Gallienus Valerian I son Ancient Roman Coin Mars peace-bringing i39922

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Authentic Ancient

Coin of:


Gallienus

Roman Emperor
: 253-268 A.D. –  Joint Rule with
Valerian I  253-260 A.D. –

  Bronze Antoninianus 21mm (3.66 grams) Rome mint circa 265-267 A.D.
Reference: RIC 236k, C 617a
GALLIENVSAVG – Radiate head right.
MARTIPACIFERO –

Mars
standing left, holding branch and spear with shield.
H in left field.

*Numismatic note; Mars with branch is peace-bringing

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of

Authenticity.

Mars (Latin:
Martis) was the 
Roman
god of war
and also an
agricultural
guardian, a combination
characteristic of early
Rome
. He was second in importance only to
Jupiter
, and he was the most prominent of the
military gods in the
religion of the Roman army
. Most of his
festivals
were held in March, the month named
for him (MartiusLatin
), and in October, which
began and ended the season for military campaigning and farming.

File:Mars Pyrrhus cropped.jpg

Mars was
identified with
the
Greek god


Ares
, whose
myths
were reinterpreted in
Roman literature
and
art
under the name of Mars. But the character
and dignity of Mars differed in fundamental ways from that of his Greek
counterpart, who is often treated with contempt and revulsion in
Greek literature
.Mars was a part of the
Archaic Triad
along with Jupiter and
Quirinus
, the latter of whom as a guardian of
the Roman people had no Greek equivalent. Mars’ altar in the
Campus Martius
, the area of Rome that took its
name from him, was supposed to have been dedicated by
Numa
, the peace-loving semi-legendary second
king of Rome
. Although the center of Mars’
worship was originally located outside the sacred boundary of Rome (pomerium),
Augustus
made the god a renewed focus of
Roman religion
by establishing the Temple of
Mars Ultor in
his new forum
.

Although Ares was viewed primarily as a destructive and destabilizing force,
Mars represented military power as a way
to secure peace
, and was a father (pater)
of the Roman people. In the mythic
genealogy
and
founding myths of Rome
, Mars was the father of
Romulus and Remus
with
Rhea Silvia
. His love affair with
Venus
symbolically reconciled the two different
traditions of Rome’s founding; Venus was the divine mother of the hero
Aeneas
, celebrated as the
Trojan refugee
who “founded” Rome several
generations before Romulus laid out the city walls.

The importance of Mars in establishing religious and cultural identity within
the Roman Empire
is indicated by the vast number of
inscriptions
identifying him with a local
deity, particularly in the
Western provinces
.

Venus and Mars

The union of Venus and Mars held greater appeal for poets and philosophers,
and the couple were a frequent subject of art. In Greek myth, the adultery of
Ares and Aphrodite
had been exposed to ridicule when her
husband Hephaestus
(whose Roman equivalent was
Vulcan
) caught them in the act by means of a
magical snare. Although not originally part of the Roman tradition, in 217 BC
Venus and Mars were presented as a complementary pair in the
lectisternium
, a public banquet at which
images of  twelve major gods of the Roman state
were presented on couches as if present and participating.


Wall painting (mid-1st century AD) from which the House of Venus and
Mars at
Pompeii
takes its name

Scenes of Venus and Mars in
Roman art
often ignore the adulterous
implications of their union, and take pleasure in the good-looking couple
attended by Cupid
or multiple Loves (amores). Some
scenes may imply marriage, and the relationship was romanticized in funerary or
domestic art in which husbands and wives had themselves portrayed as the
passionate divine couple.

The uniting of deities representing Love and War lent itself to
allegory
, especially since the lovers were the
parents of
Harmonia
. The Renaissance philosopher
Marsilio Ficino
notes that “only Venus
dominates Mars, and he never dominates her”.In ancient Roman and Renaissance
art, Mars is often shown disarmed and relaxed, or even sleeping, but the
extramarital nature of their affair can also suggest that this peace is
impermanent.

Sacred animals


She-wolf and twins from an altar to Venus and Mars

Temples and topography

The earliest center in Rome for cultivating Mars as a deity was the Altar of
Mars (Ara
Martis)
in the
Campus Martius
(“Field of Mars”) outside the
sacred boundary of Rome (pomerium).
The Romans thought that this altar had been established by the semi-legendary
Numa Pompilius
, the peace-loving successor of
Romulus. According to Roman tradition, the Campus Martius had been consecrated
to Mars by their ancestors to serve as horse pasturage and an equestrian
training ground for youths.[49]
During the
Roman Republic
(509–27 BC), the Campus was a
largely open expanse. No temple was built at the altar, but from 193 BC a
covered walkway connected it to the
Porta Fontinalis
, near the office and archives
of the Roman censors
. Newly elected censors placed
their
curule chairs
by the altar, and when they had
finished conducting the census, the citizens were collectively
purified
with a suovetaurilia there. A
frieze
from the so-called
“Altar” of Domitius Ahenobarbus
is thought to
depict the census, and may show Mars himself standing by the altar as the
procession of victims advances.

