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The Scriptores HistoriaeAugustae, or Historia Augusta, is a collection of biographies of Roman emperors, heirs, and claimants from Hadrian to Numerianus (AD 117 2 84). The work, which is modelled on Sue- tonius, purports to be written by six dif- ferent authors and quotes documents and public records extensively. Since we pos- sess no continuous account of the emper- ors of the second and third centuries, the Historia Augusta has naturally attracted keen attention. In the last century it has also generated the grayest suspicions. Present opinion holds that the whole is the work of a single author ( who lived in the time of Theodosius) and contains much that is plagiarism and even downright forgerv.
O J
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THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY
FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB EDITED BY
G. P. GOOLD
PREVIOUS EDITORS T. E. PAGE E. CAPPS
W. H. D. ROUSE L. A. POST E. H. WARMINGTON
HISTORIA AUGUSTA III
LCL 263
THE SCRIPTORES HISTORIAE AUGUSTAE
VOLUME III
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
DAVID MAGIE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS LONDON, ENGLAND
First published 1932 Reprinted 1954, 1961, 1968, 1982, 1998
LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY® is a registered trademark of the President and Fellows of Harvard College
ISBN 0-674-99290-3
Printed in Great Britain by St Edmundsbury Press Ltd,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on acid-free paper. Bound by Hunter 6- Foulis Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland.
CONTENTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY vii
EDITORIAL NOTE xi
THE TWO VALERIANS 2
THE TWO GALLIENI 16
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS 64
THE DEIFIED CLAUDIUS 152
THE DEIFIED AURELIAN 192
TACITUS 294
PROBUS 334
FIRMUS, SATURNINUS, PROCULUS, BONOSUS 386
CARUS, CARINUS, NUMERIAN 416
INDEX OF NAMES 453
BIBLIOGRAPHY (1919-1967)
Scriptores Historiae Augustae I, II, ed. E. Hohl, rev. W. Seyfarth and C. Samberger, Leipzig, Teubner, 1965 (1st ed. 1927).
Alfoldi, A. Das Problem des " verweiblichten " Kaisers Galli-
enus; Zeitschrift filr Numismatik, xxxviii. (1928), 156-
203. Bassett, H. J. Macrmus and Diadumenianus ; Menasha,
Wisconsin, 1920. Baynes, N. H. The Date of the Composition of the Historia
Augusta; Classical Review, xxxviii. (1924), 165-169.
The Historia Augusta : its Date and Purpose ; Oxford,
1926.
Birt, T. Zu Marius Maximus (S.H.A. Geta 2, 1) ; Philologus, Ixxvi. (1920), 362-366.
Zu den S.H.A. ; Phiiologus, Ixxxiii. (1927), 177-178.
Dessau, H. Die Samaritaner bei den S.H.A. ; in Janus :
Arbeiten zur alien und Byzantinischen Geschichte
(Vienna, 1921), 124-128. Fisher, W. H. The Augustan Vita Aureliani ; Journal of .Rowan
Studies, xix. (1929), 125-149. Geffcken, J. Religionsgeschichtliches in der Historia Augusta ;
Hermes, Iv. (1920), 279-295. Hadas, M. Rabbinic Parallels to S.H.A. ; Classical Philology,
xxiv. (1929), 258-262. Harrer, G. A. The Chronology ot the Revolt of Pescennius
Niger; Journal of Roman Studies, x. (1920), 155-168. Henderson, B. W. The Life and Principate of the Emperor
Hadrian, A.D. 76-138; London, 1923.
vii
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hohl, E. Ueber den Ursprung der Historia Augusta : Hermes, Iv. (1920), 296-310.
Bericht iiber die Literatur zu den S.H.A. fur die Jahre
1916-1923; Jahresberichte uber die Fortschritte der klassischen Altertumswissenschaft, cc. (1924), 167-210.
Grundsatzlich.es zur Textgestaltung der S.H.A. ; Philo-
logisclie Wochenschrift, xlviii. (1928), 1115-1118. Homo, L. La grande Grise de 1'an 238 ap. J.C. et le Problems de 1'Histoire Auguste ; Revue Historique, cxxxi. (1919), 209-264; cxxxii. (1919), 1-38.
Les Documents de 1'Histoire Auguste et leur Valeur
historique; Revue Historique, cli. (1926), 161-198: olii.
(1926). 1-31. Jarde1, A. Etudes critiques sur la Vie et le Eegne de Severe
Alexandre; Paris, 1926. Jorga, N. Le Probleme de 1'Abandon de la Dacie par I'Empereur
Au re" lien ; Revue Historique du Sud-Est European, i.
(1924), 37-58. Klotz, A. Beitrage zur Textgeschichte und Textritik der
S.H.A.; Rheinisches Museum, Ixxviii. (1929), 268-314,
432. Mattingly, H., and Sydenham, E. A. The Roman imperial
Coinage, Vol. v., Part 1 (Valerian to the Interregnum),
by P. H. Webb ; London, 1927. Milne, J. G. Aemilianus the " Tyrant " ; Journal of Egyptian
Archaeology, x. (1924), 80-82. Orth, E. Zu den S.H.A; Philologische Wochenschrift, xlix.
(1929). 1470-1471.
Von Orpheus bis Grillius (on Tac., 10, 3) ; Philologische
Wochenschrift, 1. (1930), 395-400. Pasoli, A. L'Uso di Erodiano nella «' Vita Maximini " ; Milan,
1927. Sulla Composizione die due Brani parallel! degli " S.H.A,"
(Max. 13, 5 — 19 e Oord., 7, 2—16) in Annali del R. Liceo-
Gimnasio Ugo Foscolo di Pavia del Anno 1927-1928',
Voghera, 1929. Ferret, L. L'Histoire de I'Empereur G6ta ; Revue des Etudes
Historiques, xci. (1925), 119-130. Pichlmayr, F. Zu den S.H.A.; Philologus, bocx. (1925),
345-350. Beuss, W. Der historische Wert der Garacallavita in den
S.H.A.; Elio, Beiheft 24 (1931).
viii
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rohde, J. Die Marcomanenkriege Marc Aurels; Halle,
1924. Rosenberg, A. Ein Document zur Beichsreform des Kaisers
Gallienus; Hermts, Iv. (1920), 319-321. Rostovtseff, M. La Crise sociale et politique de L'Empire
Boinain au III Siecle ap. J.C. ; Jfus& Beige, xxvii.
(1923), 233-242. Schmiedler, B. Adam von Bremen und die S.H.A. ; Historische
Vitrtelialirsclir.it, 1920. 3381.
Die S.H.A. and dor Heilige Hieronymus. Ein Beitrag
zur Entstehungszeit der falschen Kaiserviten; Plu.o- logisclie WocJi<*nschr:ft, xlvii. (1927), 955-960.
Sohnabel, P. Die Chronologic Aurelians; Klio, xx. (1925-6),
863-368. Sohwendemann, J. Der historische Wert der Vita Marci bei
den S.H.A. ; Heidelberg, 1923. Sedgwick, H. D. Marcus Aurelius; Oxford, 1921. Sjogren, H. Kleine textkritische Beitra^e (Hadr. 13, 3 ; A^ex.
13, 6) ; Eranos, xix. (1923), 163-172. Stein, A. Zur Chronologie der Bomischen Kaiser von Decius
bis Diocletian; Arclriv fiir Papifrusftjrschutig, vii. (1923),
30-51; viii. (1926), 11-18.
Zeitbestimmuncjen von Gallienus bis Aureliau ; K'.io, xxi.
(1926-7), 78-82.
Obsen-ations on the Chronology of the Roman Emperors
in the Second Half of the Third Century ; Jcmmal of Egyptian Archaeology, xiv. (192S), 16-19. Thomell, G. Ad diversos Scriptores Couiectanea et Intoi-pret- atoria; in Strenaphilologica Upsalien$:s ^Upsala. 1922), 383-392.
Ad S.H.A. et Araniianmn Marcellinum Adnotatioues;
Leipzig, 1927.
Tidner, E. De Particulis copulativis apud S.H.A. Quaestiones
selectao ; Upsala, 1922. • In S.H.A. Adnot-atiunculae ; in Strma philotogica Up-
saliensis (Upsala, 1922), 149-162. Townsend, P. W. The Chronology of the Year 28S A.P. ; Yal*
Classical Studies, i. (192S), 231-238. Van Sickle, C. E. A hypothetical Chronology for the Year of
the Gordians ; Classical Philology, xxii. (1927), 416-417.
The Legal Status of Clodius Albinua in the Years 193-196 ;
Classical Philology, xxiii. (192S), 128-127.
iz
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Van Sickle, C. E. Some further Observations on the Chro- nology of the Year 238 A.D. ; Classical Philology, xxiv. (1929), 284-289.
Vorbrodt, T. Kaiser Gallienus (253-268) ; Halle, 1923.
Westermann, W. L. The Papyri and the Chronology of the Reign of the Emperor Probus ; Aegyptus, i. (1920), 297-301
The various contributions made to the study of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae, especially since 1945, are recorded annually in Marouzeau, UAnnte Philologique
For the date etc., and some partial editions, see especially : H. Stern. Date et Destinataire de 1'Histoire Auguste, Paris,
1953. Bonner. Historia Augusta Colloquium, 1964-65. Antiquitas,
Reihe 4, 3. P. White. The Authorship of the Historia Augusta.
Journal of Roman Studies, Ivii. (1967), 115 ff. A. Momigliano. An Unsolved Problem of Historical Forgery,
Journal of the Warburg and Gourtauld Institutes, xvii.
(1954), 22 ff.
J. Schwarz, in B.F.S. xl. (1961-2), 169 ff. T. Zawadzki, in Studii Clasice, v. (1963), 249 ff. E. Manni. Trebellio Pollione. Le vite di Valeriano e di
Gallieno. Text, introd. notes, etc. Palermo. 1952. E. Hohl. Maximini Duo. lulius Capitolinus (edition),
Berlin, 1949.
For other special aspects :
W. Hartke. Geschichte und Politik im spatantiken Rom.
Klio, Beiheft xlv, 1940. A. Reintjes. Untersucliungen zu den Beamten bei den
Scriptores Hist. Aug., Bonn, 1961. A. Cameron. Literary Allusions in the Historia Augusta,
Hermes, xcii. (1964), 313 ff. Atti del Colloquio patavino sulla Historia Augusta. Publl.
ist. di Storia Antica. Padua, Rome, 1964. A. Bellezza. Hist. Aug. I. Le Edizioni, Genoa, 1959.
EDITORIAL NOTE (1991)
SCHOLARLY research pursued since the first publication of this work in 1922 now requires modification of some of the editor's views. Most authorities today are persuaded that die ostensible multiple authorship of these lives is a wilful deception, that one person is responsible for the collection and the insertion into it of documents which are sheer fabrications, and that the date of this activity is about A.D. 395.
To the bibliography above the following important works (die first two with extensive bibliographies) may now be added:
SYME, SIR RONALD: Ammianus and the Historia Augusta,
Oxford, 1968. SYME, SIR RONALD: Emperors and Biography: Studies in
the Historia Augusta, Oxford, 1971. BARNES, T. D.: Sources of the Historia Augusta, Bruxelles
1978. SYME, SIR RONALD: Historia Augusta Papers, Oxford
1983.
G. P. G.
XI
SCRIPTORES HISTORIAE AUGUSTAE
THE TWO VALERIANS
inferioribus 1 nihil dico. Mithradates Ponticus totam Asiam tenuit ; certe victus est, certe Asia Roman- 6orum est. si meum consilium requiris, utere oc- casione pacis et Valerianum suis redde. ego gratulor felicitati tuae, si taraen ilia uti tu scias."
II. Velenus rex Cadusiorum sic scripsit : " Remissa mihi auxilia integra et incolumia gratanter accepi. at captum Valerianum principem principum non satis gratulor, magis gratuler, si redderetur. Romani enim
2graviores tune sunt, quando vincuntur. age igitur ut prudentem decet, nee fortuna te inflammet, quae multos decepit. Valerianus et filium imperatorem habet et nepotem Caesarem, et quid ad omnem orbem ilium Romanum, qui contra te totus insurget ?
3 redde igitur Valerianum et fac cum Romanis pacem, nobis etiam ob gentes Ponticas profuturam."
III. Artavasdes rex Armeniorum talem ad Saporem epistulam misit : " In partem gloriae venio, sed
2vereor ne non tarn viceris quam bella severis. Valeri- anum et filius repetit et nepos et duces Romani et omnis Gallia et omnis Africa et omnis Hispania et omnis Italia et omnes gentes quae sunt in Illyrico atque in oriente et in Ponto, quae cum Romanis
1 inferioribus Obrecht, Peter ; interioribus P, S.
1 A Median people, living on the S.W. coast of the Caspian Sea, also called Gaeli.
3 i.e., Gallienus.
3 There were three Armenian kings of this name during the second and first centuries before Christ and the first century after Christ, but none in the third century. If the author is not merely using a well-known name to give verisimilitude to the letter, as seems most likely, he may have in mind Artavasdes the Mamiconaean, regent for the young Tiridates IIT. during tho period whioh followed the death of his father,
THE TWO VALERIANS I. 6— III. 2
them now. Examples more remote and perhaps less important I will not cite. Mithradates of Pontus held all of Asia ; it is a fact that he was vanquished and Asia now belongs to the Romans. If you ask my advice, make use of the opportunity for peace and give back Valerian to his people. I do indeed congratulate you on your good fortune, but only if you know how to use it aright."
II. Velenus, King of the Cadusii,1 wrote as follows : " I have received with gratitude my forces returned to me safe and sound. Yet I cannot wholly con- gratulate you that Valerian, prince of princes, is captured ; I should congratulate you more, were he given back to his people. For the Romans are never more dangerous than when they are defeated. Act, therefore, as becomes a prudent man, and do not let Fortune, which has tricked many, kindle your pride. Valerian has an emperor for a son 2 and a Caesar for a grandson, and what of the whole Roman world, which, to a man, will rise up against you? Give back Valerian, therefore, and make peace with the Romans, a peace which will benefit us as well because of the tribes of Pontus."
III. Artavasdes,3 King of the Armenians, sent the following letter to Sapor : " I have, indeed, a share in your glory, but I fear that you have not so much conquered as sown the seeds of war. For Valerian is being sought back by his son, his grandson, and the generals of Rome, by all Gaul, all Africa, all Spain, all Italy, and by all the nations of Ilyricum, the East, and Pontus, which are leagued with the
Chosroes I., about 250, as is supposed by P. Asdourian, Polit. Beaif-hnnge-n ew. Armenien u. Rom., p. 127 f.
THE TWO VALERIANS
3 consentiunt aut Romanorum sunt. unum ergo senem cepisti sed l omnes gentes orbis terrarum infestissimas tibi fecisti, fortassis et nobis, qui auxilia misimus, qui vicini sumus, qui semper vobis inter vos pugnantibus laboramus."
IV. Bactriani et Hiberi et Albani et Tauroscythae Saporis litteras non receperunt sed ad Romanes duces scripserunt auxilia pollicentes ad Valerianum de captivitate liberandum.
2 Sed Valeriano apud Persas consenescente Odae- nathus Palmyrenus collecto exercitu rem Romanam
8 prope in pristinum statum reddidit. cepit regis thesauros, cepit etiam, quas thesauris cariores habent
4reges Parthici, concubinas. quare magis reformidans Romanos duces Sapor timore Ballistae atque Odae- nathi in regnum suum ocius se recepit. atque hie interim finis belli fuit Persici.
V. Haec sunt digna cognitu de Valeriano, cuius per annos sexaginta vita laudabilis in earn conscenderat gloriam ut post omnes honores et magistratus in- signiter gestos imperator fieret, non, ut solet, tumul- tuario populi concursu, non militum strepitu, sed iure meritorum et quasi ex totius orbis una sententia.
2 denique si data esset omnibus potestas promendi arbitrii quern imperatorem vellent, alter non esset electus.
3 Et ut scias quanta vis in Valeriano meritorum
1 cepisti sed Petschenig, Hohl ; cepistis et P.
1From Trans-Caucasia. 2 See note to Hadr., xxi. 18.
8 In S. Russia, north of the Crimea.
4 See Tyr. Trig., xv. 5See Tyr. Trig., xviii.
THE TWO VALERIANS III. 3— V. 3
Romans or subject to them. So, then, you have captured one old man but have made all the nations of the world your bitterest foes, and ours too, perhaps, for we have sent you aid, we are your neighbours, and we always suffer when you fight with each other."
IV. The Bactrians, the Hiberians,1 the Albanians,2 and the Tauroscythians 3 refused to receive Sapor's letters and wrote to the Roman commanders, promising aid for the liberation of Valerian from his captivity.
Meanwhile, however, while Valerian was growing old in Persia, Odaenathus the Palmyrene 4 gathered together an army and restored the Roman power almost to its pristine condition. He captured the king's treasures and he captured, too, what the Parthian monarchs hold dearer than treasures, namely his concubines. For this reason Sapor was now in greater dread of the Roman generals, and out of fear of Ballista 5 and Odaenathus he withdrew more speedily to his kingdom. And this, for the time being, was the end of the war with the Persians.
