When the news of the defeat arrived in Rome, it caused great fear for the arrival of the barbarians, but Aurelian attacked the Alamanni camping near the Metaurus River, defeating them in the Battle of Fano, and forcing them to re-cross the Po river; Aurelian finally routed them at Pavia. This gave Aurelian the precisely the advantage he wanted. Nobody dared take on the strongest military figure of the empire, and quickly all the forces changed sides to this stern Danubian commander, abandoning a lonely emperor in Aquileia, who alas committed suicide. To be sure, the exploits detailed in the Historia Augusta vita Divi Aureliani, while not always impossible, are not supported by any independent evidence and one at least is demonstrably an invention typical of that author. His reign featured an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had practically disintegrated under the pressure of barbarian invasions and internal revolts. Within six months, his armies stood at the gates of Palmyra, which surrendered when Zenobia tried to flee to the Sassanid Empire. By contrast, a spectacular correction to the portrait occurs in the 3rd issue from Rome and the 2nd from Ticinum: it is certainly the same person who is shown, now mostly wearing a cuirass or shown in heroic nudity, but the effigy is heavier and the features are thicker. Claudius II Gothicus instead appointed him 'Master of the Horse' and perhaps the most powerful military figure in the empire. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Zenobia was captured. Abe lies on the ground after being shot. After expelling the invaders, he may have briefly restored the frontier of the Agri Decumates.in wikipedia, In the summer of 275 Aurelian mobilized his army to march against Persia and by September was approaching Byzantium. Meanwhile, a devastating plague swept through the Balkans, killing many soldiers in both armies. However, he decided to abandon the province of Dacia, on the exposed north bank of the Danube, as too difficult and expensive to defend. Claudius' brother Quintillus ruled the empire for three months, before Aurelian became emperor. They could have been due to the return of the barbarians to a territory which was no longer being protected by the Gallic emperors, or to the discontent of the civil population faced by some of the consequences of Aurelians reconquest, such as political retaliation, economic and fiscal sanctions. In both East and West, payments were made to the army after the assassination of Aurelian, and they were made in the name of the Empress as mater castrorum with the appeal to the Concordia of the soldiers (Concordiae Militum), the sole reverse type. The 11th issue of the Roman mint was that of the third consulship (January 275); Rome was the only mint in the Empire at that time - and the 11th issue was the only series where all the denominations planned by Aurelians reform were struck. Not immune to conspiracies, Aurelian took part in the assassination of Emperor Gallienus in 268. He pushed traditional Roman religion hard as Christianitt was rising. The walls protected Rome all the way to the 19th century. [36] The authority of the Emperor was challenged by several usurpersSeptimius, Urbanus, Domitianus, and the rebellion of Felicissimuswho tried to exploit the sense of insecurity of the empire and the overwhelming influence of the armies in Roman politics. Unlike the Italian mints whose first issues showed a juvenile and out of date image of Tacitus, the coins of Lyon have from the first series the true and definitive portrait of Aurelians successor. Modern research considers Dacia Ripensis as the more likely region. He reorganized a new province of Dacia south of the Danube, inside the former Moesia, called Dacia Aureliana, with Serdica as the capital.[38]. Following his victory in Gaul, Aurelian returned to Rome, where he was given the honorific Restitutor Orbis (Restorer of the World) by the Senate. [d] However, although Saunders's conjecture as to Aurelian's early career is not supported by any evidence other than his nomen which could indicate Italian settler ancestry and even this is contested his rise to the highest ranks is more easily understood if he did not have to start from the bottom. It is clear that the Empress as regent was exercising alone power and right to coin. He reigned from 270 to 275. Eros, fearful of what punishment his emperor might have in store for him, told several senior praetorian officers that the emperor sought to have them executed. Palmyra was systematically sacked, looted and destroyed. The Palmyrene rebellion in Egypt had probably reduced the grain supply to Rome, thus disaffecting the population to the