The main Temple of Mars (Aedes
Martis)
in the Republican period also lay outside the sacred boundary and
was devoted to the god’s warrior aspect. It was built to fulfill a vow (votum)
made by a
Titus Quinctius
in 388 BC during the
Gallic siege of Rome
.[53]
The founding day (dies
natalis
)
was commemorated on June 1, and the temple is attested
by several inscriptions and literary sources. The sculpture group of Mars and
the wolves was displayed there.Soldiers sometimes assembled at the temple before
heading off to war, and it was the point of departure for a major parade of
Roman cavalry
held annually on July 15.

A temple to Mars in the
Circus Flaminius
was built around 133 BC,
funded by
Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus
from war booty.
It housed a colossal statue of Mars and a nude Venus.

The Campus Martius continued to provide venues for equestrian events such as
chariot racing
during the
Imperial period
, but under the first emperor
Augustus
it underwent a major program of urban
renewal, marked by monumental architecture. The Altar of Augustan Peace (Ara
Pacis Augustae
)
was located there, as was the
Obelisk of Montecitorio
, imported from
Egypt
to form the pointer (gnomon)
of the
Solarium Augusti
, a giant
sundial
. With its public gardens, the Campus
became one of the most attractive places in the city to visit.

Augustus chose the Campus Martius as the site of his new Temple to Mars Ultor,
a manifestation of Mars he cultivated as the avenger (ultor) of the
murder of Julius Caesar
and of the military
disaster suffered at the
Battle of Carrhae
. When the legionary standards
lost to the Parthians were recovered, they were housed in the new temple. The
date of the temple’s dedication on May 12 was aligned with the
heliacal setting
of the constellation
Scorpio
, the
house
of war. The date continued to be marked
with
circus games
as late as the mid-4th century AD.

A large statue of Mars was part of the short-lived
Arch of Nero
, which was built in 62 AD but
dismantled after Nero
‘s suicide and disgrace (damnatio
memoriae
)
.

Mars Quirinus


Mars celebrated as peace-bringer on a Roman coin issued by
Aemilianus

 


(GallienusLatin:
Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus Augustus;
c. 218 – 268) was
Roman Emperor
with his father
Valerian
from 253 to 260 and alone from 260 to
268. He ruled during the
Crisis of the Third Century
that nearly caused
the collapse of the empire. While he won a number of military victories, he was
unable to prevent the secession of important provinces.Gallienus bust.jpg
Life

Rise to power

The exact birth date of Gallienus is unknown. The Greek chronicler
John Malalas
and the Epitome de Caesaribus
report that he was about 50 years old at the time of his death, meaning he was
born around 218. He was the son of emperor
Valerian
and
Mariniana
, who may have been of senatorial
rank, possibly the daughter of
Egnatius Victor Marinianus
, and his brother was
Valerianus Minor
. Inscriptions on coins connect
him with Falerii
in
Etruria
, which may have been his birthplace; it
has yielded many inscriptions relating to his mother’s family, the Egnatii.[3]
Gallienus married
Cornelia Salonina
about ten years before his
accession to the throne. She was the mother of three princes:
Valerian II
, who died in 258;
Saloninus
, who was named co-emperor but was
murdered in 260 by the army of general Postumus; and
Marinianus
, who was killed in 268, shortly
after his father was assassinated.

When
Valerian
was proclaimed Emperor on 22 October
253, he asked the
Senate
to ratify the elevation of Gallienus to
Caesar and
Augustus
. He was also designated
Consul Ordinarius
for 254. As
Marcus Aurelius
and his adopted brother
Lucius Verus
had done a century earlier,
Gallienus and his father divided the Empire. Valerian left for the East to stem
the Persian threat, and Gallienus remained in Italy to repel the Germanic tribes
on the Rhine
and
Danube
.
Division of the empire
had become necessary due
to its sheer size and the numerous threats it faced, and it facilitated
negotiations with enemies who demanded to communicate directly with the emperor.

Early
reign and the revolt of Ingenuus

Gallienus spent most of his time in the provinces of the Rhine area (Germania
Inferior
,
Germania Superior
,
Raetia
, and
Noricum
), though he almost certainly visited
the Danube
area and
Illyricum
during 253 to 258. According to
Eutropius and Aurelius Victor, he was particularly energetic and successful in
preventing invaders from attacking the German provinces and Gaul, despite the
weakness caused by Valerian’s march on Italy against
Aemilianus
in 253. According to numismatic
evidence, he seems to have won many victories there, and a victory in
Roman Dacia
might also be dated to that period.
Even the hostile Latin tradition attributes success to him at this time.

In 255 or 257, Gallienus was made Consul again, suggesting that he briefly
visited Rome on those occasions, although no record survives. During his Danube
sojourn (Drinkwater suggests in 255 or 256), he proclaimed his elder son
Valerian II
Caesar and thus official heir to
himself and Valerian I; the boy probably joined Gallienus on campaign at that
time, and when Gallienus moved west to the Rhine provinces in 257, he remained
behind on the Danube as the personification of Imperial authority.