V. This is all that is worthy of being known about Valerian, whose life, praiseworthy for sixty years long, finally rose to such glory, that after holding all honours and offices with great distinction he was chosen emperor, not, as often happens, in a riotous assemblage of the people or by the shouting of soldiers, but solely by right of his services, and, as it were, by the single voice of the entire world. In short, if all had been given the power of expressing their choice as to whom they desired as emperor, none other would have been chosen.
Now in order that you may know what power lay
THE TWO VALERIANS
fuerit 1 publicorum, ponara senatus consulta, quibus animadvertant omnes quid de illo semper amplissi- mus ordo iudicaverit.
4 Duobus Deciis consulibus sexto kal. Novenibrium die, cum ob imperatorias litteras in Aede Castorum senatus haberetur, ireturque per sententias singu- lorum, ,cui deberet censura deferri (nam id Decii posuerant in senatus amplissimi potestate), ubi primum praetor edixit : " Quid vobis videtur, patres conscripti, de censore deligendo ? '" atque eum, qui erat princeps tune senatus, sententiam rogasset absente Valeriano (nam ille in procinctu cum Decio tune agebat), omnes una voce dixerunt interrupto more dicendae sententiae : " Valeriani vita censura
5 est. ille de omnibus iudicet, qui est omnibus melior. ille de senatu iudicet, qui nullum habet crimen. ille de vita nostra sententiam ferat, cui nihil potest
Cobici. Valerianus a prima pueritia fuit censor. Valerianus in tota vita sua fuit censor, prudens senator, modestus senator, gravis senator, amicus bonorum, inimicus tyrannorum, hostis criminum,
7 hostis vitiorum. hunc censorem omnes accipimus, hunc imitari omnes volumus. primus genere, nobilis
1 fuerit Z, Peter, Hohl ; fuit P.
1 The spuriousness of this " seuatus consultum " is sufficiently shown by the fact that Decius died in the summer of 251. For other such " senatus consulta " see Maxim., xvi. ; Oord., xi. ; Tyr. Trig., xxi. 3-4 ; Claud., iv. ; Aur., xix. ; xli. ; Tac., iii. ; Prob., xi. 5-9.
2 See note to Maxim., xvi. 1.
3 The attempt to revive the censorship, as described here, is as fictitious as the " senatus consultum " itself, and is merely a part of the biographer's tendency to magnify the importance of the senate. It is true, however, that Derius in 250 conferred
8
THE TWO VALERIANS V. 4-7
in the public services of Valerian, I will cite the decrees of the senate,1 which will make it clear to all what judgement concerning him was always expressed by that most illustrious body.
In the consulship of the two Decii, on the sixth 27 Oct., 251 day before the Kalends of November, when, pursuant to an imperial mandate, the senate convened in the Temple of Castor and Pollux,2 and each senator was asked his opinion as to the man to whom the censor- ship 3 should be offered (for this the Decii had left in the power of the most high senate), when the praetor had first announced the question, " What is your desire, Conscript Fathers, with regard to choosing a censor ? ' ' and then asked the opinion of him who was then the chief of the senate 4 in the absence of Valerian (for at that time he was in military service with Decius), then all, breaking through the usual mode of giving the vote, cried out with one voice : * " Valerian's life is a censorship. Let him judge all, who is better than all. Let him judge the senate, who is free from guilt. Let him pronounce sentence on our lives, against whom no reproach can be brought. From early childhood Valerian has been a censor. All his life long Valerian has been a censor. A wise senator, a modest senator, a respected senator. The friend of the good, the enemy of tyrants, the foe of crimes, the foe of vices. He it is whom we all accept as censor, whom we all desire to imitate. Foremost
on Valerian some important position — 77 TU>V irpay/j-drcav according to Zonaras, xii. 20.
4 Valerian is said to have held this office as early as 238 ; see Gord., ix. 7.
5 On such acclamations in the senate see- note to Alex., vi. 1. They are also found in Claud., iv. 3-4 ; xviii. 2-3 ; Toe., iv. 1-4 ; v. 1-2 ; vii. 1 ; Prob.t xi. 6-9 ; xii. 8.
THE TWO VALERIANS
sanguine, emendatus vita, doctrina clams, moribus
Ssingularis, exemplum 1 antiquitatis." quae cum esseiit saepius dicta, addiderunt, "omnes/' atque ita discessum est.
VI. Hoc senatus consultum ubi Decius accepit, omnes aulicos convocavit, ipsum etiam Valerianum praecepit2 rogari, atque in conventu summorum
2virorum recitato senatus coiisulto, " Felicem te," in- quit, " Valerianum, totius senatus sententia, immo animis atque pectoribus 3 totius orbis humani. suscipe ceiisuram, quam tibi detulit Romana res publica, quam solus mereris, iudicaturus de moribus omnium, iudica-
3 turus de moribus nostris. tu aestimabis qui manere in Curia debeant, tu equestrem ordinem in antiquum statum rediges, tu censibus modum pones, tu vecti- galia firmabis divides statues, tu 4 res publicas recen-
4sebis; tibi legum scribendarum auctoritas dabitur, tibi
5 de ordinibus militum iudicandum est ; tu arma respicies ;
6 tu de nostro Palatio, tu de iudicibus, tu de praefectis eminentissimis iudicabis ; excepto denique praefecto urbis Romae, exceptis consulibus ordinariis et sac- rorum rege ac maxima virgine Vestalium (si tamen incorrupta permanebit) de omnibus sententias feres, laborabunt autem etiam illi, ut tibi placeant, de quibus
7non potes iudicare." haec Decius. sed Valeriano sententia huiusmodi fuit : " Ne, quaeso, sanctissime imperator, ad hanc me necessitatem alliges, ut ego
1 exemplo P, Hohl. 2 praecepit E\ praecipit P, Peter.
8 pectoribus 2 ; peccatoribus P. 4 statues tu Hohl ; statues
2 ; statu P ; tu Peter.
1 Sec note to Carac., iv. 8. 10
THE TWO VALERIANS V. 8— VI. 7
in family, noble in blood, free from stain in his life, famed for his learning, matchless in character, a sample of the olden times." When all this had been said repeatedly, they added, " All with one accord," and so they departed.
VI. When this decree of the senate was brought to Decius, he called all his courtiers together and gave orders that Valerian, too, should be summoned. Then, having read the decree before this assemblage of the foremost men, he said : " Happy are you, Vale- rian, in this vote of the entire senate, or rather in the thoughts and the hearts of the whole world of men. Receive the censorship, which the Roman common- wealth has offered you and which you alone deserve, you who are now about to pass judgement on the character of all men, on the character of ourselves as well. You shall decide who are worthy to remain in the Senate-house, you shall restore the equestrian order to its old-time condition, you shall determine the amount of our property, you shall safeguard, apportion and order our revenues, you shall conduct the census 'n our communities ; to you shall be given the power to write our laws, you shall judge concerning the rank of our soldiers, and you shall have a care for their arms ; you shall pass judgement on our Palace, our judges and our most eminent prefects ; in short, except for the prefect of the city of Rome, except for the regular consuls,1 the king of the sacrifices, and the senior Vestal Virgin (as long, that is, as she remains unpolluted), you shall pronounce sentence on all. Even those on whom you may not pass judge- ment will strive to win your approval." Thus Decius ; but Valerian's reply was as follows : " Do not, I pray you, most venerated Emperor, fasten upon me the
11
THE TWO VALERIANS
iudicem de populo, de militibus, de senatu, de omni
Spenitus orbe iudicibus et tribunis ac ducibus. haec
sunt propter l quae Augustum nomen tenetis ; apud
vos censura desedit, non potest hoc implere privatus.
9veniam igitur eius honoris peto, cui vita impar est,
impar est confidentia, cui tempora sic repugnant, ut
censuram hominum natura non quaerat."
VII. Poteram multa alia et senatus consulta et iudicia principum de 2 Valeriano proferre, nisi et vobis pleraque nota essent, et puderet altius virum extollere, qui fatali quadam necessitate superatus est. nunc ad Valerianum minorem revertar.
VIII. Valeria n us i uni or, aliaquam Gallienus matre genitus, forma conspicuus, verecundia proba- bilis, eruditione pro aetate clarus, moribus periucundus atque a fratris dissolutione seiunctus, a patre absente Caesar est appellatus, a fratre, ut Caelestinus dicit,
2 Augustus, nihil habet praedicabile in vita, nisi quod est nobiliter natus, educatus optime et miserabiliter interemptus.
3 Et quoniam scio errare plerosque, qui Valeriani im- peratoris titulum in sepulchro legentes illius Valeriani redditum putaiit corpus, qui a Persis est captus, ne ullus error obrepat, mittendum in litteras censui hunc Valerianum circa Mediolanum sepultum addito titulo Claudii iussu : " Valerianus imperator."
1 propter om. in P and 2. 2 de 2, Peter ; sen P.
1 See note to Oall.t xiv. 10. a Otherwise unknown.
12
THE TWO VALERIANS VI. 8— VIII. 3
necessity of passing judgement on the people, the soldiers, the senate, and all judges, tribunes and generals the whole world over. It is for this that you have the name of Augustus. You it is on whom the office of censor devolves, for no commoner can duly fill it. Therefore I ask to be excused from this office, to which my life is unequal, my courage un- equal, and the times so unfavourable that human nature does not desire the office of censor."
VII. I could, indeed, cite many other senatorial decrees and imperial judgements concerning Valerian, were not most of them known to you, and did I not feel ashamed to extol too greatly a man who was vanquished by what seems a destined doom. Now let me turn to the younger Valerian.
VIII. Valerian the younger,1 the son of a different mother from Gallienus, conspicuous for his beauty, admired for his modesty, distinguished in learning for one of his years, amiable in his manners, and holding aloof from the vicious ways of his brother, received from his father, when absent, the title of Caesar and from his brother, so says Caelestinus,2 that of Augustus. His life contains nothing worthy of note, save that he was nobly born, excellently reared, and pitiably slain.
Now since I know that many are in error, who have read the inscription of Valerian the Emperor on a tomb, and believe that the bodv of that Valerian who
* •>
was captured by the Persians was given back again, 1 have thought it my duty, that no error might creep in, to set down in writing that it was this younger Valerian who was buried near Milan and that by Claudius' order the inscription was added : " Valerian the Emperor."
13
THE TWO VALERIANS
4 Non puto plus aliquid vel de maiore Valeriano vel
5 de iuniore requirendum. et quoniam vereor ne modum voluminis transeam, si Gallienum, Valerian! filium, de quo iam multus et forlasse nimius nobis fuit sermo in illius vitn, vel Saloninum filium etiam Gallieni, qui et Saloninus et Gallienus est dictus in historia sui temporis, huic libro adiunctos edam, nunc ad aliud volumen transeamw.?, ut iubetur. semper enim nos vobis dedimMj et famae, cui negare nihil possumus.1
1 Italics are supplements of Peter to fill lacunae in P.
THE TWO VALERIANS VIII. 4-5
Nothing further, I think, should be demanded con- cerning either older or younger Valerian. And since I fear to exceed the proper limit of a volume, if I add to this book Valerian's son Gallienus, concerning whom we have already said much, and perchance too much, in the life of his father, or even Gallienus' son Saloninus,1 who is called in the history of his time both Saloninus and Gallienus, let us now pass, as we are bidden, to another volume. For, indeed, we have ever submitted to you and to Fame, to whom we can make no refusal.
1 See Qall.t xix 1-4.
GALLIENI DUO
TREBELLII POLLIONIS
I. Capto Valeriano (enimvero unde incipienda est Gallieni vita, nisi ab eo praecipue malo, quo eius vita depressa est ?), nutante re publica, cum Odaenathus iam orientis cepisset imperium, Gallienus comperta patris captivitate gauderet, vagabantur ubique exer- citus, murmurabant omnibus in provinciis duces, erat omnium in gens maeror, quod Valenanus imperator Romanus in Perside serviliter teneretur. sed erat etiam maior omnium maestitia quod Gallienus n&fictus imperium ut pater fato sic ipse moribus rem publicatn perdiderat.1
1 Italics are supplements of Obrecht and Peter to fill lacunae in P.
1 P. Licinius Egnatius Gallienus Augustus (253-260 with Valerian ; 260-268 sole emperor). The biographer, like Eutropius and Aurelius Victor, portrays Gallienus in the worst possible light — a tendency due, parti}', to senatorial hostility aroused by his exclusion of senators from military commands (Aur. Victor, Cats., 33, 33 f ), but particularly to the desire, by blackening Gallienus, to enhance the glories of his successor Claudius, who, as the reputed ancestor of Constantius Chlorus (see note to Claud., xiii. 2), is made the hero of this series of biographies. Consequently, the depreciation of Gallienus, as neglecting the welfare of the Empire and interested only in amusements and debauchery, and the
II.
THE TWO GALLIENI
BY
TREBELLIUS POLLIO
I. When Valerian was captured (for where should we begin the biography of Gallienus,1 if not with that calamity which, above all, brought disgrace on his life ?), when the commonwealth was tottering, when Odaenathus had seized the rule of the East, and when Gallienus was rejoicing in the news of his father's captivity, the armies began to range about on all sides, the generals in all the provinces to murmur, and great was the grief of all men that Valerian, a Roman emperor, was held as a slave in Persia. But greater far was the grief of them all that now having received the imperial power, Gallienus, by his mode of life, as his father by his fate, brought ruin on the commonwealth.2
exaltation of Claudius (and his descendant) form the prin- cipal theme of the series. A more favourable and, as it ia now generally believed, a more truthful, account of his reign is given by the Greek writers Zosimus (i. 30-40) and Zonaras (xii. 24-25). The modern point of view (based on these writers and supported by the evidence of inscriptions and archaeological research), which represents Gallienus as an active and able ruler, has been excellently presented by L. Homo in Rev. Hist., cxiii. pp. 1-22 ; 225-267. 8Cf. Tyr. Trig., xii. 8.
17
THE TWO GALLIENI
2 Gallieno igitur et Volusiano consulibus Macrianus et Ballista in unum coeunt, exercitus reliquias con- vocant et, cum Romanum in oriente nutaret imperium, quern facerent imperatorem requirunt, Gallieno tarn neglegenter se agente ut eius ne mentio quidem apud
3 exercitum fieret. placuit denique ut Macrianum cum filiis suis imperatores dicerent ac rem publicam de- fendendam . . capesserent sic igitur ...
4 imperium ... delatumest ... Macriano causae
Macriawo imperandi 1 cum filiis haec fuerunt :
primum quod nemo eo tempore sapientior ducum habebatur, nemo ad res regendas aptior ; deinde ditis- simus et qui privatis posset fortunis publica explere
6 dispendia. hue accedebat quod liberi eius, fortissimi iuvenes, tota mente in bellum ruebant, ut essent legionibus exemplo ad omnia munera 2 militaris..
II. Ergo Mzcrianus undique auxilia ... petiit
occupa^ a se ... partibus, quas ipse ... posuerat 1 ita ut Jirmaret imperium. deinde bellum ita instruxit ut par esset omnibus, quae contra eum poterant cogitari.3
2 idem Macrianus Pisonem, unum ex nobilibus ac4 principibus senatus, ad Achaiam destinavit ob hoc ut Valentem, qui illic proconsulari imperio rem publicam
Sgubernabat, opprimeret. sed Valens, comperto quod Piso contra se veniret, sumpsit imperium. Piso igitur
1 So P; lacunae closed up in Z". 2 munera suppl. by
Editor; lacuna in P. 3 Italics are supplements of Jordan to fill lacunae in P. 4 ac Kellerbauer, Hohl ; a P ; et Peter.
1 The date 261 is incorrect, for papyri show that Macrianus and Quietus were recognized as emperors in Egypt in Sept., 260. On this revolt see Tyr. Trig., xii-xiv. ; xviii. This vita, beginning as it does with this event, omits any account of Gallienus' success in repelling the Germans who attempted to
18
THE TWO GALLIENI I. 2— II. 3
So then, when Gallienus and Volusianus were 261 consuls, Macrianus and Ballista met together, called in the remains of the army, and, since the Roman power in the East was tottering, sought someone to appoint as emperor.1 For Gallienus was showing himself so careless of public affairs that his name was not even mentioned to the soldiers. It was then finally decided to choose Macrianus and his sons as emperors and to undertake the defence of the state. And so the imperial power was offered to Macrianus. Now the reasons why Macrianus and his sons should be chosen to rule were these : First of all, no one of the generals of that tune was held to be wiser, and none more suited to govern the state ; in the second place, he was the richest, and could by his private fortune make good the public losses. In addition to this, his sons, most valiant young men, rushed with all spirit into the war, ready to serve as an example to the legions in all the duties of soldiers.
II. Accordingly, Macrianus sought reinforcements on every side and, in order to strengthen his power, took control of the party which he himself had formed. So well did he make ready for war that he was a match for all measures which could be devised against him. He also chose Piso,'2 one of the nobles and of the foremost men in the senate, as governor of Achaea, in order that he might crush Valens,3 who was administer- ing that province with the authority of a proconsul. Valens, however, learning that Piso was marching against him, assumed the imperial power. Piso, therefore, withdrew into Thessaly, and there he,
invade Gaul in 254-258 or of his suppression of the revolt of Ingenuus in Pannonia in 258 or 259 (see Tyr. Trig., ix.). 2 See Tyr. Trig., xxi. 3 See Tyr. Trig., xix.
