Valerius Maximus, a member of the third century
gens Valeria, was possibly the son of
Lucius Valerius Messalla by his wife Claudia Acilia Priscilliana, as his
nomina and
cognomina combined suggest. He began his career serving as the
sevir equitum Romanorum at the annual review of the
equites. His first political appointment was as the
triumvir monetalis, followed by a posting as
quaestor in some unknown province. This was followed by his being appointed
quaestor urbanus, after which he filled the office of
praetor tutelaris (the official responsible for matters of guardianship). Then in 233, Valerius Maximus was made
consul prior alongside
Gnaeus Cornelius Paternus. For his
proconsular command, Valerius Maximus was appointed
curator alvi Tiberis riparum cloacarumque sacrae urbis (responsible for maintaining the sewers and the banks of the
Tiber river within the city of
Rome). This was followed by his appointment as
curator Laurentium Lavinatium. Apparently falling out of imperial favour during the reign of
Philip the Arab, Valerius Maximus regained high political office during the reign of the emperor
Valerian with his appointment as
praefectus urbi of Rome in 255. This was followed in the following year with his second consulship, this time serving with
Marcus Acilius Glabrio. Valerius Maximus probably had a son,
Lucius Valerius Poplicola Balbinus Maximus, who was
consul in 253. ==Ancestry==