Maxentius was killed at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE.
Maxentius ruled Italy and parts of North Africa after proclaiming himself emperor in 306 CE. Constantine invaded Italy to challenge him, and the armies met outside Rome near the Milvian Bridge over the Tiber. Maxentius’s forces were defeated, and he drowned in the river during the retreat.
Constantine then entered Rome and became the dominant ruler in the western provinces. Christian tradition later connected his victory with a vision or sign associated with Christ, although accounts differ in their details and date.
The battle is often remembered because it marked a decisive stage in Constantine’s rise. Maxentius should not be confused with Maximinus Daia, another tetrarch who fought Licinius in the eastern part of the empire.