19
THE TWO GALLIENI
4 in Thessaliam se recepit. ubi missis a Valente militi- bus cum plurimis interfectus est. ipse quoque im- perator appellatus cognomento Thessalicus.
6 Et l Macrianus retento in oriente uno ex filiis, pacatis iam rebus, Asiam primum venit et 2 Illyricum
epetiit. in Illyrico cum Aureoli imperatoris, qui contra Gallienum imperium sumpserat, duce, Domitiano nomine, manum conseruit, unum ex filiis secum
7 habens et triginta milia militum ducens. sed victus est Macrianus cum filio Macriano nomine deditusque omnis exercitus Aureolo imperatori.
III. Turbata interim re publica toto penitus orbe terrarum, ubi Odaenathus comperit Macrianum cum filio interemptum, regnare Aureolum, Gallienum re- missius rem gerere,3 festinavit ad alterum filium Macriani cum exercitu, si hoc daret fortuna, capien-
2 dum. sed ii qui erant cum filio Macriani, Quieto nomine, consentientes Odaenatho auctore praefecto Macriani Ballista iuvenem occiderunt missoque per murum corpore Odaenatho se omnes affatim dedide-
3 runt, totius prope igitur orientis tactus est Odaenathus imperator, cum Illyricum teneret Aureolus, Romam
4Gallienus. idem4 Ballista multos Emesenos, ad quos confugerant Macriani milites, cum Quieto et thesau- rorum custode interfecit, ita ut civitas paene deleretur.
1 et Peter ; haec P. 3 et ins. by Peter ; om. in P and by
Hohl. 3rem gerere Salm., Peter; ingerere P. *idem Z Peter ; id est P.
1 See Tyr. Trig., xii. 14.
3 This statement (also in o. iii. 1) is incorrect, for Aureolus did not declare himself emperor until 268, and was at this time acting as Gallienus' general ; see note to Tyr. Trig.t xi. 1.
n See Tyr. Trig., xv.
20
THE TWO GALLIENI II. 4— III. 4
together with many, was slain by the soldiers sent against him by Valens. Now Piso, too, was saluted as emperor with the surname Thessalicus.
Macrianus, moreover, now that the East was brought into subjection, left there one of his sons, and came first of all into Asia, and from there set out for lllyricum. Here, having with him one of his sons and a force of thirty thousand soldiers, he engaged in battle with Domitianus,1 a general of Aureolus the emperor, who had assumed the imperial power in opposition to Gallienus.2 He was, however, defeated, together with his son, Macrianus by name, and his whole army surrendered to the Emperor Aureolus.
III. Meanwhile, when the commonwealth had been thrown into confusion throughout the entire world, Odaenathus,3 learning that Macrianus and his son had been slain, that Aureolus was ruling, and that Gallienus was administering the state with still greater slackness, hastened forward to seize the other son of Macrianus, together with his army, should Fortune so permit. But those who were with Macrianus' son — whose name was Quietus — taking sides with Odae- nathus, by the instigation of Ballista, Macrianus' prefect, killed the young man, and, casting his body over the wall, they all in large numbers surrendered to Odae- nathus. And so Odaenathus was made emperor over almost the whole East, while Aureolus held lllyricum and Gallienus Rome. This same Ballista murdered, in addition to Quietus and the guardian of his treasures, many of the people of Emesa,4 to whom Macrianus' soldiers had fled, with the result that this city was nearly destroyed. Odaenathus, meanwhile, as if
4 The city of Horns in central Syria.
21
THE TWO GALLIENI
5 Odaenathus inter haec, quasi Gallieni partes ageret, cuncta eidem mmtiari ex veritate faciebat.
6 Sed Gallienus, cognito quod Macrianus cum suis liberis esset occisus, quasi securus rerum ac patre iam
7recepto, libidini et voluptati se dedidit. ludos cir- censes ludosque scaenicos, ludos gymnicos, ludiariam etiam venationem et ludos gladiatorios dedit popu- lumque quasi victorialibus diebus ad festivitatem ac
Splausum vocavit. et cum plerique patris eius cap- tivitatem maererent, ille specie decoris, quod pater eius virtutis studio deceptus videretur, supra modum
9 laetatus est. constabat autem censuram parentis eum
ferre non potuisse votivumque l illi fuisse quod inmi-
nentem cervicibus suis gravitatem patriamnon haberet.
IV. Per idem tempus Aemilianus apud Aegyptum
sumpsit imperium occupatisque horreis multa oppida
2malo famis pressit. sed hunc dux Gallieni Theodotus conflictu habito cepit atque imperatoriw ornamentis exutum Gallieno vivum transmisit. Aegyptus post haec Theodoto data est ; Aemilianus in carcere strangulatus ; in Thebaitanos milites quoque saevitum est interfectis co?npluribus.2
3 Cum Gallienus in luxuria et improbitate persisteret cumque ludibriis et helluationi vacaret neque aliter rem publicam gereret, quam cum pueri fingunt per ludibria potestates, Galli, quibus insitum est leves ac degenerantes a virtute Romaiia et luxuriosos principes
1 que ins. by Klotz : cum . . . potuisset Peter, Hohl. a Italics are supplements of Obrecht to fill lacunae in P (cf . Tyr. Trig., xxii. 8).
1 On the contrary, he seems, after suppressing the revolt of Ingenuus (see note to c. i. 1), to have returned to Gaul to take up the war against Postumns (cf. c. iv. 4)
2 See Tyr. Trig., xxii.
22
THE TWO GALLIENI III. 5— IV. S
taking the side of Gallienus, caused all that had happened to be announced to him truthfully.
Gallienus, on the other hand, when he learned that Macrianus and his sons were slain, as though he were secure in his power and his father were now set free, surrendered himself to lust and pleasure.1 He gave spectacles in the circus, spectacles in the theatre, gymnastic spectacles, hunting spectacles, and gladia- torial spectacles also, and he invited all the populace to merriment and applause, as though it were a day of victory. And whereas most men mourned at his father's captivity, he, under the pretext of doing him honour — on the ground that his father had been caught through his zeal for valour — made merry be- yond measure. It was generally supposed, moreover, that he could not endure his father's censure and that it was his desire to feel no longer his father's authority bearing heavily upon his neck.
IV. During this same time Aemilianus 2 in Egypt took the imperial power, and seizing the granaries he overcame many towns by the pressure of hunger. However, Theodotus, Gallienus' general, after fight- ing a battle captured him, and stripping him of his emperor's trappings sent him alive to Gallienus. After this Egypt was assigned to Theodotus. As for Aemilianus, he was strangled in prison, while the soldiers of Thebes were cruelly punished and many were put to death.
Now while Gallienus, continuing in luxury and debauchery, gave himself up to amusements and revel- ling and administered the commonwealth like a boy who plays at holding power, the Gauls, by nature unable to endure princes who are frivolous and given over to luxury and have fallen below the standard of
SS
THE TWO GALLIENI
ferre non posse, Postumum ad imperium vocarunt, exercitibus quoque1 consentientibus, quod occupatum 4 imperatorem libidinibus querebantur. contra hunc ip.se Gallienus exercitum duxit ; cumque urbem, in qua erat Posturaus, obsidere coepisset, acriter earn defen- dentibus2 Gallis, Gallienus rauros circumiens sagitta
6 ictus est. nam per annos septem Postumus imperavit ct Gallias ab omnibus circumfluentibus barbaris validis-
6sime vindicavit. his coactus malis Gallienus pacem cum Aureolo facit oppugnandi Postumi studio longo- que bello tracto per diversas obsidiones ac proelia rem
7 modo feliciter modo infeliciter gerit. accesserat prae- terea his malis,3 quod Scythae Bithyniam invaserant
8 civitatesque deleverant. denique Astacum,4 quae Nicomedia postea dicta est, incensam graviter vasta-
gverunt. denique quasi coniuratione totius mundi concussis orbis partibus etiam in Sicilia quasi quoddam servile bellum exstitit latronibus evagantibus, qui vix V. oppress! sunt. et haec omnia Gallieni contemptu fiebant. neque enim quicquam est ad audaciam malis, ad spem bonorum bonis promptius, quam cum vel malus timetur vel 5 dissolutus contemnitur imperator.
1 quoque Peter ; qui P. 2 So Salm. to fill lacunae in P.
8 malis Z1, Peter ; magis P. 4 Astacum Egnatius, Peter 1 ;
contum P. 5 uel 2, Peter ; om. in P.
1 On the revolt of Postumus, see Tyr. Trig., iii. and notes.
9 But see note to Tyr. Trig., iii. 4.
3Bilt see note to Tyr. Trig., xi. 1. In fact, Aureolus was entrusted, during Gallienus' absence, with the conduct of the war against Postumus, but he did not push the campaign very vigorously; see Zonaras, xii. 24.
4 Gallienus seems to have been called away in the course of the war, but he returned to it later on ; see c. vii. 1. The cause of the interruption raay have been the raid of the
24
THE TWO GALLIENI IV. 4— V. i
Roman valour, called Postumus to the imperial power ; l and the armies, too, joined with them, for they com- plained of an emperor who was busied with his lusts. Thereupon Gallienus himself led his army against him, and when he began to besiege the city in which Postumus was, the Gauls defended it bravely, and GaJlienus, as he went around the walls, was struck by an arrow. So for seven years 2 Postumus held his power and with the greatest vigour protected the regions of Gaul from all the barbarians surging about. Forced by this evil plight, Gallienus made peace with Aureolus 3 in his desire to fight with Postumus, and, as the war dragged on to great length amid various sieges and battles, he conducted the campaign, now with good success and again with ill.4 These evils had been further increased by the fact that the Scythians 5 had invaded Bithynia and destroyed its cities. Finally they set fire to Astacus, later called Nicomedia, and plundered it cruelly. Last of all, when all parts of the Empire were thrown into commotion, as though by a conspiracy of the whole world, there arose in Sicily also a sort of slave- revolt, for bandits roved about and were put down only with great difficulty. V. All these things were done out of contempt for Gallienus, for there is noth- ing so quick to inspire evil men to daring and good men to the hope of good things as an evil emperor who is feared or a depraved one who is despised.
Alamanni, who about this time invaded northern Italy as far as Ravenna, but were defeated by Gallienus at Milan; see Zonaras, xii. 24.
5 Throughout these biographies the term Scythian is often used for Goth, as had been done regularly by Dexippus. This invasion of Bithynia seems to have taken place in 258.
25
THE TWO GALLIENI
2 Gallieno et Fausiano l consulibus inter tot bellicas clades etiam terrae motus gravissimus fuit et tenebrae
3 per multos dies 2 ; auditum praeterea tonitruum terra mugiente, non love tonante. quo motu multae fabri- cae devoratae sunt cum habitatoribus, multi terrore emortui ; quod quidem malum tristius in Asiae urbibus
4 fuit. mota est et Roma, mota et Libya, hiatus terrae plurimis in locis fuerunt, cum aqua salsa in fossis ap-
5 pareret. maria etiam multas urbes occuparunt. pax igitur deum quaesita inspectis Sibyllae libris, fac- tumque lovi Salutari, ut praeceptum fuerat, sacrificium. nam et pestilentia tanta exstiterat vel Romae vel in Achaicis urbibus, ut uno die quiiique milia hominum pari morbo perirent.
6 Saeviente fortuna, cum hinc terrae motus, inde hiatus soli, ex diversis partibus pestilentia orbem Romaiiam vastaret, capto Valeriano, Gallis parte maxima obsessis, cum bellum Odaenathus inferret, cum Aureolus perurgueret Illyricum,3 cum Aemilianus Aegyptum occupasset, Gothorwwz pars 4 . . ., quod nome?t, ut& dictum est superius, Gothis inditum est, occupatis Thraciis, Macedoniam vastaverunt, Thessa- lonicam obsederunt, neque usquam quies mediocriter
1 Fausiano from C.I.L. xiv. 5357 ; Faustiano P. 2 dies om. in P. 3 Illyricum ins. by Salm. ; lacuna in P.
4 So Hohl; gotharidodius P corr., 2; GotJwri Clodius Peter.
5 So Jordan ; a quo dictum P.
1 Salutaris is included by Cicero (de Finibus, iii. 66) among tbe cognomina of Jupiter, and dedicatory inscriptions to lovi Optimo Maximo Salutari have been found at Rome.
2 It had previously raged in the East and wrought great havoc among the troops of Valerian ; see Zosimus, i. 36. For a vivid description of its ravages in Egypt, see Eusebius, Hist. Eccles., vii. 22.
8 The Goths invaded Macedonia and besieged Thessalonioa
26
THE TWO GALLIENI V. 2-6
In the consulship of Gallienus and Fausianus, 26 amid so many calamities of war, there was also a ter- rible earthquake and a darkness for many days. There was heard, besides, the sound of thunder, not like Jupiter thundering, but as though the earth were roaring. And by the earthquake many structures were swallowed up together with their inhabitants, and many men died of fright. This disaster, indeed, was worst in the cities of Asia ; but Rome, too, was shaken and Libya also was shaken. In many places the earth yawned open, and salt water appeared in the fissures. Many cities were even overwhelmed by the sea. Therefore the favour of the gods was sought by consulting the Sibylline Books, and, according to their command, sacrifices were made to Jupiter Salutaris.1 For so great a pestilence,2 too, had arisen in both Rome and the cities of Achaea that in one single day five thousand men died of the same disease.
While Fortune thus raged, and while here earth- quakes, there clefts in the ground, and in divers places pestilence, devastated the Roman world, while Valerian was held in captivity and the provinces of Gaul were, for the most part, beset, while Odaenathus was threatening war, Aureolus pressing hard on Illy- ricum, and Aemilianus in possession of Egypt, a por- tion of the Goths . . . which name, as has previously been related, was given to the Goths, having seized Thrace and plundered Macedonia, laid siege to Thes- salonica,3 and nowhere was hope of peace held out,
in 253 or 254 (Zosirnus, i. 29, 2), but, if the chronological order is reliable, this would seem to be a later incursion, in 262, in the course of which they were driven back by Marcianus ; see c. vi. 1 — unless, as is not improbable, this notice belongs to the invasion of 267, described in o. xiii. 6 f.
87
THE TWO GALLIENI
7 saltern1 ostentata 2 est. quae omnia contemptu, ut saepius diximus, Gallieni fiebant, horainis luxuriosis- simi et, si esset securus, ad omne dedecus paratissimi.
VI. Pugnatum est in Achaia Marciano duce contra eosdera Gothos, unde victi per Achaeos recesserunt.
2 Scythae autem, hoc est pars Gothorum, Asiam vasta- bant. etiam templum Lunae Ephesiae despoliatum et incensum est, cuius operis faraa satis nota per 3 populos.
3 pudet prodere inter haec tempora, cum ista gereren- tur, quae saepe Gallienus malo generis humani quasi
4 per iocura dixerit. nam cum ei nuntiatura esset Aegyptum descivisse, dixisse fertur : " Quid ? sine
5 lino Aegyptio esse non possumus ! ' cum autem vas- tatam Asiam et elementorum concussionibus et Scy- tharum incursionibus comperisset, "Quid," inquit,
6 " sine aphronitris esse non possumus ! ' perdita Gallia risisse ac dixisse perhibetur : " Num sine Atrebaticis
7sagis tuta res publica est?" sic denique de omnibus partibus mundi, cum eas amitteret,4 quasi detrimentis
8 vilium ministeriorum videretur affici, iocabatur. ac ne quid mali deesset Gallieni temporibus, Byzantiorum civitas, clara navalibus bellis, claustrum Ponticum, per eiusdem Gallieni milites ita omnis vastata est, ut pror-
9sas nemo superesset. denique nulla vetus familia
1 saltern Ellis, Hohl ; salutem P, 2, Peter2. 2So Salm., Petf-r1, Hohl; ostentare P, Z. 8So Petschenig, Hohl;
fama satis nota ]>o];nlos P. 4 amitteret E\ mitteret P.
1 See note to c. v. •'•; on AJarcianus' later victory see c. xiii. 10 and Zosimus, i. 40, 1.
H.e., the famous temple of Artemis; this invasion (men- tioned also in c. vii. 3) was in 263.
3 The Atrebates lived in northern Gaul, around the modern Arras, later famous for its tapestry, but the centre of the in- dustry in antiquity seems to have been Turnacum (Tournai).
THE TWO GALLIEN1 V. 7— VI. 9
even to a slight degree. All these things, as I have frequently said, were done out of contempt for Gal- lienus. a man given over to luxury and ever ready,
' O » , "
did he feel free from danger, for any disgraceful deed. VI. Against these same Goths a battle was fought
O o
in Achaea under the leadership of Marcianus,1 and being defeated they withdrew from there through the
O * O
country of the Achaeans. The Scythians — they are
* » •
a portion of the Goths — devastated Asia and even plundered and burned the Temple of the Moon at Ephesus,- the fame of which building is known through all nations. 1 am ashamed to relate what Gallienus used often to say at this time, when such
*
things were happening, as though jesting amid the ills of mankind. For when he was told of the revolt of Egypt, he is said to have exclaimed " What ! We cannot do without Egyptian linen ! ' and when in- formed that Asia had been devastated both by the violence of nature and by the inroads of the Scythians.