emperor. The 62-year-old spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East as head of Iran . Funeral arrangements have been set for Abe. She was from Dacia. It is commonly accepted that Aurelian probably joined the army in 235 at around age twenty. Only after this symbolic gesture, and having left hostages and supplied 2000 horsemen to the Roman cavalry, were the Vandals allowed to withdraw back across the Danube. This was mainly the case, due to Aurelians reputation as a strict disciplinarian. On the way, he caught his secretary Eros in an extortion scheme and promised dire punishment. The existence in this issue of cuirassed busts with sleeve raised - a shortcut showing the imperial gesture of greeting associated with an imperial arrival (adventus) - also indicates that the emperor was present at Lyon. And there, outside Mediolanum, he became part of the plot to murder the emperor. You have heard of Emperor Diocletian and Emperor Constantine, but its very unlikely youve heard of Emperor Aurelian. Having conquered the town, he did not allow his troops to sack it, making it clear to any territories that their return to the empire would go without retribution. The medallion with the legend RestitutReiPublicae, struck at Rome, is often used to support the theory of a return to the powers of the senatus populusque Romanus. The title Pacator Orbis given to Tacitus (CIL VIII, 10072) refers to imperial victories: Tacitus is reusing a title which had previously been held by Aurelian and which appeared on the reverse of coins from Trier and Lyon. They bore the mark XXI (or its Greek numeral form KA), which meant that twenty of such coins would contain the same silver quantity of an old silver denarius. The first coins in the name of Tacitus were issued at Lyon for an important gold donative. The determined Goths killed many of the oncoming infantry and were only prevented from slaughtering them all when Aurelian finally charged in with his Dalmatian cavalry. Here's everything we know about his assassination. His intention was to give to all the peoples of the Empire, civilian or soldiers, easterners or westerners, a single god they could believe in without betraying their own gods. Sol Invictus would continue to be favored by Roman emperors for the next 50 years, until Constantines adoption of Christianity.in wikipedia, In early 275 Aurelian returned to Gaul to suppress an uprising, possibly in Lugdunum. $2.99 shipping. And yet still the chaos of barbarian invasions continued. If Aurelian "did suppress this food distribution system, he most likely intended to put into effect a more radical reform." Aurelian is also credited with increasing the size of the loaves of bread without increasing their price a measure that was undoubtedly popular with the Romans who were not receiving free bread and other products through the dole. Very few of the barbarians managed to escape back across the Alps. The historical drama or period drama is a film genre in which stories are based upon historical events and famous people. Died at Caenophrurium in Thrace, October/November AD 275. He rose through the ranks to become a successful commander and member of Emperor Gallienuss entourage. If many of his contemporaries called him manu ad ferrum (iron fist), then the senate bestowed upon him the title restitutor orbis (restorer of the world). Already in the spring of AD 272 Aurelian set out for the east. With his base of power secure, he now turned his attention to Rome's greatest problems recovering the vast territories lost over the previous two decades, and reforming the res publica. $22. He had . Although Domitian, two centuries earlier, was the first emperor who had demanded to be officially hailed as dominus et deus ("master and god"), these titles never occurred in written form on official documents until the reign of Aurelian. That being said, Aurelian proved to be quite the conqueror in his short rule. Lucius Domitius Aurelianus was born of humble parents at Sirmium sometime between 207 and 215 AD most likely on September 9th, 214 AD. From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia . Two years later, when Claudius died his brother Quintillus seized power with support of the Senate. 