Sometime between 258 and 260 (the exact date is unclear), while Valerian was
distracted with the ongoing invasion of Shapur in the East, and Gallienus was
preoccupied with his problems in the West,
Ingenuus
, governor of at least one of the
Pannonian provinces, took advantage and declared himself emperor. Valerian II
had apparently died on the Danube, most likely in 258. Ingenuus may have been
responsible for that calamity. Alternatively, the defeat and capture of Valerian
at the
battle of Edessa
may have been the trigger for
the subsequent revolts of Ingenuus,
Regalianus
, and
Postumus
. In any case, Gallienus reacted with
great speed. He left his son
Saloninus
as Caesar at
Cologne
, under the supervision of Albanus (or
Silvanus) and the military leadership of Postumus. He then hastily crossed the
Balkans
, taking with him the new cavalry corps
(comitatus) under the command of
Aureolus
and defeated Ingenuus at
Mursa
or
Sirmium
.The victory must be attributed mainly
to the cavalry and its brilliant commander. Ingenuus was killed by his own
guards or committed suicide by drowning himself after the fall of his capital,
Sirmium.

Invasion of the
Alamanni

A major invasion by the
Alemanni
and other Germanic tribes occurred
between 258 and 260 (it is hard to fix the precise date of these
events),probably due to the vacuum left by the withdrawal of troops supporting
Gallienus in the campaign against Ingenuus.
Franks
broke through the lower Rhine, invading

Gaul
, some reaching as far as southern Spain, sacking Tarraco (modern
Tarragona
).The Alamanni invaded, probably
through
Agri Decumates
(an area between the upper Rhine
and the upper Danube), likely followed by the
Juthungi
. After devastating Germania Superior
and Raetia (parts of southern
France
and
Switzerland
), they entered Italy, the first
invasion of the Italian peninsula, aside from its most remote northern regions,
since Hannibal
500 years before. When invaders
reached the outskirts of Rome, they were repelled by an improvised army
assembled by the Senate, consisting of local troops (probably prǣtorian guards)
and the strongest of the civilian population.On their retreat through northern
Italy, they were intercepted and defeated in the
battle of Mediolanum
(near present day
Milan
) by Gallienus’ army, which had advanced
from Gaul, or from the Balkans after dealing with the Franks.The battle of
Mediolanum was decisive, and the Alamanni didn’t bother the empire for the next
ten years. The Juthungi managed to cross the Alps with their valuables and
captives from Italy. An historian in the 19th century suggested that the
initiative of the Senate gave rise to jealousy and suspicion by Gallienus, thus
contributing to his exclusion of senators from military commands.

The revolt of
Regalianus

Around the same time,
Regalianus
, a military commander of
Illyricum
, was proclaimed Emperor. The reasons
for this are unclear, and the Historia Augusta (almost the sole resource
for these events) does not provide a credible story. It is possible the seizure
can be attributed to the discontent of the civilian and military provincials,
who felt the defense of the province was being neglected.

Regalianus held power for some six months and issued coins bearing his image.
After some success against the
Sarmatians
, his revolt was put down by the
invasion of Roxolani
into
Pannonia
, and Regalianus himself was killed
when the invaders took the city of
Sirmium
. There is a suggestion that Gallienus
invited Roxolani to attack Regalianus, but other historians dismiss the
accusation.It is also suggested that the invasion was finally checked by
Gallienus near Verona
and that he directed the restoration of
the province, probably in person.


Capture of Valerian, revolt of Macrianus

In the East, Valerian was confronted with serious troubles. A band of
Scythians
set a naval raid against
Pontus
, in the northern part of modern Turkey.
After ravaging the province, they moved south into
Cappadocia
. Valerian led troops to intercept
them but failed, perhaps because of a plague that gravely weakened his army, as
well as the contemporary invasion of northern
Mesopotamia
by
Shapur I
, ruler of the
Sassanid Empire
.

In 259 or 260, the Roman army was defeated in the
Battle of Edessa
, and Valerian was taken
prisoner. Shapur’s army raided
Cilicia
and
Cappadocia
(in present day
Turkey
), sacking, as Shapur’s inscriptions
claim, 36 cities. It took a rally by an officer
Callistus
(Balista), a fiscal official named
Fulvius Macrianus
, the remains of the Eastern
Roman legions, and
Odenathus
and his
Palmyrene
horsemen to turn the tide against
Shapur. The Persians were driven back, but Macrianus proclaimed his two sons
Quietus
and
Macrianus
(sometimes misspelled Macrinus) as
emperors. Coins struck for them in major cities of the East indicate
acknowledgement of the usurpation. The two Macriani left Quietus, Ballista, and,
presumably, Odenathus to deal with the Persians while they invaded Europe with
an army of 30,000 men, according to the Historia Augusta. At first they
met no opposition. The Pannonian legions joined the invaders, being resentful of
the absence of Gallienus. He sent his successful commander Aureolus against the
rebels, however, and the decisive battle was fought in the spring or early
summer of 261, most likely in Illyricum, although
Zonaras
locates it in Pannonia. In any case,
the army of the usurpers surrendered, and their two leaders were killed.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rebellion of Postumus had already
started, so Gallienus had no time to deal with the rest of the usurpers, namely
Balista and Quietus. He came to an agreement with Odenathus, who had just
returned from his victorious Persian expedition. Odenathus received the title of
dux Romanorum and besieged the usurpers, who were based at
Emesa
. Eventually, the people of Emesa killed
Quietus, and Odenathus arrested and executed Balista about November 261.