» »
he said, " What ! We cannot do without saltpetre I ' and when Gaul was lost, he is reported to have laughed and remarked, " Can the commonwealth be
safe without Atrebatic3 cloaks?" Thus, in short, with regard to all parts of the world, as he lost them, he would jest, as though seeming to have suffered the loss of some article of tritling service. And finally, that no disaster might be lacking to his times, the city of Byzantium, famed for its naval wars and the
» w
key to the Pontus. was destroyed by the soldiers of
•/ • »
Gallienus himself so completely, that not a single soul survived.4 In fact, no ancient family can now be
4 The cause of this outbreak is unknown ; on the punish- ment inflicted, see c. vii. 2.
THE TWO GALLIENI
apud Byzantios invenitur, nisi si aliquis peregrinatione vel militia occupatus evasit, qui antiquitatem generis nobilitatemque repraesentet.
VII. Contra Postumum igitur Gallienus cum Aureolo et Claudio duce, qui postea imperium obtinuit, principe generis Constantii Caesaris nostri, bellum iniit. et cum 1 multis auxiliis Postumus iuvaretur Celticis atque Francicis, in bellum cum Victorino processit, cum quo imperium parti ipaverat. victrix Gallieni pars tuit
2 pluribus proeliis eventuum variatione - decursis. erat in Gallieno subitae virtutis audacia, nam aliquando iniuriis graviter movebatur. denique ad vindictam Byzantiorum processit. et cum non putaret recipi se posse muris, receptus alia die omnes milites inermes armatorum corona circumdatos interemit, fracto foe-
3 dere quod promiserat. per eadem tempora etiam Scythae in Asia Romanorum ducum virtute ac ductu vastati ad propria recesserunt.
4 Interfectis sane militibus apud Byzantium Gallienus, quasi magnum aliquid gessisset, Romam cursu rapido convolavit convocatisque patribus decennia celebravit novo genere ludorum, nova specie pomparum, ex-
VIII. quisito genere voluptatum. iam primum inter togatos patres et equestrem ordinem albato milite 3 et omni populo praeeunte, servis etiam prope omnium et
1 So Gruter and Peter; incitet cum P. *uariatioiie Gas. ; rationeP,2. 3 albato milite Baehrens, Peter2; albatos
milites P.
1 See c. iv. 6 and note.
,2 See Claud., xiii. 2 and note. 3See Tyr. Trig., vi.
4 The Decennalia were celebrated in the autumn of 262, at the beginning of the tenth year after Gallienus' joint accession with Valerian ; the festival was commemorated by an issue of
SO
THE TWO GALLIENI VII. 1— Vlll. 1
found among the Byzantines, unless some member, engaged in travel or warfare, escaped to perpetuate the antiquity and noble descent of his stock.
VII. Gallienus, then, entered into war against Postumus,1 having with him Aureolus and the general Claudius, afterwards emperor and the head of the family of Constantius our Caesar.2 And Postumus, too, with many auxiliary troops of Celts and Franks ad- vanced to the fight, in company with Victorinus,3 with whom he had shared the imperial power. After several battles had been fought with varying outcome, the side of Gallienus was finally victorious. In fact, Gallienus had the boldness of suddenly aroused valour, for at times he was violently stirred by af- fronts. Then finally he went forth to avenge the wrongs of the Byzantines. And whereas he had no expectation of being received within the walls, he was admitted next day, and then, after placing a ring of armed men around the disarmed soldiers, contrary to the agreement he had made he caused them all to be slain. During this time, too, the Scythians in Asia were routed by the courage and skill of the Roman generals and retired to their own abode.
Now Gallienus, after the slaughter of the soldiers at Byzantium, as though he had performed some mighty feat, hastened to Rome in a rapid march, convened the senators, and celebrated a decennial festival with new kinds of spectacles, new varieties of parades, and the most elaborate sort of amusements.4 VI II. First of all, he repaired to the Capitol with the senators and the equestrian order dressed in their togas and with the soldiers dressed all in white, and
coins with the legends Votis Decennalibus and Votis Xet XX ; see Matt.-Syd., v. p. 138, nos. 92-96.
31
THE TWO GALLIENI
mulieribus cum cereis facibus et lampadis praece-
2 dentibus Capitolium petiit. praecesserunt etiara altrinsecus centeni albi boves cornuis auro iugatis et
3 dorsualibus sericis discoloribus praefulgentes ; agnae candentes ab utraque parte ducentae praecesserunt et decem elephant!, qui tune erant Romae, mille ducenti gladiatores pompabiliter ornati cum auratis vestibus matronarum, mansuetae ferae diversi generis ducentae ornatu quam maximo affectae, carpenta cum mimis et omni genere histrionum, pugiles flacculis non veritate pugillantes. Cyclopea etiam luserunt omnes apinarii, ita ut miranda quaedam et stupenda monstrarent.
4 omnes viae ludis strepituque et plausibus personabant. 5ipse medius cum picta toga et tunica palmata inter
patres, ut diximus, omnibus sacerdotibus praetextatis
6 Capitolium petiit. hastae auratae altrinsecus quin- genae, vexilla centena praeter ea quae collegiorum erant, dracones et signa templorum omniumque
7 legionum ibant. ibant praeterea gentes simulatae, ut
lflacculi occurs only here, but it may perhaps be the same as the i/icWe? ol fiaXaKwrepoi in use at Elis in Pausaniaa' time (see Paus., vi. 23, 3), or the oldest typa of the boxing- straps, the untanned ^fiAlxai, contrasted in Paus., viii. 40, 3 with the harder 1/jia.s b£vs, a development of which was the metal-studded cestus.
2Apina, supposed to have been the name of a town in Apulia (Pliny, Nat. Hist., iii. 104), seems to have been used, in the plural, like tricae, to denote trifles; it is applied thus to literary work of a light nature (nugae) by Martial, i. 113, 2; xiv. 1, 7. Hence the adjective may be supposed to mean " buffoons."
8 The Cyclops Polyphemus seems in the Hellenistic period to have become a figure in low farcical comedy, perhaps somewhat as represented in the burlesque in Aristophanes, Plutus, 290 f., both as the lover of Galatea and as a comic
THE TWO GALLIENI VIII. 2-7
with all the populace going ahead, while the slaves of almost all and the women preceded them, bearing waxen flambeaux and torches. There preceded them, too, on each side one hundred white oxen, having their horns bound with golden cords and resplendent in many-coloured silken covers ; also two hundred lambs of glistening white went ahead on each side, besides ten elephants, which were then in Rome, and twelve hundred gladiators decked with all pomp, and matrons in golden cloaks, and two hundred tamed beasts of divers kinds, tricked out with the greatest splendour, and waggons bearing pantomimists and actors of every sort, and boxers who fought, not in genuine combat, but with the softer straps.1 All the buffoons2 also acted a Cyclops-performance,3 giving exhibitions that were marvellous and astonishing. So all the streets resounded with merry-making and shouts and applause, and in the midst the Emperor himself, wearing the triumphal toga and the tunic embroidered with palms, and accompanied, as I have said, by the senators and with all the priests dressed in bordered togas, proceeded to the Capitol. On each side of him were borne five hundred gilded spears and one hundred banners, besides those which belonged to the corporations, and the flags of auxili- aries and the statues from the sanctuaries 4 and the standards of all the legions. There marched, further- more, men dressed to represent foreign nations, as
drunkard. In this latter capacity especially he appeared in the Roman mimes (see Horace, Sat.t i. 5, 04, and Epist., ii. 2. 125), and the Cyclopea mentioned here and in Car., xix. 3, probably consisted of comic dancing or, possibly, comic feats of strength.
4 i.e. , those in the camps of the legions, as also in Herodian, iv. 4, 8.
THE TWO GALLIENI
Gothi, Sarmatae, Franci, Persae, ita ut non minus quam duceni globis singulis ducerentur.
IX. Hac pompa homo ineptus eludere se credidit populum Romanum, sed, ut sunt Romanorum facetiae, alius Postumo favebat, alius Regaliano, alius Aureolo aut Aemiliano, alius Saturnine, nam et ipse iam im-
2 perare dicebatur. inter haec ingens querella de patre, quern inultum filius Hquerat, et quern externi utcumque
3 vindicaverant. nee tamen Gallienus ad talia move- batur obstupefacto voluptatibus corde, sed ab iis qui circum eum erant requirebat : " Ecquid habemus in prandio ? ecquae voluptates paratae sunt ? et qualis
4 eras erit scaena qualesque circenses?" sic confecto itinere celebratisque hecatombis ad domum regiam rediit conviviisque et epulis decursis 1 alios dies
5 voluptatibus publicis deputabat. praetereundum non est baud ignobile facetiarum genus, nam cum grex 2 Persarum quasi captivorum per pompam (rem ridi- culam) duceretur, quidam scurrae miscuerunt se Persis, diligentissime scrutantes omiiia atque uniuscuiusque
6 vultum mira inhiatione rimantes.3 a quibus cum quaereretur quidnam agerent4 ilia sollertia, illi re-
jsponderunt: " Patrem principis quaerimus." quod cum ad Gallienum pervenisset, non pudore, non maerore, non pietate commotus est scurrasque iussit
8 vivos exuri. quod populus factum tristius, quam quis- quam aestimet, tulit, milites vero ita doluerunt ut non multo post vicem redderent.
1 decursis Eyssenhardt, Petschenig, Hohl; depulsis P, Peter. 2rac P. 3 rimantes Ellis, Walter, Damste";
mirantes P, Peter. 4 agerent Jordan ; ageret P, Peter.
Tyr. Trig., x. 2See Tyr. Trig., xxiii.
3 i.e., Odaenathus; see c. x. 1-3.
54
THE TWO GALL1ENI IX. 1-8
Goths and Sarmatians, Franks and Persians, and no fewer than two hundred paraded in a single group.
IX. By this procession the foolish man thought to delude the people of Rome ; nevertheless — for such is the Romans' love of a jest — one man kept support- ing Postumus, another Regalianus,1 another Aureolus or Aemilianus, and another Saturninus 2 — for he, too, was now said to be ruling. Amid all this there was loud lamentation for the father whom the son had left unavenged and for whom foreigners had tried, in one way or another, to exact a vengeance.3 Gallienus, however, was moved to no such deed, for his heart was dulled by pleasure, but he merely kept asking of those about him, " Have we anything planned for luncheon ? Have any amusements been arranged ? What manner of play will there be to-morrow and what manner of circus-games ? " So, having finished the procession, he offered hecatombs and returned to the royal residence, and then, the banquets and feastings having come to an end, he appointed further days for the public amuse- ments. One well-known instance of jesting, however, must not be omitted. As a band of Persians, supposed to be captives, was being led along in the procession (such an absurdity !), certain wits mingled with them and most carefully scrutinized all, examining with open-mouthed astonishment the features of every one ; and when asked what they meant by that sagacious investigation, they replied, " We are searching for the Emperor's father/' When this incident was reported to Gallienus, unmoved by shame or grief or filial affec- tion, he ordered the wits to be burned alive — a measure which angered the people more than anyone would suppose, but so grieved the soldiers that not much later they requited the deed.
35
THE TWO GALLIENI
X. Gallieno et Saturnine consulibus Odaenathus rex Palmyrenorum obtinuit totius orientis imperium, idcirco praecipue quod se fortibus factis dignum tantae maiestatis infulis declaravit, Gallieno aut nullas aut
2 luxuriosas aut ineptas et ridiculas res agente. deni- que statim bellum Persis in vindictam Valerian!, quam
3eius filius neglegebat, indixit. Xisibin et Carrhas statim occupat tradentibus sese Nisibenis atque Car-
4 rhenis et increpantibus Gallienum. nee defuit tamen reverentia Odaeiiathi circa Gallienum. nam captos satrapas insultandi prope gratia et ostentandi sui ad
5 eum misit. qui cum Romam deducti essent, vincente Odaenatho triumphavit Gallienus nulla mentione pa- tris facta, quern ne inter deos quidem nisi coactus ret- tulit, cum mortuum audisset, sed adhuc viventem,
6 nam de illius morte falso compererat. Odaenathus autem ad Ctesiphontem Parthorum multitudinem ob- sedit vastatisque circum omnibus locis innumeros
7 homines interemit. sed cum satrapae omnes ex omnibus rejjionibus illuc defeiisionis communis gratia
O ™
convolassent, fuerunt longa et varia proelia, longior
8 tamen Romana victoria, et cum nihil aliud ageret nisi ut Valeriamim Odaenathus liberaret, instabat cottidie, at : locorum difficultatibus in alieno solo imperator optimus laborabat.
1at Gas., Peter; ac P, Hohl.
1See Tyr. Trig., xv. 1 and note.
- As a matter of fact, he was acting as the general of Gallienus and under his command.
3 Coins of 264, celebrating this triumph, show Gallienus in a four-hor-e chariot ; see Matt.-Syd. v. pp. 166-167, nos. 412-413. The cognomina Persicus Maximus and Parthicus Maximus are found in papyri and inscriptions.
36
THE TWO GALLIENI X. 1-8
X. In the consulship of Gallienus and Saturninus 264 Odaenathus, king of the Palmyrenes, held the rule over the entire East l — chiefly for the reason that by his brave deeds he had shown himself worthy of the insignia of such great majesty, whereas Gallienus was doing nothing at all or else only what was extravagant, or foolish and deserving of ridicule. Now at once he proclaimed a war on the Persians to exact for Valerian the vengeance neglected by Valerian's son. He immediately occupied Xisibis and Carrhae, the people of which surrendered, reviling Gallienus. Neverthe- less, Odaenathus showed no lack of respect toward Gallienus, for he sent him the satraps he captured — though, as it seemed, merely for the purpose of in- sulting him and displaying his own prowess.2 After these had been brought to Rome, Gallienus held a triumph because of Odaenathus' victory;3 but he still made no mention of his father and did not even place him among the gods, when he heard he was dead, until compelled to do so4 — although in fact Valerian was still alive, for the news of his death was untrue. Odaenathus, besides, besieged an army of Parthians at Ctesiphon and devastated all the country round about, killing men without number. But when all the satraps from all the outlying regions flocked together to Ctesiphon for the purpose of common defence, there were long-lasting battles with varying results, but more long-lasting still was the success of the Romans. Moreover, since Odaenathus' sole purpose was to set Valerian free, he daily pressed onward, but this best of commanders, now on a foreign soil, suffered greatly because of the difficult ground.
4 There is no other evidence of Valerian's consecration.
37
THE TWO GALLIENI
XI. Dum haec apud Persas geruntur, Scythae in Cappadociam pervaserunt. illic captis civitatibus bello etiam vario diu acto se l ad Bithyniam contulerunt.
2 quare milites iterum de novo imperatore faciendo cogitarunt. quos omnes Gallienus more suo, cum placare atque ad gratiam suam reducere non posset, occidit.
3 Cum tamen sibi milites dignum principem quaere- rent, Gallienus apud Athenas archoii erat, id est sum- mus magistratus, vanitate ilia, qua et civis adscribi de-
4siderabat et sacris omnibus interesse. quod neque Hadrianus in summa felicitate neque Antoninus in adulta fecerat pace, cum tanto studio Graecarum docti^ sint litterarum ut raro aliquibus doctissimis
5 magnorum arbitrio cesserint virorum. Areopagitarum praeterea cupiebat ingeri numero contempta prope re
Gpublica. fuit enim Gallienus, quod negari non potest, oratione. poemate atque omnibus artibus clarus.
7 huius illud est epithalamion, quod inter centum poetas praecipuum fuit. nam cum fratrum suorum filios iungeret, et omnes poetae Graeci Latinique epitha- lamia dixissent, idque per dies plurimos, ille, cum
1acto se Salm. ; actos P. 2docti P, 27; ducti Baehrens,
Peter, Hohl.
1This invasion of Cappadocia is mentioned in Zosimus, i. 28, 1, as in the year 252 or 253, whereas it actually took place in 264.
38
THE TWO GALLIENI XI. 1-7
XI. While these events were happening among the Persians, the Scythians made their way into Cap- padocia.1 After capturing many cities there and waging war for a long time with varying success, they betook themselves to Bithynia. Wherefore the soldiers again considered the choosing of a new emperor ; but since he could not placate them or win their support, Gallienus, after his usual fashion, put all of them to death.
Just, however, when the soldiers were looking for a worthy prince, Gallienus was holding the office of archon — chief magistrate, that is — at Athens, showing that same vanity which also made him desire to be enrolled among its citizens and even take part in all its sacred rites — which not even Hadrian had done at the height of his prosperity or Antoninus during a long-established peace,2 and these emperors, too, were schooled by so much study of Greek letters that in the judgement of great men they were scarcely inferior to the most learned scholars. He desired, furthermore, to be included among the members of the Areopagus, almost as though he despised public affairs. For indeed it cannot be denied that Gallienus won fame in oratory, poetry, and all the arts. His, too, is the epithalamium which had the chief place among a hundred poets. For, when he was joining in marriage the children of his brothers, and all the poets, both Greek and Latin, had recited their epithalamia, and that for very many days, Gallienus, holding the hands of the bridal pair,
2 Hadrian had been archon at Athens, but before hia accession to power (see Hadr.t xix. 1), and both he and Marcus Aurelius were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries (Hadr.t xiii. 1; Marc., xxvii. 1).
