With the help of army, Maximinus rose to the power and where he served being a legion commander in battles against the Germanic tribes. 

Under his command, the soldiers got displeased with their current emperor (Severus Alexander). Hence, they voted using their swords, and proclaimed Maximinus as the emperor.

He although tasted several successes against the barbarians, however, his dealings with civilian matters were an entirely different story. 

The senate was terrorized by him, and ultimately taxes were drastically raised. This also included a seething disregard for religion, arts, and aristocracy, which soon got spread throughout the empire.

The senate than in desperation bought the Balbinus-Pupienus duo for a joint emperorship. During the time, when Maximinus was approaching Rome and was just in the way. 

In front of Maximinus, Pupienus had a small army. However, Pupienus followed a scorched-earth policy that bought guerilla strikes alongside calculated retreats.

Thus, Maximinus’s soldiers got so wore down that they just got tired and fed up. Ultimately, ended up killing him while he was into just three years of reign.

Maximinus’s reign also clicks about the initial time of the imperial period, when a man with barbarian birth ascended the throne. This happened due to Caracalla’s verdict for extending Roman citizenship to all the provinces made by him, making them all technically a Roman.

It was said about him that his height was more than eight feet, and therefore he was able to eat meals of about thirty to forty pounds, while also drinking about eight gallons of wine on a daily basis. This exagge ration is not withstanded, and therefore a pause should be given to his physical features.