The revolt of Postumus

After the defeat at Edessa, Gallienus lost control over the provinces of
Britain, Spain, parts of Germania, and a large part of Gaul when another
general, Postumus
, declared his own realm (usually known
today as the
Gallic Empire
). The revolt partially coincided
with that of
Macrianus
in the East. Gallienus had installed
his son Saloninus and his guardian,
Silvanus
, in Cologne in 258. Postumus, a
general in command of troops on the banks of the Rhine, defeated some raiders
and took possession of their spoils. Instead of returning it to the original
owners, he preferred to distribute it amongst his soldiers. When news of this
reached Silvanus, he demanded the spoils be sent to him. Postumus made a show of
submission, but his soldiers mutinied and proclaimed him Emperor. Under his
command, they besieged Cologne, and after some weeks the defenders of the city
opened the gates and handed Saloninus and Silvanus to Postumus, who had them
killed. The dating of these events is not accurate, but they apparently occurred
just before the end of 260. Postumus claimed the consulship for himself and one
of his associates, Honoratianus, but according to D.S. Potter, he never tried to
unseat Gallienus or invade Italy.

Upon receiving news of the murder of his son, Gallienus began gathering
forces to face Postumus. The invasion of the Macriani forced him to dispatch
Aureolus with a large force to oppose them, however, leaving him with
insufficient troops to battle Postumus. After some initial defeats, the army of
Aureolus, having defeated the Macriani, rejoined him, and Postumus was expelled.
Aureolus was entrusted with the pursuit and deliberately allowed Postumus to
escape and gather new forces. Gallienus returned in 263 or 265 and surrounded
Postumus in an unnamed Gallic city. During the siege, Gallenus was severely
wounded by an arrow and had to leave the field. The standstill persisted until
the death of Gallienus, and the
Gallic Empire
remained independent until 274.

The revolt of
Aemilianus

In 262, the mint in
Alexandria
started to again issue coins for
Gallienus, demonstrating that Egypt had returned to his control after
suppressing the revolt of the Macriani. In spring of 262, the city was wrenched
by civil unrest as a result of a new revolt. The rebel this time was the prefect
of Egypt,
Lucius Mussius Aemilianus
, who had already
given support to the revolt of the Macriani. The correspondence of bishop
Dionysius of Alexandria
provides a colourful
commentary on the sombre background of invasion, civil war, plague, and famine
that characterized this age.

Knowing he could not afford to lose control of the vital Egyptian granaries,
Gallienus sent his general Theodotus against Aemilianus, probably by a naval
expedition. The decisive battle probably took place near Thebes, and the result
was a clear defeat of Aemilianus. In the aftermath, Gallienus became Consul
three more times in 262, 264, and 266.


Herulian invasions, revolt of Aureolus, conspiracy and death

In the years 267–269, Goths and other barbarians invaded the empire in great
numbers. Sources are extremely confused on the dating of these invasions, the
participants, and their targets. Modern historians are not even able to discern
with certainty whether there were two or more of these invasions or a single
prolonged one. It seems that, at first, a major naval expedition was led by the
Heruli
starting from north of the
Black Sea
and leading in the ravaging of many
cities of Greece (among them,
Athens
and
Sparta
). Then another, even more numerous army
of invaders started a second naval invasion of the empire. The Romans defeated
the barbarians on sea first. Gallienus’ army then won a battle in
Thrace
, and the Emperor pursued the invaders.
According to some historians, he was the leader of the army who won the great
Battle of Naissus
, while the majority believes
that the victory must be attributed to his successor,
Claudius II
.

In 268, at some time before or soon after the battle of Naissus, the
authority of Gallienus was challenged by
Aureolus
, commander of the cavalry stationed in
Mediolanum
(Milan),
who was supposed to keep an eye on
Postumus
. Instead, he acted as deputy to
Postumus until the very last days of his revolt, when he seems to have claimed
the throne for himself. The decisive battle took place at what is now
Pontirolo Nuovo
near Milan; Aureolus was
clearly defeated and driven back to Milan. Gallienus laid siege to the city but
was murdered during the siege. There are differing accounts of the murder, but
the sources agree that most of Gallienus’ officials wanted him dead. According
to the
Historia Augusta
, an unreliable source compiled
long after the events it describes, a conspiracy was led by the commander of the
guard
Aurelius Heraclianus
and Marcianus.

Cecropius, commander of the Dalmatians, spread the word that the forces of
Aureolus were leaving the city, and Gallienus left his tent without his
bodyguard, only to be struck down by Cecropius.One version has Claudius selected
as Emperor by the conspirators, another chosen by Gallienus on his death bed;
the Historia Augusta was concerned to substantiate the descent of the
Constantinian dynasty
from Claudius, and this
may explain its accounts, which do not involve Claudius in the murder. The other
sources (Zosimus
i.40 and
Zonaras
xii.25) report that the conspiracy was
organized by Heraclianus, Claudius, and
Aurelian
.

According to Aurelius Victor and Zonaras, on hearing the news that Gallienus
was dead, the Senate in Rome ordered the execution of his family (including his
brother Valerianus and son Marinianus) and their supporters, just before
receiving a message from Claudius to spare their lives and deify his
predecessor.


 

Arch of Gallienus
in Rome, 262 –
dedicated to, rather than built by, Gallienus.

