

Maximinus, breathing blasts of arrogance, while he was still prefect of the grain supply, and finding no slight incentives to his audacity, went so far as to insult Probus,[*](Cf. xxxvii. 11, 1.) the most distinguished man among all the highest officials, and governing several provinces with the rank of praetorian prefect.

Aginatius, filled with indignation at this, and resentful because Maximinus, in conducting examinations, was preferred to him by Olybrius, although he himself was vice-prefect of Rome, secretly informed Probus in a confidential communication[*](I.e., by letter, see § 33.) that the worthless man, one who quarrelled with high merits, could easily be brought low, if Probus decided that it should be done.