279288, Pat Southern 2001, p. 109. This section of the city once contained the Library of Alexandria, although the extent of the surviving Library in Aurelian's time is uncertain. Historian Franco Cavazzi dedicated hundreds of hours of his life to creating this website, roman-empire.net as a trove of educational material on this fascinating period of history. More from This Artist Similar Designs. Aurelian served under Emperor Gallienus's (ruled 253-268) army and is believed to have participated in his assassination. . The population was evacuated and resettled in two territories detached from Moesia and Thrace, which were called Dacia Ripensis and Dacia Mediterranea. In . The eastern provinces found their protectors in the rulers of the city of Palmyra, in Syria, whose autonomy grew until the formation of the Palmyrene Empire, which was successful in defending against the Sassanid threat. This article is about the Roman emperor. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A secretary of his (called Eros by Zosimus) had told a lie on a minor issue. [29], When Claudius died, his brother Quintillus seized power with support of the Senate. His assassins were junior officers: only the name of their chief, a certain Mucapor, is known to us; the most detailed sources tell of a plot involving tribunes or praetorians. Alas, he was assassinated in the woods, outside a Roman camp. In this time his achievements had been nothing less than colossal. [citation needed] Tetricus was rewarded for his collusion by Aurelian who made him a senator and corrector (governor) of Lucania et Bruttium. He set himself apart from previous emperors of the third century in . Aurelian and Probus - Ilkka Syvnne 2020-06-24 This is a narrative military history of the emperors Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (270-275) and Marcus Aurelius Probus Valens Thessalonicus from Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum The forth and final phase of the ancient world is known as _____ Late Antiquity. Aurelians victory in Gaul restored unity to the Roman Empire, a feat the Senate acknowledged by granting him the title Restitutor Orbis (Restorer of the World). Aurelian, if you will conquer, be merciful! Claudius II Gothicus instead appointed him Master of the Horse and perhaps the most powerful military figure in the empire.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'roman_empire_net-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roman_empire_net-medrectangle-4-0'); When Claudius II died in AD 270, the throne controversially passed onto Quintillus, the late emperors brother. He restored the Roman Empire to its former size in a mere 5 years!!! In the 3rd century, the once mighty Roman Empire was falling apart. ET, July 9, 2022. Aurelian was probably murdered in September or October 275. Aurelius Victor recycles information that he found in the now lost Kaisergeschichte: an interregnum of six months took place after the death of Aurelian during which the Senate and the army sought a successor. [27] The Goths were besieging Thessalonica when they heard of emperor Claudius' approach, causing them to abandon the siege and pillage north-eastern Macedonia. Saunders suggests that his career is more easily understood if it is assumed that his family was of Roman settler origins with a tradition of military service and that he enlisted as an equestrian. Their testimony does not allow us to determine whether the disturbances in Gaul were due to external or internal causes. Following that, Claudius . When Aurelian arrived at Rome the riots were brutally crushed. He moved on them and defeated these smaller armies one by one (AD 271). The additional revenue from the recovered provinces, together with thorough reforms, was used to put the empires treasury back on a sound footing. Aurelian had a reputation for quickly and decisively eliminating perceived threats, so no one on the list was prepared to take chances. Apart from normal base silver coinage, the interregnum of Severina is also clearly shown from the production of a gold donative at the mints of Rome, Ticinum, Siscia and Cyzicus. [23] They are known to have had a daughter together. The Gallic Empire was again part of the Roman Empire. This time there was no clemency shown. Also see Alaric Watson 1999, p. 215, David S. Potter 2004, p. 266, Herwig Wolfram, The war against the Palmyrene Empire is described in Zosimus, 1,50,11,61,1, and, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Constantius heros (ILCV 66) An elegiac testimony on the decline of the Late Roman West", "LacusCurtius: Templum Solis (Platner & Ashby, 1929)", "Solving the Mystery of an Ancient Roman Plague", Realencyclopdie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aurelian&oldid=1142189337, Roman emperors murdered by the Praetorian Guard, Roman emperors to suffer posthumous denigration or damnatio memoriae, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from March 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Imperator Caesar Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 00:41. The Syrian queen cut off Rome's shipments of grain, and in a matter