Legacy

Gallienus was not treated favorably by ancient historians, partly due to the
secession of Gaul and
Palmyra
and his inability to win them back.
According to modern scholar Pat Southern, some historians now see him in a more
positive light.Gallienus produced some useful reforms. He contributed to
military history as the first to commission primarily
cavalry
units, the
Comitatenses
, that could be dispatched anywhere
in the Empire in short order. This reform arguably created a precedent for the
future emperors
Diocletian
and
Constantine I
.

The biographer
Aurelius Victor
reports that Gallienus forbade
senators
from becoming military commanders.
This policy undermined senatorial power, as more reliable
equestrian
commanders rose to prominence. In
Southern’s view, these reforms and the decline in senatorial influence not only
helped Aurelian to salvage the Empire, but they also make Gallienus one of the
emperors most responsible for the creation of the
Dominate
, along with
Septimius Severus
, Diocletian, and Constantine
I.

By portraying himself with the attributes of the gods on his coinage,
Gallienus began the final separation of the Emperor from his subjects.A late
bust of Gallienus (see above) depicts him with a largely blank face, gazing
heavenward, as seen on the famous stone head of
Constantine I
. One of the last rulers of Rome
to be theoretically called “Princeps”, or First Citizen, Gallienus’ shrewd
self-promotion assisted in paving the way for those who would be addressed with
the words “Dominus et Deus” (Lord and God).



The Principate



 Julio-Claudian
dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


16 January 27 BC to 19 August AD 14



Augustus

 


19 August 14 to 16 March 37



Tiberius

 


18 March 37 to 24 January 41



Caligula


Murdered by Praetorian Guard


24 January 41 to 13 October 54



Claudius


Poisoned by his wife Agrippina, mother of Nero


13 October 54 to 11 June 68



Nero


Made a slave kill him



 Year
of the Four Emperors
(Civil War)



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


8 June 68 to 15 January 69



Galba


Murdered in favour of
Otho


15 January 69 to 16 April 69



Otho


Committed suicide


2 January 69 to 20 December 69



Vitellius


Murdered in favour of
Vespasian



 Flavian
dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


1 July 69 to 24 June 79



Vespasian

 


24 June 79 to 13 September 81



Titus


Possibly assassinated by Domitian


14 September 81 to 18 September 96



Domitian


Assassinated



 Nervan-Antonian
dynasty


Main article:
Five Good Emperors



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


18 September 96 to 27 January 98



Nerva


Proclaimed emperor by senate


28 January 98 to 7 August 117



Trajan

 


11 August 117 to 10 July 138



Hadrian

 


10 July 138 to 7 March 161



Antoninus Pius

 


7 March 161 to 17 March 180



Marcus Aurelius

 


7 March 161 to March 169



Lucius Verus


Co-emperor with
Marcus Aurelius


175



Avidius Cassius


Usurper; ruled in Egypt and Syria; murdered by his own army


177 to 31 December 192



Commodus


Assassinated



 Year
of the Five Emperors
&
Severan dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


1 January 193 to 28 March 193



Pertinax


Proclaimed emperor by senate; murdered by Praetorian Guard


28 March 193 to 1 June 193



Didius Julianus


Proclaimed emperor by Praetorian Guard; executed on orders of the Senate


9 April 193 to 4 February 211



Septimius Severus


Proclaimed emperor by
Pannonian
troops; accepted by
senate


193 to 194/195



Pescennius Niger


Proclaimed emperor by Syrian troops, defeated in battle by
Septimius Severus


193/195 to 197



Clodius Albinus


Proclaimed emperor by British troops, defeated in battle by
Septimius Severus


198 to 8 April 217



Caracalla


Assassinated at the behest of
Macrinus


209 to 4 February 211



Geta


Co-emperor with
Caracalla
; assassinated on orders
of
Caracalla


11 April 217 to June 218



Macrinus


Proclaimed himself emperor; executed on orders of
Elagabalus


May 217 to June 218



Diadumenian


Junior co-emperor under
Macrinus
; executed


June 218 to 222



Elagabalus


Proclaimed emperor by army; murdered by his own troops


13 March 222 to ?March 235



Alexander Severus


Murdered by his own troops



 Rulers during the
Crisis of the Third Century



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


February/March 235 to March/April 238



Maximinus Thrax


Proclaimed emperor by the army; murdered by
Praetorian Guard



early
January/March
238 to lateJanuary/April 238



Gordian I


Proclaimed emperor in Africa; committed suicide after
Gordian II
‘s death



early
January
March 238 to lateJanuary/April 238



Gordian II


Proclaimed emperor with
Gordian I
, killed in battle



early
February
238 to earlyMay 238



Pupienus


Proclaimed joint emperor by senate; murdered by
Praetorian Guard



early
February
238 to earlyMay 238



Balbinus


Proclaimed joint emperor by senate; murdered by
Praetorian Guard


May 238 to February 244



Gordian III


Nephew of
Gordian II
; death unclear,
probably murdered


240



Sabinianus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor; defeated in battle


February 244 to September/October 249



Philip the Arab


Proclaimed emperor after death of
Gordian III
; killed in battle by
Decius


248



Pacatianus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor; murdered by his own soldiers


248 to 249



Iotapianus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor in the east; murdered by his own
soldiers


248? or 253?