39
THE TWO GALLIENI
maims sponsorum teneret, ut quidam dicunt, saepius l ita dixisse fertur :
8 Ite, agite,2 o pueri, pariter sudate medullis omnibus inter vos, non murmura vestra columbae, brachia noil hederae, non vincant oscula conchae.
9 longum est eius versus orationesque conectere, quibus suo tempore tarn inter3 poetas quam inter rhetores emicuit. sed aliud in imperatore quaeritur, aliud in oratore vel poeta flagitatur.
XII. Laudatur sane eius optimum factum. nam consulatu 4 Valeriani fratris sui et Lucilli propinqui, ubi comperit ab Odaenatho Persas vastatos, redactam Nisibin et Carrhas in potestatem Romanam, omnem Mesopotamiam nostram, denique Ctesiphontem esse perventum, fugisse regem, captos satrapas, plurimos Persarum occisos, Odaenathum participate imperio Augustum vocavit eiusque monetam, qua Persas captos traheret, cudi iussit. quod et senatus et urbs et omnis aetas gratanter accepit.
2 Fuit praeterea idem ingeniosissimus, cuius osten-
Sdendi acuminis5 scilicet pauca libet ponere : nam
cum taurum ingentem in arenam misisset, exissetque
ad eum feriendum venator 6 neque productum decies
1 sa*)pius Gas., Hohl ; sceptus P; o-KanmKuis Oberdick, Peter2. 2ait P. 8 in P. * consulatu Czwalina,
Peter2; consulta P, 2. *ostendendi acuminis Madvig,
Hohl ; ostendentia cum in his P. 6 uector P.
1 Found also in the lost "Codex Bellovacensis " of Binetus (Riese, Anth. Lat.t i. 2, p. 17G, no. 711 = Baehrens, P.L.lf., iv. pp. 103 104) with the addition of two more lines : " Ludite : sed vigiles nolite extinguere lychnos. | Omnia nocte vident, nil eras meminere lucernae."
40
THE TWO GALLIENI XL 8— XII. 3
so it is reported, is said to have recited repeatedly the following verses :
"Come now, my children, grow heated together in
deep-seated passion, Never, indeed, may the doves outdo your billings and
cooings, Never the ivy your arms, or the clinging of sea-shells
your kisses." l
It would be too long a task to collect all his verses and speeches, which made him illustrious among both the poets and the rhetoricians of his own time. But it is one thing that is desired in an emperor, and another that is demanded of an orator or a poet.
XII. One excellent deed of his, to be sure, is mentioned with praise. For in the consulship of his 265 brother Valerian and his kinsman Lucillus, when he learned that Odaenathus had ravaged the Persians, brought Nisibis and Carrhae under the sway of Rome, made all of Mesopotamia ours, and finally arrived at Ctesiphon, put the king to flight, captured the satraps and killed large numbers of Persians, he gave him a share in the imperial power, conferred on him the name Augustus,2 and ordered coins to be struck in his honour, which showed him haling the Persians into captivity. This measure the senate, the city, and men of every age received with approval.
Gallienus, furthermore, was exceedingly clever, and I wish to relate a few actions of his in order to show his wit. Once, when a huge bull was led into the arena, and a huntsman came forth to fight him but was unable to slay the bull though it was brought out
aTbis is incorrect ; see note to Tyr. Trig., xv. 1.
41
THE TWO GALL1ENI
4potuisset occidere, coronam venatori misit, mussanti- busque cunctis, quid rei esset quod homo ineptissimus coronaretur, ille per curionem dici iussit : " Tauruin
5totiens non ferire difficile est". idem, cum quidam gemmas vitreas pro veris 1 vendidisset eius uxori, atque ilia re prodita vindicari vellet, subripi quasi ad leonem venditorem iussit, deinde e cavea caponem emitti, mirantibusque cunctis rem tarn ridiculam per curionem dici iussit : " Imposturam fecit et passus est". deinde negotiatorem dimisit.
6 Occupato tamen Odaenatho bello Persico, Gallieno rebus ineptissimis, ut solebat, incubante Scythae navi- bus factis Heracleam pervenerunt atque inde cum praeda in solum proprium reverterunt, quamvis multi naufragio perierint navalive 2 bello superati sint.
XIII. Per idem tempus Odaenathus insidiis con- sobrini sui interemptus est cum filio Herode, quern et
2 ipsum imperatorem appellaverat. turn 3 Zenobia, uxor eius, quod parvuli essent filii eius qui supererant, Herennianus et Timolaus, ipsa suscepit imperium
3 diuque rexit non muliebriter neque more femineo, sed non solum Gallieno, quo quaeque 4 virgo melius im- perare potuisset, verum etiam multis imperatoribus
4 fortius atque sollertius. Gallienus sane, ubi ei nun- tiatum Odaenathum interemptum, bellum Persis ad seram nimis vindictam patris paravit collectisque per
1 ue fas pro uitrels P, 2. 2 ue ins. by Bitschofsky ; om.
inP; nauali .... sint del. by Peter. zcum P. Peter2; quoc[iie P ; quo quae Hohl.
1 Mod. Benderegli on the northern coast of Bithynia ; this seems to have been in 266.
2 See Tyr. Trig., xv. 5 ; xvii. 3 See Tyr. Trig., xvi.
THE TWO GALLIENI XII. 4— XIII. 4
ten times, he sent the huntsman a garland, and when, all the crowd wondered what it might mean that so foolish a fellow should be crowned with a garland, he bade a herald announce : " It is a difficult thing to miss a bull so many times." On another occasion, when a certain man sold his wife glass jewels instead of real, and she, discovering the fraud, wished the man to be punished, he ordered the seller to be haled off, as though to a lion, and then had them let out from the ca^e a capon, and when all were amazed at so absurd a proceeding, he bade the herald proclaim : " He practised deceit and then had it practised on him." Then he let the dealer go home.
But while Odaenathus was busied with the war against the Persians and Gallienus was devoting himself to most foolish pursuits, as was his custom, the Scythians built ships and advanced upon Hera- clea,1 and thence they returned with booty to their native land, although many were lost by shipwreck or defeated in a naval engagement.
XIII. About this same time Odaenathus was treacherously slain by his cousin,2 and with him his son H erodes,3 whom also he had hailed as emperor. Then Zenobia, his wife, since the sons who remained, Herennianus and Timolaus,4 were still very young, assumed the power herself and ruled for a long time,5 not in feminine fashion or with the ways ol a woman, but surpassing in courage and skill not merely Gallienus, than whom any girl could have ruled more success- fully, but also many an emperor. As for Gallienus, indeed, when he learned that Odaenathus was murdered, he made ready for war with the Persians —
4 See Tyr. Trig., xxvii-xxviii. 8See Tyr. Trig., xxx.
43
THE TWO GALLIENI
Heraclianum ducera militibus sollertis principis rera
5gerebat. qui tamen Heraclianus, cum contra Persas profectus esset, a Palmyrenis victus omnes quos para- verat milites perdidit, Zenobia Palmyrenis et orienta- libus plerisque viri liter imperaiite.
6 Inter haec Scythae per Euxinum navigantes His- trum ingressi multa gravia in solo Romano fecerunt. quibus compertis Gallienus Cleodamum et Athenaeum Byzantios instaurandis urbibus muniendisque praefecit, pugnatumque est circa Pontum, et a Byzantiis ducibus
7victi sunt barbari. Veneriano item duce navali l>ello Gothi superati sunt, cum ipse Venerianus militari
Speriit morte. atque inde Cyzicum et Asiam, deinceps Achaiam omnem vastaverunt et ab Atheniensibus duce Dexippo, scriptore horum temporum, victi sunt. unde pulsi per Epirum, Macedoniam, Boeotiam pervagati
9 sunt. Gallienus interea vix excitatus publicis mails Gothis vagaiitibus per Illyricum occurrit et fortuito plurimos interemit. quo comperto Scythae facta carragine per montem Gessacem fugere sunt conati.
1 If this is true, it means a breaking of the friendly relations which had hitherto existed between Rome ami Palmyra — perhaps an attempt to put an end to the unusual powers held by Zenobia — but we have no other evidence of it. Odae- nathus was killed sometime in 266-67, and in the summer of 26S Heraclianus was with Gallienus at Milan ; see c. xiv. 1.
2 This was the great invasion of the Eruli, a Germanic tribe, in 267. Setting forth with 500 ships from the Sea of Azov, they sailed into the mouth of the Danube. Gallienus, engaged in the war against Postumus, deputed the various generals here mentioned to deal with them, but despite their efforts the invaders overran Greece, even as far as the Peloponnese. They were defeated by Dexippus in an attempt to take Athens on their return northward, and again by
44
THE TWO GALLIENI XIII. 5-9
an over-tardy vengeance for his father — and, gather- ing an army with the help of the general Heraclianus, he plciyed the part of a skilful prince. This Hera- clianus, however, on setting out against the Persians, was defeated by the Palmyrenes and lost all the troops he had gathered,1 for Zenobia was ruling Palmyra and most of the East with the vigour of a man.
Meanwhile the Scythians sailed across the Black Sea and, entering the Danube, did much damage on Roman soil.2 Learning of this, Gallienus deputed Cleodamus and Athenaeus the Byzantines to repair and fortify the cities, and a battle was fought near the Black Sea, in which the barbarians were conquered by the Byzantine leaders. The Goths were also de- feated in a naval battle by the general Venerianus, though Venerianus himself died a soldier's death. Then the Goths ravaged Cyzicus and Asia and then all of Achaea, but were vanquished by the Athenians under the command of Dexippus, an historian of these times.3 Driven thence, they roved through Epirus, Macedonia and Boeotia. Gallienus, mean- while, roused at last by the public ills, met the Goths as they roved about in Illyricum, and, as it chanced, killed a great number. Learning of this, the Scythians, after making a barricade of wagons, at- tempted to escape by way of Mount Gessaces.4 Then Marcianus made war on all the Scythians with varying
Gallienus himself (who had left the war against Postumua and hurried to meet them) in a battle on the river Nestos, the boundary between Macedonia and Thrace. For a fuller account see Syncellus, p. 717.
3 See note to Alex., xlix. 3.
4 Unknown; perhaps Mt. Bhodope in Thrace.
45
THE TWO GALLIENI
lOomnes inde Scythas Marcianus varia bellorum fortuna
quae omnes Scythas ad rebellionem excitarunt.
XIV. Et haec quidem Heracliani ducis erga rem publicam devotio luit. verum cum Gallieni tantam improbitatem ferre non possent, consilium inierunt Marcianus et Heraclianus, ut alter eorum imperium
2caperet et Claudius quidem, ut suo dicemus
loco, vir omnium optimus, electus est, qui consilio non adfuerat, eaque apud cunctos reverentia, ut iuste dignus videretur imperio, quemadmodum postea com-
3 probatum est. is enim est Claudius, a quo Constantius,
4 vigilissimus Caesar, originem ducit. fuit iisdem socius in appetendo imperio quidam Ceronius sive Cecropius, dux Dalmatarum, qui eos et urbanissime et prudentis-
6 sime adiuvit. sed cum imperium capere vivo Gallieno non possent, huius modi eum insidiis adpetendum esse duxerunt, ut labem improbissimam malis fessa re publica a gubernaculis human! generis dimoverent, ne diutius theatre et circo addicta res publica per
6 voluptatum deperiret inlecebras. insidiarum genus fuit tale : Gallienus ab Aureolo, qui principatum invaserat, dissidebat, sperans cottidie gravem et in-
7tolerabilem tumultuarii imperatoris adventum. hoc
1 Gallienus, summoned home by the revolt of Aureolus (see note to c. xiv. 1), left Marcianus (cf. c. vi. 1) and Claudius (cf. Claud., vi. 1) to complete the victory and hurried to northern Italy.
2 According to the more complete accounts in Zosimus, i. 40 and Zonaras, xii. 25, Gallienus defeated Aureolus (at Pons Aureolus = Pontirolo, Aur. Victor, Caes.t 33, 18) and shut him up in Milan. There a conspiracy was made against Gallienus, which included Claudius and Aurelian as well as Heraclianus, the prefect of the guard. Later, an attempt was made to show that Claudius had nothing to do with it, as here and in Claud., i. 3, and a scene was even invented in which Gallienus
46
THE TWO GALLIENI XIII. 10— XIV. 7
success,1 which measures roused all the
Scythians to rebellion.
XIV. Such, in fact, was the devotion of the general Heraclianus to the commonwealth. But being un- able to endure further all the iniquities of Gallienus, Marcianus and Heraclianus formed a plan that one of
them should take the imperial power2 And
Claudius, in fact, was chosen, the best man of all, as we shall narrate ill the proper place. He had had no part in their plan, but was held by all in such respect that he seemed worthy of the imperial power, and justly so, as was proved by later events. For he is that Claudius from whom Constantius, our most watchful Caesar, derives his descent.3 These men had also as their comrade in seeking the power a certain Ceronius, or rather Cecropius, commander of the Dalmatians, who aided them with the greatest shrewdness and wisdom. But being unable to seize the power while Gallienus was still alive, they decided to proceed against him by a plot of the following nature, purpos- ing, now that the state was exhausted by disasters, to remove this most evil blot from the governance of the human race and to save the commonwealth, now given over to the theatre and circus, from going to de- struction through the allurements of pleasure. Now the nature of their plot was as follows : Gallienus was at enmity with Aureolus, who had seized upon the position of prince, and was daily expecting the coming of this usurping ruler — a serious and, indeed, an un- endurable thing. Being aware of this, Marcianus and
on his deathbed was represented as bestowing the imperial insignia on Claudius; see Aur. Victor, Goes., 33, 28; Epit., 34, 2. The evidence of papyri places the murder in July or August, 268.
8 See Claud., xiii. 2 and note.
47
THE TWO GALLIENI
scientes Marcianus et Cecropius subilo Gallieno ius-
8 serant uuntiari Aureolum iam venire, ille igitur militi- bus cogitatis quasi cerium processit ad proelium atque
9ita missis percussoribus interemptus est. et quidem Cecropii Dalmatarum ducis telo1 Gallienus dicitur esse percussus, ut quidam ferunt, circa Mediolanum, ubi continue et frater eius Valerianus est interemptus, quern multi Augustum, multi Caesarem, multi neutrum lOfuisse dicunt. quod veri simile non est, si quidem capto iam Valeriano scriptum invenimus in fastis : "Valeriano imperatore consule." quis igitur alius 11 potuit esse Valerianus nisi Gallieni frater ? constat de genere, non satis tamen constat de dignitate vel, ut coeperunt alii loqui, de maiestate.
XV. Occiso igitur Gallieno seditio ingens militum fuit, cum spe praedae ac publicae vastationis impera- torem sibi utilem, necessarium, fortem, efficacem ad
2 iiividiam faciendam dicerent raptum. quare consilium principum fuit, ut milites eius quo solent placari genere sedarentur. promissis itaque per Marcianum aureis vicenis et acceptis (nani praesto erat thesaurorum copia) Gallienum tyrannum militari iudicio in fastos
Spublicos rettulerunt. sic militibus sedatis Claudius,
1 telo Peter2; om. in P.
1He was consul (for the second time) in 265; cf. c. xii. 1. He is mentioned in literature only here and in Vol., viii., where also he is said to have received the title of Augustus. However, no coins can be definitely proved to be his (see Matt.-Syd. v. p. 28), and in the lack of any evidence it may be seriously doubted that he was either Augustus or Caesar. The "inscription" cited in Fa/., viii. 3 is of equally little value with that quoted in c. rix. 4.
2 This, if true, had no legal significance, for a damnatio could be pronounced only by the senate. According to Aur.
4.8
THE TWO GALLIENI XIV. 8.— XV. 5
Cecropius suddenly caused word to be sent toGallienus that Aureolus was now approaching. He, therefore, mustered his soldiers and went forth as though to certain battle, and so was slain by the murderers sent for the purpose. It is reported, indeed, that Gallienus was pierced by the spear of Cecropius, the Dalmatian commander, some say near Milan, where also his brother Valerian was at once put to death. This man, many say, had the title of Augustus, and many, that of Caesar, and many, again, neither one — which, indeed, is not probable, for we have found written in the official lists, after Valerian had been taken prisoner, "During the consulship of Valerian the Emperor." So who else, pray, could this Valerian have been but the brother of Gallienus ? l There is general agree- ment concerning his family, but not concerning his rank or, as others have begun to say, concerning his imperial majesty.
XV. Now after Gallienus was slain, there was a great mutiny among the soldiers, for, hoping for booty and public plunder, they maintained, in order to arouse hatred, that they had been robbed of an emperor who had been useful and indispensable to them, courageous and competent. Wherefore the leaders took counsel how to placate Gallienus' soldiers by the usual means of winning their favour. So, through the agency of Marcianus, twenty aurei were promised to each and accepted (for there was on hand a ready supply of treasure), and then by verdict of the soldiers they placed the name of Gallienus in the public records as a usurper.2 The soldiers thus
Victor, Goes., 33, 31-34, the senate and people gave general vent to their hostility. Nevertheless, Claudius ordered that he should be deified in the usual manner.
49
THE TWO GALLIENI
vir sanctus ac iure venerabilis et bonis omnibus carus, amicus patriae, amicus legibus, acceptus senatui, populo bene cognitus accepit imperium.