of weeks, the Romans started running low on bread. [25], During the reign of Claudius, Aurelian was promoted rapidly: he was given command of the elite Dalmatian cavalry and soon promoted to overall head of the army after the emperor and what had been Emperor Claudius' own position before his acclamation. The first actions of the new Emperor were aimed at strengthening his own position in his territories. Aurelian (Latin: Lucius Domitius Aurelianus; 9 September 214 - c. October 275) was a Roman emperor, . Lewis, J. At the same time, a group of moneyers from Lyon must have been transferred to the mint at Ticinum in northern Italy as the work of a engraver from Lyon can be identified there. Tacituss accession of power is thereby shown in a totally different light. [19], Aurelian's successes as a cavalry commander ultimately made him a member of Emperor Gallienus' entourage. Here his private secretary Eroswho feared Aurelians retribution for some misdeedforged letters to persuade a number of officers that the emperor wanted them dead. T. These donatives in gold demonstrate that the decision about Aurelians successor was in abeyance and that far from the senatorial circles of Rome: in the headquarters of the various provincial armies. While Aurelian was marching with his army to invade Persia his Praetorian Guard murdered him in Thrace, Greece. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. [6], The Historia Augusta describes him both as a Pannonian from Sirmium and as a native of Dacia Ripensis "which he founded so that he would have been a Moesian". In an inscription from Tarragona (AE 1930, 150), she combines the qualities of mater castrorum et senatus et patriae (mother of the camps and of the Senate and of the homeland), that is that she receives titles normally reserved for emperors. Even before the death of Aurelian, the empress was already shown in coinage as a military Concordia. In general, Tacituss coin types, particularly the incantatory invocation to the eternity of Rome, Romae Aeternae, may mark the return to a certain religious orthodoxy which deviates from the solar theocracy of Aurelian, but they do not break with the main themes of the second half of the 3rd century. Aurelian's helmet in the show is based on his appearance from Total War: Rome 2's Empire Divided DLC, where he was shown with ornate golden mask. The coin types also highlight the exceptional political role played by Severina, as these are charged with military connotations. Aurelian (214-275) was 61 years old when he died. Gend. The Historia Augusta alludes to the suppression of a revolt in Lyon itself. Next, Claudius began to distance himself from those responsible for his predecessor's assassination, ordering the execution of those directly involved. That right, which since the start of the Empire was purely theoretical, was limited to bronze, and to bronze issued at Rome. As an administrator, he had been strict and had handed out severe punishments to corrupt officials or soldiers. The assassination of Aurelian in September 275 ushered in a period of ten years during which the Roman Empire once more descended into chaos. In 272, Aurelian turned his attention to the lost eastern provinces of the empire, the Palmyrene Empire, ruled by Queen Zenobia from the city of Palmyra. The walls were 3.5 meters (11 feet) thick, 8 meters (26 feet) tall, and 19 kilometers (12 miles) long. The revolt seems to have been caused by the fact that the mint workers, and Felicissimus first, were accustomed to stealing the silver for the coins and producing coins of inferior quality. Lucius Domitius Aurelianus was born of poor parents on 9 September AD 214 in Lower Moesia. He restored many public buildings, reorganized the management of the food reserves, set fixed prices for the most important goods, and prosecuted misconduct by the public officers.[41]. The coinage of Tacitus with the reverse Libertas Aug (Cohen 54; RIC V.1, 335/91), sometimes cited in support of the hypothesis of a revival of the privileges of the Senate, has never existed: it is a coin of Rome, with the legend Ubertas Aug misread. In Syria he defeated the main force of the Palmyrene army at Immae, 26 miles east of Antioch (AD 272). During the summer of 275, Aurelian reconstituted an army in Illyricum and went eastwards along the great military road of the Balkans. Also measures were introduced to reduced embezzlement, extortion and corruption among imperial and provincial administrations. In fear of what the emperor might do, he forged a document listing the names of high officials marked by the emperor for execution and showed it to collaborators. . 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