Silbannacus


Usurper; details essentially unknown


249 to June 251



Decius


Killed in battle


249 to 252



Priscus


Proclaimed himself emperor in the east in opposition to
Decius


250 to 250



Licinianus


Usurper; proclaimed emperor in Rome; rebellion suppressed



early
251
to June 251



Herennius Etruscus


Junior co-emperor under
Decius
; killed in battle


251



Hostilian


Son of
Decius
; died of plague


June 251 to August 253



Gallus


Proclaimed emperor by his troops after Decius’s death; murdered by them
in favour of Aemilianus


July 251 to August 253



Volusianus


Junior co-emperor under
Gallus
; murdered by army


August 253 to October 253



Aemilian


Proclaimed emperor by his troops; murdered by them in favour of
Valerian


253 to June 260



Valerian


Proclaimed emperor by his troops; captured in battle by the
Persians
; died in captivity


253 to September 268



Gallienus


Junior co-emperor under
Valerian
to 260; probably murdered
by his generals


260



Saloninus


Son of
Gallienus
; proclaimed emperor by
army; murdered shortly after by troops of
Postumus


June 260 (or 258)



Ingenuus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor after
Valerian
‘s capture; defeated in
battle


260



Regalianus


Usurper; proclaimed emperor after
Ingenuus
‘s defeat; fate unclear


260 to 261



Macrianus Major


Usurper; proclaimed emperor by eastern army; defeated and killed in
battle


260 to 261



Macrianus Minor


Usurper; son of
Macrianus Major
; defeated and
killed in battle


260 to 261



Quietus


Usurper; son of
Macrianus Major
; defeated and
killed in battle


261 to 261 or 262



Mussius Aemilianus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor after the defeat of the Macriani;
defeated and executed


268 to 268



Aureolus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor after
Gallienus
‘s death; surrendered to
Claudius II Gothicus
; murdered by
Praetorian Guard


268 to August 270



Claudius II Gothicus


Proclaimed emperor by the army


August 270 to September 270



Quintillus


Proclaimed himself emperor; cause of death unclear


August 270 to 275



Aurelian


Proclaimed emperor by army; murdered by the
Praetorian Guard


271 to 271



Septimius


Usurper; proclaimed emperor in
Dalmatia
; killed by his own
soldiers


November/December 275 to July 276



Tacitus


Appointed emperor by the Senate; possibly assassinated


July 276 to September 276



Florianus


Brother of
Tacitus
, proclaimed emperor by the
western army; murdered by his troops


July 276 to lateSeptember 282



Probus


Proclaimed emperor by the eastern army; murdered by his own soldiers in
favour of
Carus


280



Julius Saturninus


Usurper; proclaimed emperor by his troops; then killed by them


280



Proculus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor at the request of the people of
Lugdunum
; executed by
Probus


280



Bonosus


Usurper; proclaimed himself emperor; defeated by
Probus
and committed suicide


September 282 to July/August 283



Carus


Proclaimed emperor by Praetorian guard


spring 283 to summer 285



Carinus


Son of Carus; co-emperor with
Numerian
; fate unclear


July/August 283 to November 284



Numerian


Son of Carus; co-emperor with
Carinus
; probably murdered



 Gallic
Empire

260
to 274



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


260 to 268



Postumus


Declared himself emperor after
Valerian
‘s death; killed by his
own troops


268 to 268



Laelianus


Proclaimed himself emperor in opposition to Postumus; defeated and
killed by Postumus


269 to 269



Marius


Proclaimed himself emperor after Postumus’s death


269 to 271



Victorinus


Proclaimed emperor after Marius’s death


270 to 271



Domitianus


Proclaimed himself emperor of the
Gallic Empire


271 to 274



Tetricus I


Nominated heir to Victorinus



 Britannic
Empire

286
to 297



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


286 to 293



Carausius


Declared himself emperor; assassinated by
Allectus


293 to 297



Allectus


Declared himself emperor after
Carausius
‘s death; defeated by
Constantius Chlorus



 Dominate



 Tetrarchy
and
Constantinian dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


20 November 284 to 1 May 305



Diocletian


Declared emperor by the army after Numerian’s death; Abdicated


1 April 286 to 1 May 305



Maximian


Made co-emperor (‘Augustus’) with
Diocletian
; abdicated


1 May 305 to 25 July 306



Constantius I Chlorus


Made junior co-emperor (‘Caesar’) under
Maximian
; became Augustus after
his abdication


1 May 305 to May 311



Galerius


Made junior co-emperor (‘Caesar’) under
Diocletian
; became Augustus after
his abdication


August 306 to 16 September 307



Severus II


Made junior co-emperor (‘Caesar’) under
Constantius Chlorus
; became
Augustus after his death; executed by
Maxentius


28 October 306 to 28 October 312



Maxentius


Son of
Maximian
; proclaimed Augustus by
Praetorian Guard
; defeated in
battle by
Constantine I



de jure:

307, de facto 312 to 22 May 337



Constantine I


Son of
Constantius Chlorus
; proclaimed
Augustus by army


308
309?/311?