XVI. Haec vita Gallieni fuit, breviter a me litteris intimata, qui natus abdomini et voluptatibus dies ac noctes vino et stupris perdidit, orbem terrarum viginti l prope per " tyrannos vastari fecit, ita ut etiam
'2 mulieres illo melius imperarent. ac ne eius praetere- atur miseranda sollertia, veris tempore cubicula de rosis fecit, de pomis castella composuit. uvas triennio servavit. hieme summa melones exhibuit. mustum quemadmodum toto anno haberetur docuit. ficos virides et poma ex arboribus recentia semper alienis
3 mensibus praebuit. mantelibus aureis semper stravit.
4gemmata vasa fecit eademque aurea. crinibus suis auri scobem aspersit. radiatus saepe processit. cum chlamyde purpurea gemmatisque fibulis et aureis Romae visus est, ubi semper togati principes vide- bantur. purpuream tunicam auratamque virilem eandemque manicatam habuit. gemmato balteo usus est. corrigias 3 gemmeas adnexuit, cum campagos
5 reticulos appellaret. convivatus in publico est. con-
6giariis populum mollivit. senatui sportulam sedens
1 uiginti P, 27, Hohl ; triginta Salm., Peter. 2 per om.
in P. 8 cwrigias Mommsen.Hohl ; caligias P ; caligas 27,
Peter.
1 The manuscript reading viginti here and also in c. xix. 6 and xxi. 1 seems to show that the author's original plan was to include twenty pretenders, not thirty, in the v\ork now called Tyranni Triginta; see note to Tyr. Trig., i. 1 and Peter, Die S. H. A., p. 37 f.
2 A crown surrounded by projecting rays, originally regarded as the emblem of a deified emperor, but apparently worn by
50
THE TWO GALLIENI XVI. 1-6
quieted, Claudius, a venerated man and justly re- spected, dear to all good men, a friend to his native land, a friend to the laws, acceptable to the senate, and favourably known to the people, received the imperial power.
XVI. Such was the life of Gallienus, which I have briefly described in writing, who, born for his belly and his pleasures, wasted his days and nights in wine and debauchery and caused the world to be laid waste by pretenders about twenty in number,1 so that even women ruled better than he. He, forsooth, — in order that his pitiable skill may not be left unmentioned — used in the spring-time to make sleeping-places of roses. He built castles of apples, preserved grapes for three years, and served melons in the depth of winter. He showed how new wine could be had all through the year. He always served out of season green figs and apples fresh from the trees. He always spread his tables with golden covers. He made jewelled vessels, and golden ones too. He sprinkled his hair with gold-dust. He went out in public adorned with the radiate crown,2 and at Rome — where the emperors always appeared in the toga — he appeared in a purple cloak \vith jewelled and golden clasps. He wore a man's tunic of purple and gold and provided with sleeves. He used a jewelled sword-belt and he fastened jewels to his boot-laces and then called his boots " reticulate." 3 He used, moreover, to banquet in public. He won the people's favour by largesses, and he distributed, seated, portions of food to the
the rulers of the third century, for it is regularly shown on their coins.
3 i.e., ]ike the network caps worn by women and effeminate men (cf. Heliog., xi. 7).
51
THE TWO GALLIENI
erogavit. matronas ad consilium l suum rogavit iisdem- que manum sibi osculantibus quaternos aureos sui XVII. nominis dedit. ubi de Valeriano patre comperit quod captus esset, id quod philosophorum optimus de filio amisso dixisse fertur, "Sciebam me genuisse morta- lem," ille sic dixit 2 : " Sciebam patrem meum esse mortalem."
2 Nee defuit Annius Cornicula, qui eum quasi con- stantem principem falso3 sua voce laudaret. peior
Stamen ille qui credidit.4 saepe ad tibicinem processit, ad organum se recepit, cum processui et recessui cani
4 iuberet. lavit ad diem septimo aestate vel sexto,
5 hieme secundo vel tertio. bibit in aureis semper poculis aspernatus 5 vitrum, ita ut 6 diceret nil esse
6 communius. semper vina variavit neque umquam
7 in uno convivio ex uno vino duo pocula bibit. con- cubinae in eius tricliniis saepe accubuerunt. mensam secundam scurrarum et miniorum semper prope habuit.
8 cum iret ad hortos nominis sui, omnia Palatina officia sequebantur. ibant et praefecti et magistri officiorum omnium adhibebanturque conviviis et natationibus 7
9 lavabant simul cum principe. admittebantur saepe etiam mulieres, cum ipso pulchrae puellae, cum illis anus deformes. et iocari se dicebat, cum orbem
1 consulatum P. 2 So Peter ; mortalem, nee defuit an ille
se dixit P ; nee defuit mortalem del. by Hohl. 3falsu
P. *peior credidit om. in Z and del. by Hohl.
*natus P. 6 ita, ut Z, Hohl ; om. in P; cum Salm.,
Peter. 7 natationibus 2}t Peter,2 Hohl ; nationibus P.
1 This is attributed to Anaxagoras by Cicero, Tusc. Disp., iii. 30 and 58, by Valerius Maximus, v. 10, Ext. 3, and by Plutarch, de Cohib. Ira 16 and d& Tranq. An. 16., and to Xenophon by Diogenes Laertius, ii. 6, 55. It was paraphrased
52
THE TWO GALLIEN1 XVII. 1-9
senate. He invited matrons into his council, and to those who kissed his hand he presented four aurei bearing his own name. XVII. When he learned that his father Valerian was captured, just as that best of philosophers, it is said, exclaimed on the loss of his son, " I knew that I had begotten a mortal,1 so he exclaimed, " I knew that my father was mortal."
There has even been an Annius Cornicula 2 to raise his voice in praise of Gallienus as a steadfast prince, but untruthfully. However, he who believes him is even more perverse. Gallienus often went forth to the sound of the pipes and returned to the sound of the organ, ordering music to be played for his going forth and his returning. In summer he would bathe six or seven times in the day, and in the winter twice or thrice. He always drank out of golden cups, for he scorned glass, declaring that there was nothing more common. His wines he continually changed, and at a banquet he never drank two cups of the same wine. His concubines frequently reclined in his dining-halls, and he always had near at hand a second table for the jesters and actors. Whenever he went to the gardens named after him, all the staff' of the Palace followed him. And there went with him, too, the prefects and the chiefs of all the staffs, and they were invited to his banquets and bathed in the pools along with the prince. Women, too, were often sent in, beautiful girls with the emperor, but with the others ugly old hags. And he used to say that he was making merry, whereas he had brought
by Ennius in his Telamon frg. 312 Vahlen (quoted by Cicero, Tusc. Disp., iii. 28), trom whom it was taken by Seneca, Cons. ad>Polyb., 11, 2.
2 Otherwise unknown.
58
THE TWO GALLIENI
XVIII. terrarum undique perdidisset. fuit tamen nimiae crudelitatis in milites ; nam et terna milia et quaterna militum singulis diebus occidit.
2 Statuam sibi maiorem Colosso fieri praecepit Solis habitu, sed ea imperfecta periit. tarn magna deni- que coeperat fieri, ut duplex ad Colossum videre-
3 tur. poni autem illam voluerat in summo Esquiliarum monte, ita ut hastam teneret, per cuius scapum1
4infans ad summum posset ascendere. sed et Claudio et Aureliano deinceps stulta res visa est, si quidem etiam equos et currum fieri iusserat pro qualitate
& statuae atque in altissima 2 base poni. porticum Flaminiam usque ad Pontem Mulvium et ipse para- verat ducere, ita ut tetrastichae fierent, ut autem alii dicunt, pentastichae, ita ut primus ordo pilas haberet et ante se columnas cum statuis, secundus et tertius et deinceps Sia Tecnra'pan/ columnas.
Longum est 3 eius cuncta in litteras mittere, quae qui volet scire legat Palfurium Suram, qui ephe- meridas eius vitae composuit. nos ad Saloninum rcvcrtamur.
1 scapum Scaliger ; caput P, 27. 2 altissima Haupt,
Peter s ; actussima Pl. 3 est 27 ; om. in P.
1 But see note to Tyr. Trig., ix. 3. 8 See note to Hadr., xix. 12.
fti
THE TWO GALLIENI XVIII. 1-6
the world on all sides to ruin. XVIII. But the soldiers he treated with excessive cruelty,1 killing as many as three or four thousand of them in a single day.
He gave orders to make a statue of himself arrayed as the Sun and greater than the Colossus,2 but it was destroyed while still unfinished. It was, in fact, begun on so large a scale that it seemed to be double the size of the Colossus. His wish was that it should be placed on the summit of the Esquiline Hill, hold- ing a spear, up the shaft of which a child could climb to the top. The plan, however, seemed foolish to Claudius and after him to Aurelian, especially as he had ordered a chariot and horses to be made in pro- portion to the size of the statue and set up on a very high base. He planned to construct a Flaminian portico 3 extending as far as the Mulvian Bridge, and having columns in rows of four or, as some say, in rows of five, so that the first row should contain pillars with columns bearing statues in front of them, while the second and third and the rest should have columns in lines of four.
It would be too long to set down in writing all that he did, and if anyone wishes to know these things, he may read Palfurius Sura,4 who composed a journal of his life. Let us now turn to Saloninus.
3 i.e., extending along the Via Flaminia northward from the Porta del Popolo.
4 Otherwise unknown.
THE TWO GALL1ENI
SALONINUS GALLIENUS
XIX. Hie Gallieni films fuit, nepos Valeriani, de quo quidem prope l nihil est dignum quod 2 in litteras mittatur, nisi quod nobiliter natus, educatus regie,
2 occisus deinde non sua sed patris causa, de huius nomine magna est ambiguitas. nam multi eum Gallienum, multi Saloninum historiae prodiderunt.
3 et qui Saloninum, idcirco quod apud Salonas natus esset, cognominatum ferunt ; qui autem Gallienum, patris nomine cognominatum et avi Gallieni, summi
4 quondam in re publica viri. fuit denique hactenus statua in pede Montis Romulei, hoc est ante Sacram Viam, inter 3 Templum Faustinae ac Vestam 4 ad Arcum Fabianum, quae haberet inscriptum " Gallieno iuniori " " Salonino " additum. ex quo eius nomen intellegi poterit.
6 Transisse decennium imperil Gallienum satis clarum est. quod idcirco addidi, quia multi eum
6 imperii sui anno nono 5 perisse dixerunt. fuisse autem et alios rebelliones sub eodem proprio di- cemus loco, si quidem placuit viginti8 tyrannos uno
1 quidem prope Kellerbauer, Peter 2 ; guippe P. 2 quod
dignum P, 27. * inter Mommsen, Peter2; intra P, 27.
*ac Vestam Jordan, Peter2 ; aduentam P, 27. 6nono om. in P and 27. 6 uiginti P, 27, Hohl ; triginta Peter ; but see
c. xvi. 1.
1 He was the younger of the two sons of Gallienus, and the correct form of his name is shown by inscriptions and coins to have been P. Licinius Cornelius Salouinus Valerianus. He received the title of Caesar after the death of his older brother, Valerian, in 258. Since the Alexandrian coins bear- ing his name cease with the year 260-61, it is generally inferred that he died in this year ; but he may be the son
56
THE TWO GALL1ENI XIX. 1-6
SALONINUS GALLIENUS
XIX. He was the son of Gallienus l and the grand- son of Valerian, and concerning him there is scarcely anything worth setting down in writing, save that he was nobly born, royally reared, and then killed, not on his own account but his father's. With regard to his name there is great uncertainty, for many have recorded that it was Gallienus and many Salon inus. Those who call him Saloninus declare that he was so named because he was born at Salonae ; 2 and those who call him Gallienus say that he was named after his father and Gallienus' grandfather, who once was a very great man in the state. As a matter of fact, a statue of him has remained to the present time at the foot of the Hill of Romulus,3 in front of the Sacred Way, that is, between the Temple of Faustina and the Temple of Vesta near the Fabian Arch, which bears the inscription "To Gallienus the Younger " with the addition of " Saloninus/' and from this his name can be learned.4
It is well enough known that the rule of Gallienus exceeded ten years.5 This statement I have added for the reason that many have said that he was killed in the ninth year of his rule. There were, moreover, other rebels during his reign, as we shall relate in
who, according to Zonaras, xii. 26, was killed by the senate after the death of Gallienus.
aOn the Dalmatian coast. This derivation is nonsense, for his name was taken from that of his mother Cornelia Salonina, as is correctly stated in c. xxi. 3.
3 The Palatine Hill.
4 Since there is no evidence whatsoever that he bore the name Gallienus, this "inscription," like that in FoZ., viii. 3, may be regarded as one of the author's fabrications.
5 See c. xxi. 5 and note.
57
THE TWO GALLIENI
volumine includere, idcirco quod nee multa de his dici possunt, et in Gallieni vita pleraque iam dicta sunt.
7 Et haec quidera de Gallieno hoc interim libro dixisse sufficiet. nam et multa iam in Valerian! vita dicta sunt, alia l in libro qui de triginta tyrannis in- scribendus est iam loquemur, quae iterari ac saepius
8 dici minus utile videbatur. hue accedit quod quaedam etiam studiose praetermisi, ne eius posteri multis
XX. rebus editis laederentur. scis enim ipse tales2 homines cum iis qui aliqua de maioribus eorum scrip- serint quantum gerant bellum, nee ignota esse arbitror quae dixit Marcus Tullius in Hortensio, quern ad ex-
2emplum Protreptici scripsit. unum tamen ponam, quod iucunditatem quandam sed vulgarem habuit,
3 morem tamen novum fecit, nam cum cingula sua plerique militantium, qui ad convivium venerant, poiierent hora convivii, Saloninus puer sive Gallienus his auratos costilatosque balteos rapuisse perhibetur, et, cum esset difficile in aula Palatina requirere quod perisset, ac taciti ex militibus 3 viri detrimeiita pertu- lissent, postea rogati ad convivium cincti adcubuerunt.
4cumque ab his quaereretur, cur non solverent cingu- lum, respondisse dicuntur, " Salonino deferimus," atque hinc tractum morem, ut deinceps cum impera-
5 tore cincti discumberent. negare non possum aliunde
1 dicta sunt alia ins. by Peter ; om. in P. " tales Gas.,
Peter ; qicales P, Hohl. 3 taciti ex militibus Salm., Peter J ;
tacitis militibus P, 2 ; tacitis mtltibus Haupt, Peter2, Hohl.
1 See note to c. xvi. 1.
2 A lost work, written in 45 B.C.
8 Aristotle's UpoToe-n-TiKts, now lost, an exhortation to the study of philosophy.
58
THE TWO GALLIENI XIX. 7— XX. 5
the proper place ; for it is our purpose to include twenty pretenders1 in one single book, since there is not much to be told about them, and many things have already been said in the Life of Gallienus.
It will suffice, meanwhile, to have told in this book these facts concerning Gallienus ; for much has already been said in the Life of Valerian, and other things shall be told in the book which is to be entitled " Concerning the Thirty Pretenders," and these it seems useless to repeat here and relate too often. It must also be added that I have even omitted some facts on purpose, lest his descendants should be offended by the publication of many details. XX. For you know yourself what a feud such men maintain with those who have written certain things concerning their ancestors, and I think that you are acquainted with what Marcus Tullius said in his Hortensius? written in imitation of the Protrepticufi* One incident, however, I will include, which caused a certain amount of amusement, albeit of a common- place kind, and yet brought about a new custom. For since most military men, on coming to a banquet, laid aside their sword-belts when the banquet began, the boy Saloninus (or Gallienus), it is related, once stole these belts studded with gold and adorned with rows of jewels, and since it was difficult to search in the Palace for anything that had disappeared, these military men bore their losses in silence, but when afterwards they were bidden to a banquet, they reclined at table with their sword-belts on. And when asked why they did not lay aside their belts, they replied, it is said, " We are wearing them for Saloninus." And this gave rise to the custom that always thereafter they should dine with the emperor
59
THE TWO GALLIENI
plerisque videri huius rei ortum esse morem ; dicunt militare prandium, quod dictum est parandium ab eo quod ad bellum milites paret, a cinctis initum ; cui rei argumentum est quod a discinctis etiam cum im- peratore cenatur. quae idcirco posui, quia digna et memoratu videbantur et cognitu.
XXI. Nunc transeamus ad viginti J tyrannos, qui2 Gallieni temporibus contemptu mali principis ex- stiterunt. de quibus brcviter et pauca dicenda sunt.
2neque enim digni sunt eorum plerique, ut volumen talium hominum saltern nominibus occupetur,3 quamvis aliqui non parum in se virtutis habuisse videantur, multum etiam rei publicae profuisse.
3 Tam variae item opiniones sunt de Salonini nomine, ut qui se verius putet dicere, a matre sua Salonina ap- pellatum esse dicat,4 quam is 5 perdite dilexit. et dilexit 6 Piparam nomine barbaram regis nliam.
4quare 7 Gallienus cum suis semper flavo crinem condit.
