Born of the most prominent family in Hispania, the father of Magnus Maximus squandered his part of the family fortune before his sons came of age. While his cousins lived a life of privilege, Maximus rose through the ranks of the western armies the hard way, becoming known as the “Crusher of Rebellions” for his ability to quell uprisings of the most violent order. It was this reputation which saw Maximus sent into the hard north to tame yet another heathen rebellion. Had he been of moderate ambition, his career might have ended in Britannia, but there was nothing moderate about Magnus Maximus. Tired of being overlooked for promotion while his cousins achieved glory beyond measure, he was determined to make the world pay for taking his contributions for granted.