Domitius Alexander


Proclaimed emperor in Africa; defeated in battle by
Maxentius


11 November 308 to 18 September 324



Licinius


Appointed Augustus by
Galerius
; deposed by
Constantine I
and executed


1 May 311 to July/August 313



Maximinus Daia


Made junior co-emperor (‘Caesar’) under
Galerius
; became Augustus after
his death; defeated in battle by Licinius and committed suicide


December 316 to 1 March 317



Valerius Valens


Appointed co-Augustus by
Licinius
; executed by
Licinius


July to 18 September 324



Martinianus


Appointed co-Augustus by
Licinius
; deposed by
Constantine I
and executed


337 to 340



Constantine II


Son of
Constantine I
; co-emperor with his
brothers; killed in battle


337 to 361



Constantius II


Son of
Constantine I
; co-emperor with his
brothers


337 to 350



Constans I


Son of
Constantine I
; co-emperor with his
brothers, killed by
Magnentius


January 350 to 11 August 353



Magnentius


Usurper; proclaimed emperor by the army; defeated by
Constantius II
and committed
suicide



c.

350



Vetranio


Proclaimed himself emperor against
Magnentius
; recognized by
Constantius II
but then deposed



c.

350



Nepotianus


Proclaimed himself emperor against
Magnentius
, defeated and executed
by
Magnentius


November 361 to June 363



Julian


Cousin of
Constantius II
; made Caesar by
Constantius, then proclaimed Augustus by the army; killed in battle


363 to 17 February 364



Jovian


Proclaimed emperor by the army after
Julian
‘s death



 Valentinian
dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


26 February 364 to 17 November 375



Valentinian I

Valentinian I Coins.htm


Proclaimed emperor by the army after
Jovian
‘s death


28 March 365 to 9 August 378



Valens


Made co-emperor in the east by his brother
Valentinian I
; killed in battle


September 365 to 27 May 366



Procopius


Usurper; Proclaimed himself emperor; defeated and executed by
Valens


24 August 367 to 383



Gratian

Gratian Coins.htm


Son of
Valentinian I
; assassinated


375 to 392



Valentinian II

Valentinian II Coins.htm


Son of
Valentinian I
; deposed by
Arbogast
and died in suspicious
circumstances


383 to 388



Magnus Maximus

Magnus Maximus Coins.htm


Usurper; proclaimed emperor by troops; at one time recognized by
Theodosius I
, but then deposed and
executed



c.
386
to 388



Flavius Victor

Flavius Victor Coins.htm


Son of Magnus Maximus, executed on orders of
Theodosius I


392 to 394



Eugenius

Eugenius Coins.htm


Usurper; proclaimed emperor by army under
Arbogast
; defeated in battle by
Theodosius I



 Theodosian
dynasty



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


379 to 17 January 395



Theodosius I

Theodosius I Coins.htm


Made co-emperor for the east by
Gratian


383 to 408
EAST



Arcadius

Arcadius Coins.htm


Appointed co-emperor with his father
Theodosius I
; sole emperor for the
east from January 395


23 January 393 to 15 August 423
WEST



Honorius

Honorius Coins.htm


Appointed Augustus for the west by his father
Theodosius I


407 to 411
WEST



Constantine III

Constantine III Coins.htm


Usurper; proclaimed emperor in Britain; defeated by
Constantius III


409 to 411
WEST



Constans II

Constans II Coins.htm


Usurper; made emperor by his father
Constantine III
; killed in battle


409 and 414 to 415
WEST



Priscus Attalus

Priscus Attalus Coins.htm


Usurper; twice proclaimed emperor by
Visigoths
under
Alaric
and twice deposed by
Honorius


409 to 411
WEST



Maximus

Maximus Coins.htm


Usurper; proclaimed emperor in Spain; abdicated


411 to 413
WEST



Jovinus

Jovinus Coins.htm


Usurper; proclaimed emperor after
Constantine III
‘s death, executed
by
Honorius


412 to 413
WEST



Sebastianus

Sebastianus Coins.htm


Usurper; appointed co-emperor by
Jovinus
, executed by
Honorius


408 to 450
EAST



Theodosius II

Theodosius II Coins.htm


Son of
Arcadius


421 to 421
WEST



Constantius III

Constantius III Coins.htm


Son-in-law of
Theodosius I
; appointed co-emperor
by
Honorius


423 to 425
WEST



Joannes

Johannes Coins.htm


Proclaimed western emperor, initially undisputed; defeated and executed
by
Theodosius II
in favour of
Valentinian III


425 to 16 March 455
WEST



Valentinian III

Valentinian III Coins.htm


Son of
Constantius III
; appointed emperor
by
Theodosius II
; assassinated



 Western
Roman Empire



Reign



Incumbent



Notes


17 March 455 to 31 May 455



Petronius Maximus

Petronius Maximus Coins.htm


Proclaimed himself emperor after
Valentinian III
‘s death; murdered


June 455 to 17 October 456



Avitus

Avitus Coins.htm


Proclaimed emperor by the
Visigoth
king
Theoderic II
; deposed by
Ricimer


457 to 2 August 461



Majorian

Majorian Coins.htm


Appointed by
Ricimer
; deposed and executed by
Ricimer


461 to 465



Libius Severus

Libius Severus Coins.htm


Appointed by
Ricimer
; deposed and executed by
Ricimer


12 April 467 to 11 July 472



Anthemius

Anthemius Coins.htm


Appointed by
Ricimer
; deposed and executed by
Ricimer


July 472 to 2 November 472



Olybrius

Olybrius Coins.htm


Appointed by
Ricimer


5 March 473 to June 474



Glycerius

Glycerius Coins.htm


Appointed by
Gundobad
; deposed by
Julius Nepos


June 474 to 25 April 480



Julius Nepos

Julius Nepos Coins.htm


Appointed by eastern emperor
Leo I
; deposed in Italy by
Orestes
in 475; continued to be
recognised as lawful emperor in Gaul and Dalmatia until his murder in
480