5 De annis autem Gallieni et Valeriani ad imperium pertinentibus adeo incerta traduntur, ut, cum quin- decim annos eosdem imperasse constet, id est
1 uiginti P, Hohl ; triginta Peter ; but see c. xvi. 1. 2 qui Pcorr., 2, Hohl ; om. in P1 ; Gallieni . . . exstiterunt del. by Peter. 3 occupetur Kellerbauer, Hohl ; occuparetur P, 27,
Peter. * dicat Salm., Jordan ; om. inP; lacuna assumed
by Peter and Hohl. 6quam is Salm., Peter1 ; quamuis
P, Peter2, Hohl. 6 et dilexit ins. by Editor ; lacuna in P
assumed by Peter and Hohl. 7 quare ins. by Editor.
1 See note to c. xvi. 1.
2 Cornelia Salonina Augusta. Her name and head appear on many coins.
3 Pipa, according to Aur. Victor, Caes., 33, 6 and Epit., 33, 1. Her father was a German (Marcomannic) king, with whom Gallienus made a treaty ceding part of Pannonia — perhaps in return for aid against Germanic invaders.
60
THE TWO GALLIENI XXI. 1-5
belted. I cannot, indeed, deny that many believe this custom had a different origin ; for, they say, at the soldiers' ration (prandium] — which they called a " preparation " (parandiuiri) because it prepares them for fighting — men come in wearing belts, and the proof of this statement is that with the emperor men still dine unbelted. These details I have given because they seemed worthy of being related and known.
XXI. Now let us pass on to the twenty pretenders,1 who arose in the time of Gallienus because of con- tempt for the evil prince. With regard to them I need tell but a few things and briefly ; for most of them are not worthy of having even their names put into a book, although some of them seem to have had no little merit and even to have been of much benefit to the state.
Various, indeed, are the opinions concerning the name of Saloninus, but the author who believes he speaks most truthfully declares that he was named from his mother Salonina,2 whom Gallienus loved to distraction. He loved also a barbarian maid, Pipara by name,3 the daughter of a king. And for this reason Gallienus, moreover, and those about him always dyed their hair yellow.
With regard to the number of years through which the rule of Gallienus and Valerian extended, such varied statements are made that, whereas all agree that together they ruled for fifteen years,4 that is,
4 253-268. Since Valerian ceased to rule not later than 260, the "almost ten years " is, of course, an error, evidently due to the celebration of the Decennalia (see c. vii. 4 f.) in 262, at the beginning of the tenth year after Gallienus' joint accession with his father.
61
THE TWO GALLIENI
Gallienus usque ad quintum decimum pervenisset, Valerianus vero sexto sit captus, alii novem annis, vix l decem alii etiam Gallienum imperasse in litteras mittant, cum constet et decennalia Romae ab eodem celebrata et post decennalia Gothos ab eo victos, cum Odaenatho pacem factam, cum Aureolo initam esse concordiam, pugnatum contra Postumum, contra Lol- lianum, multa etiam ab eo ge^ta, quae ad virtutem, 6 plura tamen quae ad dedecus pertinebant. nam et semper noctibus popinas dicitur frequentasse et cum lenonibus, mimis scurnsque vixisse.
1 uix Peter ; bi& P,
THE TWO GALIJRNI XXI. 6
that Gallienus himself attained to his fifteenth year, while Valerian was captured in his sixth, some have set down in writing that Gallienus ruled for nine years, and others, again, that it was almost ten — while, on the other hand, it is generally known that he celebrated a decennial festival at Rome, and that after this festival he defeated the Goths, made peace with Odaenathus, entered into friendly relations with Aureolus,1 warred against Postumus and against Lol- lianus,'J and did many things that mark a virtuous life, but more that tend to dishonour. For he used to frequent public-houses at night, it is said, and spent his life with pimps and actors and jesters.
1 See c. ii. 6 aud note. 2 See Tyr. Trig., v.
TYRANNI TRIGINTA
TREBELLII POLLIONIS
I. Scriptis iam pluribus libris non historico nee diserto sed pedestri adloquio, ad earn temporum venimus seriem, in qua per annos, quibus Gallienus et Valerianus rem publicam tenuerunt, triginta tyranni occupato Valeriano magnis belli Persici ne- cessitatibus exstiterunt, cum Gallienum non solum viri sed etiam mulieres contemptui haberent, ut suis 2 locis probabitur. sed quoniam tanta obscuritas eorum hominum fuit, qui ex diversis orbis partibus ad im- perium convolabant, ut non multa de iis vel dici possint a doctioribus vel requiri, deinde ab omnibus
1 The collection actually contains 32 name?, of which the last two form a sort of appendix containing two men ad- mittedly not of the time ot Gallienus. The author's original plan, according to Gall., xvi. 1 ; xix. 6; xxi. 1, was to include 20, but as Peter has pointed out (Abh. Sachs. Ges., xxvii. p. 190 f.), this number was raised to that of the Thirty Tyrants of Athens by padding with ten additional names. If we take from the list the names of the two women and the six youths who never held the imperial power, the list is reduced to 22. Of these it may be definitely asserted of Cyriades, Odaenathus, Maeonius and Ballista that they never assumed the purple,
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
BY
TREBELLIUS POLLIO
I. After having written many books in the style of neither an historian nor a scholar but only that of a lay- man, we have now reached the series of years in which the thirty pretenders l arose — the years when the Em- pire was ruled by Gallienus and Valerian, when Valer- ian was busied with the great demands of the Persian War and Gallienus, as will be shown in the proper place, was held in contempt not only by men but by women as well. But since so obscure were these men, who flocked in from divers parts of the world to seize the imperial power, that not much concerning them can be either related by scholars or demanded of them, and since all those historians who have written
and the same may be said with almost equal certainty of Valens, Piso and Aemilianus. Saturninus, Trebellianus and Celsus may be regarded as inventions of the author. Of the twelve remaining names, Valens "Superior " was of the time of Decius and Victorinus and Tetricus of the time of Claudius and Aurelian. The list, then, of the authentic pretenders under Gallienus reduces itself to nine, viz., Postumus (258-268), Laelianus, Marius, Ingenuus (258), Regalianus (258 ?), Aureolus (268), and Macrianus and his two sons (260-261).
65
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
historicis, qui Graece ac Latine scripserunt, ita non- nulli praetereaiitur ut eorum nee l nomina frequenten- tur, postremo cum tam varie a plerisque super iis normulla sint prodita, in unum eos libellum contuli et quidem brevem, maxime cum vel in Valerian! vel in Gallieni vita pleraque de iis dicta nee repetenda tamen satis constet.
CYRIADES
II. Hie patrem Cyriadem fugiens, dives et nobilis, cum luxuria sua et moribus perditis sanctum senem gravaret, direpta magna parte auri, argent i etiam in-
2finito pondere Persas petiit. atque hide Sapori regi coniunctus atque sociatus, cum hortator belli Romanis inferendi fuisset, Odomastem primum, deinde Sapo- rem ad Romanum solum traxit ; Antiochia etiam
ucapta et Caesarea Caesareanum nomen meruit. atque hide vocatus Augustus, cum omnem orientem vel virium vel audaciae terrore quateret, patrem vero interemisset (quod alii historic! negant factum), ipse per insidias suorum, cum Valerianus iam ad bellum
4 Persicum veniret, occisus est. neque plus de hoc historiae quicquam mandatum est quod dignum me- moratu esse videatur, quern clarum perfugium et
1 nee ins. by Erasmus ; om. in P.
1 To be identified with the adventurer Mareades, or Mari- ades, a native of Antioch in Syria, who, after being banished from his native city for embezzling public funds, brought over into Syria the army of Sapor, which captured and plundered Antioch. He was later put to death by Sapor; see Ammianus Marcellinus, xxiii. 5, 3 and Malalas, xii. p. 235 f. There is no reason to suppose that he was ever proclaimed Caesar or
Augustus.
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS 11. 1-4
in Greek or in Latin have passed over some of them without dwelling even on their names, and, finally, since certain details related about them by many have varied so widely, I have therefore gathered them all into a single book, and that a short one, especially as it is evident that much concerning them has already been told in the Lives of Valerian and Gallienus and need not be repeated here.
CYRIADES
II. This man,1 rich and well born, fled from his father Cyriades when, by his excesses and profligate ways, he had become a burden to the righteous old man, and after robbing him of a great part of his gold and an enormous amount of silver he departed to the Persians. Thereupon he joined King Sapor and be- came his ally, and after urging him to make war on the Romans, he brought first Odomastes '2 and then Sapor himself into the Roman dominions ; and also by capturing Antioch and Caesarea 3 he won for him- self the name of Caesar. Then, when he had been hailed Augustus, after he had caused all the Orient to tremble in terror at his strength or his daring, and when, moreover, he had slain his father (which some historians deny), he himself, at the time that Valerian was on his way to the Persian War, was put to death by the treachery of his followers. Nor has anything more that seems worthy of mention been committed to history about this man, who has obtained a place
2 Perhaps an error for Oromastes (Hormizd), Sapor's son and successor.
3 Mod. Kaisariyeh in Cappadocia, taken by Sapor after the capture of Valerian.
67
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
parricidium et aspera tyrannis et1 summa luxuria litteris dederunt.
POSTUMUS
III. Hie vir in bello fortissimus, in pace constantis- simus, in omni vita gravis, usque adeo ut Saloninum filium suum eidem Gallienus in Gallia positum crede- ret, quasi custodi vitae et morum et actuum imperi- ls alium institutori. sed, quantum plerique adserunt (quod eius non convenit moribus), postea fidem fregit Set occiso Salonino sumpsit imperium. ut autem verius plerique tradiderunt, cum Galli vehemen- tissime Gallienum odissent, puerum autem apud se imperare ferre non possent, eum, qui commissum regebat imperium, imperatorem appellarunt missis- 4 que militibus adulescentem interfecerunt. quo inter- fecto ab omni exercitu et ab omnibus Gallis Postumus gratanter acceptus talem se praebuit per annos septem
letS\ ex P.
1 M. Cassianius Latiniua Postumus Augustus ; the name lulius given to him in c. vi is accordingly incorrect, like practically all that is said of him in this vita ; see Mommsen, Hist. Rom. Provinces (Eng. Trans.), i. pp. 178-179.
2 After successful campaigns against the Germans he was left in command of the Rhine frontier by Gallienus when he departed to put down the revolt of Ingenuus (see c. ix.), but rivalry broke out between him and Silvanus (or Albanus), to whose care Gallienus had entrusted his son — perhaps as the nominal ruler of the West. In consequence of this rivalry Postumus seized Cologne and caused Silvanus and the prince to be put to death ; see Zosimus, i. 38, 2 and Zonaras, xii. 24. Thereupon he declared himself emperor and, despite the efforts
68
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS III. 1-4
in letters solely by reason of his famous flight, his act of parricide, his cruel tyranny, and his boundless excesses.
POSTUMUS
III. This man,1 most valiant in war and most stead- fast in peace, was so highly respected for his whole manner of life that he was even entrusted by Gallienus with the care of his son Saloninus (whom he had placed in command of Gaul), as the guardian of his life and conduct and his instructor in the duties of a ruler.- Nevertheless, as some writers assert — though it does not accord with his character — he afterwards broke faith and after slaying Saloninus 3 seized the imperial power. As others, however, have related with greater truth, the Gauls themselves, hating Gallienus most bitterly and being unwilling to endure a boy as their emperor, hailed as their ruler the man who was holding the rule in trust for another, and despatching soldiers they slew the boy. When he was slain, Postumus was gladly accepted by the entire army and by all the Gauls, and for seven
of Gallienus (see Gall., iv. 4-5; vii. 1), remained practically independent ruler of Gaul until his death at Mainz in 268 or 269.
3 The question of the date of Postumus' assumption of the imperial power is bound up with that of the name of this murdered prince, also given as Salcninus in Zosimus, i. 38, 2. Saloninus, however, Gallienus' younger son (cf. Gall., xix. 1 and note) seems to have been alive as late as 260-261 . More- over, according to Epit., 32, 3; 33, 1, it was the elder son (Valerian) who was put to death at Cologne ; he is shown by the evidence of papyri to have died in 258. This accords with the evidence of c. ix. 1, that the revolt of Ingenuus was in 268.
69
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
ut Gallias instauraverit, cum Gallienus luxuriae et po- pinis vacaret et araore barbarae raulieris consenesceret.
5 gestum est tamen a Gallieno contra hunc bellum tune,
6 cum sagitta Gallienus est vulneratus. si quidem nimius amor erga Postumum omnium erat in Gallicanorura mente l populorum, quod summotis omnibus Germani- cis gentibus Romanum in pristinam securitatem re-
7 vocasset imperium. sed cum se gravissime gereret,2 more illo, quo Galli novarum rerum semper sunt cupidi, Lolliano agente interemptus est.
8 Si quis sane Postumi meritum requirit, iudicium de eo Valeriani ex hac epistula, quam ille ad Gallos misit,
9 intelleget : " Transrhenani limitis 3 ducem et Galliae praesidem Postumum fecimus, virum dignissimum se- veritate Gallorum, praesente quo non miles in castris, non iura in foro, non in tribunalibus lites, non in curia dignitas pereat, qui unicuique proprium et suum servet, virum quern ego prae ceteris stupeo, et qui locum principis mereatur iure, de quo spero quod mihi gratias
lOagetis. quod si me fefellerit opinio quam de illo habeo, sciatis nusquam gentium reperiri qui possit
11 penitus adprobari. hums filio Postumo nomine tribu- natum Vocontiorum dedi, adulescenti qui se dignum patris moribus reddet."
1 mente Salm. ; gent* P, 27. 3 gereret Baehrens, Peter ;
regeret P, S. *milites P, 2.
1 So also Gall., iv. 5. As a matter of fact he ruled for ten years, according to his coins with trib. pot. X (Cohen, vi.a p. 45, nos. 284-286) and Eutropius, ix. 10.
* See Gall , xxi. 3. » Gf. Gall., iv. 4.
4 Cf. Firm., vii. 1.
70
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS III. 5-11
years l he performed such exploits that he completely restored the provinces of Gaul, while Gallienus spent his time in debauchery and taverns and grew weak in loving a barbarian woman.2 Gallienus, however, was warring against him at that time when he himself was wounded by an arrow.3 Great, indeed, was the love felt for Postumus in the hearts of all the people of Gaul because he had thrust back all the German tribes and had restored the Roman Empire to its former security. But when he began to conduct himself with the greatest sternness, the Gauls, follow- ing their custom of always desiring a change of government,4 at the instigation of Lollianus put him to death.
If anyone, indeed, desires to know the merits of Postumus, he may learn Valerian's opinion concerning him from the following letter which he wrote to the Gauls : " As general in charge of the Rhine frontier and governor of Gaul we have named Postumus, a man most worthy of the stern discipline of the Gauls. He by his presence will safeguard the soldiers in the camp, civil rights in the forum, law-suits at the bar of judgement, and the dignity of the council- chamber, and he will preserve for each one his own personal possessions ; he is a man at whom I marvel above all others and well deserving of the office of prince, and for him, I hope, you will render me thanks. If, however, I have erred in my judgement concerning him, you may rest assured that nowhere in the world will a man be found who can win complete approval. Upon his son, Postumus by name, a young man who will show himself worthy of his father's character, I have bestowed the tribuneship of the VoconthY'
71
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
POSTUMUS IUNIOR
IV. De hoc prope nihil est quod dicatur, nisi quod a patre appellatus Caesar ac deinceps in eius honore Augustus cum patre dicitur interemptus, cum Lollia- nus in locum Postumi subrogatus delatum sibi a
2 Gallis sumpsisset imperium. iuit autem (quod solum memoratu dignum est) ita in declamationibus disertus ut eius controversiae Quintiliano dicantur insertae, quern declamatorem Romani generis acutissimum vel unius capitis lectio prima statim fronte demonstrat.
LOLLIANUS
V. Huius rebellione in Gallia Postumus, vir omnium fortissimus, interemptus est, cum iam nutante Gallia 1 Gallieni luxuria in veterem statum Roman um formas-
2 set imperium. fuit quidem etiam iste fortissimus, sed rebellionis intuitu minorem apud Gallos auctoritatem
8 de suis viribus tenuit. interemptus autem est a Victorino, Vitruviae filio vel Victoriae, quae postea mater castrorum appellata est et Augustae nomine affecta, cum ipsa per se fugiens tanti ponderis molem primum in Marium, deinde in Tetricum atque eius
1 Gallia ins. by Paucker, Peter,2 Hohl; om. in P and 2.
J There is no other evidence of his participation in the imperial power or even of his existence.
2 Presumably the extant collection of Declamationes (or controversial i.e. imaginary law-cases used in the schools of rhetoric) attributed to Quintilian, the famous author of the Institutio Oratoria, but probably not his work.
3 The expression prima statim fronte is used in just this sense by Quintilian in Inst. Orat., xii. 7, 8.
72
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS IV. 2— V. 3
POSTUMUS THE YOUNGER
IV. Concerning this man 1 there is naught to relate save that after receiving the name of Caesar from his father and later, as a mark of honour to him, that of Augustus, he was killed, it is said, together with his father at the time when Lollianus, who was put in Postumus' place, took the imperial power offered to him by the Gauls. He was, moreover — and only this is worthy of mention — so skilled in rhetorical exer- cises that his Controversies are said to have been inserted among those of Quintilian,2 who, as the read- ing of even a single chapter will show at the first glance,3 was the sharpest rhetorician of the Roman race.