31 October 475 to 4 September 476



Romulus Augustus

(Romulus
Augustulus
)

Romulus Augustus Coins.htm


Son of
Orestes
; deposed by
Odoacer
; fate unknown


Further information:
Barbarian kings of Italy



 Eastern
Roman Empire

  • For
    the rulers of the Eastern Roman Empire (also known as the
    Byzantine Empire
    ) after
    Theodosius II
    , see:
    List of Byzantine Emperors


Theodosian dynasty (395–457)

Name Reign Comments
  Theodosius I “the Great”

(Θεοδόσιος Α’ ο Μέγας, Flavius Theodosius)Theodosius
I Coins.htm
19 January 379 –
17 January 395
Born on 11 January 347. Aristocrat and military leader,
brother-in-law of Gratian, who appointed him as emperor of the East.
From 392 until his death sole Roman emperor
  Arcadius

(Αρκάδιος, Flavius Arcadius)Arcadius
Coins.htm
17 January 395 –
1 May 408
Born in 377/378, the eldest son of Theodosius I.
Succeeded upon the death of his father
  Theodosius II

(Θεοδόσιος Β’, Flavius Theodosius)
Theodosius II Coins.htm
1 May 408 –
28 July 450
Born on 10 April 401, the only son of Arcadius.
Succeeded upon the death of his father. As a minor, the praetorian
prefect
Anthemius
was regent in 408–414. He
died in a riding accident

Marcian.jpg
Marcian

(Μαρκιανός, Flavius Valerius Marcianus)

Marcian Coins.htm

450 – January 457 Born in 396. A soldier and
politician, he became emperor after being wed by the Augusta
Pulcheria
, Theodosius II’s sister,
following the latter’s death. Died of
gangrene

Leonid
dynasty (457–518)

Name Reign Comments
  Leo I “the Thracian”

(Λέων Α’ ο Θράξ, Flavius Valerius Leo)

Leo I Coins.htm

7 February 457 –
18 January 474
Born in
Dacia
in 401. A common soldier, he was
chosen by Aspar
, commander-in-chief of the army.
Died of dysentery

Leo (474)-coin.jpg
Leo II

(Λέων Β’, Flavius Leo)

Leo II
Coins.htm

18 January –
17 November 474
Born in 467, the grandson of Leo I. Succeeded upon the
death of Leo I. Died of an unknown disease, possibly poisoned

Zeno.png
Zeno

(Ζήνων, Flavius Zeno)

Zeno Coins.htm

17 November 474 –
9 April 491
Born c.425 at
Zenonopolis
,
Isauria
, originally named
Tarasicodissa. Son-in-law of Leo I, he was bypassed in the succession
because of his barbarian origin. Named co-emperor by his son on 9
February 474, he succeeded upon the death of Leo II. Deposed by
Basiliscus, brother-in-law of Leo, he fled to his native country and
regained the throne in August 476.

Basiliscus.jpg
Basiliscus

(Βασιλίσκος, Flavius Basiliscus)

Basiliscus Coins.htm

9 January 475 –
August 476
General and brother-in-law of Leo I, he seized power
from Zeno but was again deposed by him. Died in 476/477

Anastasius I (emperor).jpg
Anastasius I

(Αναστάσιος Α’, Flavius Anastasius)

BYZANTINE – Anastasius
Coins.htm

11 April 491 –
9 July 518
Born c. 430 at
Dyrrhachium
,
Epirus nova
. A palace official (silentiarius)
and son-in-law of Leo I, he was chosen as emperor by empress-dowager
Ariadne

Justinian Dynasty

Portrait Name Born Reigned Succession Died

Tremissis-Justin I-sb0058.jpg
Justin I

FLAVIVS IVSTINVS AVGVSTVS
c. 450 AD,
Naissus
July 9, 518 AD – August 1, 527 AD Commander of the palace guard under
Anastasius I)
; elected as emperor with
support of army
August 1, 527 AD
Natural causes

Meister von San Vitale in Ravenna 004.jpg

Justinian I

FLAVIVS PETRVS SABBATIVS IVSTINIANVS AVGVSTVS
c. 482 AD,
Tauresium
,
Dardania
August 1, 527 AD – 13/14 November 565 AD Nephew and nominated heir of
Justin I
13/14 November 565 AD
Natural causes

Solidus-Justin II-sb0391.jpg

Justin II

FLAVIVS IVSTINIVS IVNIOR AVGVSTVS
c. 520 AD, ? 13/14 November 565 AD – 578 AD Nephew of
Justinian I
578 AD
Became insane;
Tiberius II Constantine
ruled as regent
from December 574 and became emperor on Justin’s death in 578



Roman Late Monogram Coins.htm



Roman AE4 Coins.htm



 

 



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