LOLLIANUS
V. In consequence of this man's 4 rebellion in Gaul, Postumus, the bravest of all men, was put to death after he had brought back the power of Rome into its ancient condition at the time when Gaul was on the brink of ruin because of Gallienus' excesses. Lolli- anus was, indeed, a very brave man, but in the face of rebellion his strength was insufficient to give him authority over the Gauls. He was killed, moreover, by Victorinus, son of Vitruvia, or rather Victoria,5 who was later entitled Mother of the Camp and honoured by the name of Augusta, though she herself, doing her utmost to escape the weight of so great a burden,
4 His correct name was C. Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus Augustus, according to his coins ; see Cohen, vi.2 p. 66 f. He rebelled against Postumus and seized the imperial power at Mainz, but (despite the statements in §§ 1-4) he was defeated by Postumus ; see Aurelius Victor, Caes., 33, 8, and Eutropiug, ix. 9.
"See c. xxxi.
78
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
4fi]ium contulisset imperia. et Lollianus quidem non nihilum rei publicae profuit. nam plerasque Galliae civitates, nonnulla etiam castra, quae 1 Postumus per septem annos in solo barbarico aedificaverat, quaeque interfecto Postumo subita inruptione Germanorum et direpta fuerant et incensa, in 2 statum veterem re- formavit. deinde a suis militibus, quod in labore nimius esset, occisus est.
5 Ita Gallieno perdente rem publicam in Gallia pri- mum Postumus, deinde Lollianus, Victorinus deinceps, postremo Tetricus, (nam de Mario nihil dicimus) ad-
tisertores Romani nominis exstiterunt. quos omnes datos divinitus credo, ne, cum ilia pestis inauditae luxuriae impediretur malis, possidendi Romanum so-
7lum Germanis daretur facultas. qui si eo genere tune evasissent quo Gothi et Persae, consentientibus in Romano solo gentibus venerabile hoc Romani
8 nominis finitum esset imperium. Lolliani autem vita in multis obscura est, ut et ipsius Postumi, sed privata; virtute enim clari, non nobilitatis pondere vixerunt.
VICTORINUS
VI. Postumus senior cum videret multis se Gal- lieni viribus peti atque auxilium non solum militum verum etiam alterius principis necessarium, Victo-
1 quac 2; om. in P. 2 in 2; om. in P.
1 See c. xxiv.-xxv. 2 Sec note to c. iii. 4,
3M. Piavouius Victorinus Augustus, according to his in- scriptions and coins; see Cohen, vi.2 pp. 68-84. He served as general under Postumus, but the statement of the vita and of Gall., vii. 1 that he was made co-ruler by Postumus is piobably false, for, according to Aur. Victor, Goes., 33, 12 and Eutropius, ix. 9 he seems to have held the power after Murius (c. viii.) for
74
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS V. 4— VI. 1.
had bestowed the imperial power first on Marius and then on Tetricus together with his son.1 Lolliamis, in fact, did to some extent benefit the commonwealth ; for many of the communes of Gaul and also some of the camps, built on barbarian soil by Postumus during his seven years,2 but after his murder plundered and burned during an incursion of Germans, were restored by him to their ancient condition. Then he was slain by his soldiers because he exacted too much labour.
And so, while Gallienus was bringing ruin on the commonwealth, there arose in Gaul first Postumus, then Lolli nus, next Victorinus, and finally Tetricus (for of Marius we will make no mention), all of them defenders of the renown of Rome. All of these, I believe, were given by gift of the gods, in order that, while that pestiferous fellow was caught in the toils of unheard-of excesses, no opportunity might be afforded the Germans for seizing Roman soil. For if they had broken forth then in the same manner as did the Goths and the Persians, these foreign nations, acting together in Roman territory, would have put an end to this venerable empire of the Roman nation. As for Lollianus, his life is obscure in many details, as is also that of Postumus, too — but only their private lives ; for while they lived they were famed for their valour, not for their importance in rank.
VICTORINUS
VI. When the elder Postumus saw that Gallienus was marching against him with great forces, and that he needed the aid not only of soldiers but also of a second prince, he called Victorinus,3 a man of soldierly
two years, apparently under Claudius (so Epit., 34, 3) and so probably 270-271.
75
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
rinum, militaris industriae virum, in participatum vocavit imperil et cum eodem contra Gallienum con-
2flixit. cumque adhibitis ingentibus Germanorum
Sauxiliis diu bella traxissent, victi sunt. tune inter- fecto etiam Lolliano solus Victorinus in imperio re- mansit, qui et ipse, quod matrimoniis militum et militarium corrumpendis operam daret, a quodam actuario, cuius uxorem stupraverat, composita fac- tione Agrippinae percussus, Victorino filio Caesare a matre Vitruvia sive Victoria, quae mater castrorum dicta est, appellate, qui et ipse puerulus statim est interemptus, cum apud Agrippinam pater eius esset occisus.
4 De hoc, quod fortissimus fuerit et praeter libidinem
5optimus imperator, a multis multa sunt dicta, sed satis credimus lulii Atheriani partem libri cuiusdam
6 ponere, in quo de Victorino sic loquitur : " Victorino, qui Gallias post lulium Postumum rexit, neminem aestimo praeferendum, non in virtute Traianum, non Antoninum in dementia, non in gravitate Nervam, non in gubernaiido aerario Vespasianum, non in censura totius vitae ac severitate militari Pertinacem
7vel Severum. sed omnia haec libido et cupiditas mulierariae voluptatis sic perdidit ut nemo audeat virtutes eius in litteras mittere, quern constat omnium
Siudicio meruisse puniri." ergo cum id iudicii de Victorino scriptores habuerint, satis mihi videor eius dixisse de moribus.
*i.e., Cologne. 2See c. xxxi.
3 Not otherwise known and probably an invention of the biographer's.
4 See note to c. iii. 1.
76
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS VI. 2-8
energy, to a share in the imperial power, and in com- pany with him he fought against Gallienus. Having summoned to their aid huge forces of Germans, they protracted the war for a long time, but at last they were conquered. Then, when Lollianus, too, had been slain, Victorinus alone remained in command. He also, because he devoted his time to seducing the wives of his soldiers and officers, was slain at Agrip- pina l through a conspiracy formed by a certain clerk, whose wife he had debauched ; his mother Vitruvia, or rather Victoria,2 who was later called Mother of the Camp, had given his son Victorinus the title of Caesar, but the boy, too, was immediately killed after his father was slain at Agrippina.
Concerning Victorinus, because he was most valiant and, save for his lust fulness, an excellent emperor, many details have been related by many writers. We, however, deem it sufficient to insert a portion of the book of a certain Julius Atherianus,3 in which he writes of Victorinus as follows : " With regard to Victorinus, who ruled the provinces of Gaul after Julius 4 Postumus, I consider that no one should be given a higher place, not Trajan for his courage, or Antoninus for his kindness, or Nerva for his noble dignity, or Vespasian for his care of the treasury, or yet Pertinax or Sever us for the strictness of their whole lives or the severity of their military discipline. All these qualities, however, were offset to such an extent by his lustfulness and his desire for the pleasures gotten from women that no one would dare to set forth in writing the virtues of one who, all are agreed, de- served to be punished." And so, since this is the judgement that writers have given concerning Victo- rinus, I consider that I have said enough regarding his character. 77
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
VICTORINUS IUNIOR
VII. De hoc nihil amplius in litteras est relatum, quam quod nepos Victoriae Victorini filius fuit et a patre vel ab avia sub eadem bora qua Victorinus in- teremptus Caesar est nuncupatus ac statim a militibus
2ira occisus. exstant denique sepulchra circa Agrip- pinam, brevi marmcre impressa humilia, in quibus titulus l est inscriptus : " Hie duo Victorini tyranni siti sunt."
MARIUS
VIII. Victorino, Lolliano et Postumo interemptis Marius ex fabro, ut dicitur, ferrario triduo tantum
2 imperavit. de hoc quid amplius requiratur ignore, nisi quod eum insigniorem brevissimum fecit imperi- um. nam ut ille consul, qui sex meridianis horis con- sulatum suffectum tenuit, a Marco Tullio tali aspersus est ioco : " Consulem habuimus tarn severum tamque censorium ut in eius magistratu nemo pranderit, nemo cenaverit, nemo dormiverit/' de hoc etiam dici posse videatur, qui una die factus est imperator, alia die visus est imperare, tertia interemptus est.
3 Et vir quidem strenuus ac militaribus usque ad imperium gradibus evectus, quern plerique Mamurium,
1 titnlvs Cas. ; unus P, £.
1 The head of a son of Victorinus appears on a coin of the pretender (Cohen, vi.2 p. 84), but the boy is included here, like Postumus Junior in c. iv., merely for the purpose of increasing the number of the Tyranni.
2 M. Aurelius Marius Augustus. He held the imperial power before Victorinus; see note to c. vi. 1. The length of his rule given heie as three days (two days by Aurelius Victor and Eutropius) is certainly wrong, for the large number of his
78
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS VII. 2— VIII. S
VICTORINUS THE YOUNGER
VII. Concerning him l nothing has been put into writing save that he was the grandson of Victoria and the son of Victorinus and that he was entitled Caesar by his father or grandmother on the eve of his father's murder and was at once slain in anger by the soldiers. Their tombs, indeed, are still to be seen near Agrippina, humble monuments covered with common marble, and on them is carved the inscription, " Here lie the two Victorini, pretenders."
MARIUS
VIII. After Victorinus, Lollianus and Postumus were slain, Marius,2 formerly a worker in iron, so it is said, held the imperial power, but only for three days. What more can be asked concerning him I know not, save that he was made more famous by the shortness of his rule. For, just as that consul3 who held the office as substitute for six hours at midday was ridiculed by Cicero in the jest, " We have had a consul so stern and severe that during his term of office no one has breakfasted, no one has dined, and no one has slept," so the same, it would seem, can be said of Marius, who on the first day was made emperor, on the second seemed to rule, and on the third was slain.
He was, indeed, an active man and rose through the various grades of military service to the imperial
coins is sufficient evidence of a longer reign ; see Cohen, vi.1 pp. 87-89.
3C. Caninius Rebilus, consul on 31 Dec., 45 B.C. A jest of Cicero's concerning him, differing somewhat from the follow- ing quotation is contained in Epist. ad Fam., vii. 30, 1.
79
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
nonnulli Veturium, opificem utpote ferrarium, nun-
4cuparunt. sed de hoc nimis multa, de quo illud ad-
didisse satis est, nullius man us vel ad feriendum vel
ad impellendum 1 fortiores fuisse, cum in digitls
5nervos videretur habuisse non venas. nam et carra
venientia digito salutari reppulisse dicitur et fortis-
simos quosque uno digito sic adflixisse, ut quasi ligni
vel ferri obtunsioris ictu percussi dolerent. multa
6duorum digitorum allisione contrivit. occisus est a
quodam milite, qui, cum eius quondam in fabrili of-
ficina fuisset, contempt us est ab eodem, vel cum dux
7 esset 2 vel cum imperium cepisset. addidisse verba 3 dicitur interemptor : " Hie est gladius quern ipse fecisti."
8 Huius contio prima talis fuisse dicitur : " Scio, con- militones, posse mihi obici artem pristinam, cuius
9mihi omnes testes estis. sed dicat quisque quod vult. utinam ferrum semper exerceam, non vino, non floribus, non mulierculis, non popinis, ut facit Gallic - nus, indignus patre suo et sui generis nobilitate,
lOdepeream. ars mihi obiciatur ferraria, dum me et exterae gentes ferrum tractasse suis cladibus re-
11 cognoscant. enitar 4 denique, ut omnis Alamannia omnisque Germania cum ceteris quae adiacent genti- bus Romanum populum ferratam putent gentem, ut
1 impellendum 27; implendum P. -dux esset Gas.,
Eyssenhardt, Hohl ; duxisset P corr., Peter. 3 iterba
Editor; uerbo P, 27; uero Salm., Peter. 4 enitar
Petschenig, Hohl ; in Italia P, 27, foil, by lacuna Peter.
1Mamurius Veturius was the legendary forger of the aucilia, the shields of the Salii ; his name was inserted in
80
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS VIII. 4-11
power itself — this one whom many called Mamurius and some Veturius,1 because, forsooth, he was a worker in iron. But we have already said too much about this man, concerning whom it will be sufficient to add that there was no one whose hands were stronger, for either striking or thrusting, since he seemed to have not veins in his fingers, but sinews. For he is said to have thrust back on-coming waggons by means of his forefinger and with a single finger to have struck the strongest men so hard that they felt as much pain as though hit by a blow from wood or blunted iron ; and he crushed many objects by the mere pressure of two of his fingers. He was slain by a soldier whom, because he had once been a worker in his smithy, he had treated with scorn either when he commanded troops or after he had taken the imperial power. His slayer is said to have added the words, "This is a sword which you yourself have forged."
His first public harangue, it is said, was as follows : " I know well, fellow-soldiers, that I can be taunted with my former trade, of which all of you are my wit- nesses. However, let anyone say what he wishes. As for me, may I always labour with steel rather than ruin myself with wine and garlands and harlots and gluttony, as does Gallienus, unworthy of his father and the noble rank of his house. Let men taunt me with working with steel as long as foreign nations shall know from their losses that I have handled the steel. In short, I will strive to the utmost that all Alamannia and Germany and the nations round about shall deem the Roman people a steel-clad folk, and
the Carmen Saliare as a reward for his labour; see Festug, p. 131 M. ; Ovid, Fasti, iii. 383 f.
81
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
12specialiter in nobis ferrum tiraeant. vos tamen cogi- tetis velim fecisse vos principem, qui numquam quic-
ISquam scierit tractare nisi ferrum. quod idcirco dico, quia scio mihi a luxuriosissima ilia peste nihil opponi posse nisi hoc, quod gladiorum atque armorum artifex fuerim."
INGENUUS
IX. Tusco et Basso consulibus cum Gallienus vino et popinis vacaret cumque se lenonibus, mimis et meretricibus dederet ac bona naturae luxuriae con- tinuatione deperderet, Ingenuus, qui Pannonias tune regebat, a Moesiacis legionibus imperator est dictus, ceteris Pannoniarum volentibus. neque in quoquam melius consultum rei publicae a militibus videbatur quam quod instantibus Sarmatis creatus est imperator,
2 qui fessis rebus mederi sua virtute potuisset. causa autem ipsi arripiendi tune imperii fuit, ne suspectus esset imperatoribus, quod erat fortissimus ac rei pub- licae iiecessarius et militibus, quod imperantes vehe-
Smenter movet, acceptissimus. sed Gallienus, ut erat nequam et perditus, ita etiam, ubi necessitas coegisset, velox, fortis, vehemens, crudelis, denique Ingenuum conflictu habito vicit eoque occiso in omnes Moesiacos
1 The correctness of this date has been questioned, for Aurelius Victor (Goes., 33, 2) places the revolt of Ingenuus alter the capture of Valerian, i.e. in 260. It occurred, how- ever, shortly before the revolt of Postumus, and there is reason to believe that this was in 258 or 259 ; see note to c. iii. 2.
3 At Mursa (mod. Eszek) or at Sirmium (Mitrovitz) in Pannonia ; see Aur. Victor, Caes.t 33, 2 ; Eutropius, ix. 8, 1 ; Zonaras, xii. 24.
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS VIII. 12— IX. 3
that it shall be most of all the steel that they fear in us. But as for you, I wish you to rest assured that you have chosen as emperor one who will never know how to deal with aught but the steel. And this I say because I know that no charge can be brought against me by that pestiferous profligate save this, that I have been a forger of swords and armour."
INGENUUS
IX. In the consulship of Tuscus and Bassus,1 while 258 Gallienus was spending his time in wine and gluttony and giving himself up to pimps and actors and harlots, and by continued debauchery was destroying the gifts of nature, Ingenuus, then ruler of the Pannonian provinces, was acclaimed emperor by the legions of Moesia, and those in Pannonia assented thereto. And, in fact, it appeared that in no other case had the soldiers taken better counsel for the common- wealth than when, in-- the face of an inroad of the Sarmatians, they chose as their emperor one who by his valour could bring a remedy to the exhausted state. His reason, moreover, for seizing the power at that time was his fear of becoming an object of suspicion to the emperors, because he was both very brave and necessary to the commonwealth, and also — a cause which rouses rulers most of all — well beloved by the soldiers. Gallienus, however, worth- less and degraded though he was, could still, when necessity demanded, show himself quick in action, courageous, vigorous and cruel, and finally, meeting Ingenuus in battle,2 he defeated him and, after slay- ing him, vented his anger most fiercely on all the Moesians, soldiers and civilians alike. For he left
83
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
tarn milites quam cives asperrime saeviit. nee quem- quam suae crudelitatis exsortem reliquit, usque adeo asper et truculentus ut plerasque civitates vacuas a 4virili sexu relinqueret. fertur sane item Ingenuus civitate capta in aquam se mersisse l atque ita vitam finisse, ne in tyranni crudelis potestatem veniret.
5 Exstat sane epistula Gallieni, quam ad Celerem Verianum scripsit, qua eius nimietas crudelitatis os- tenditur. quam ego idcirco interposui ut omnes in- tellegerent hominem luxuriosurn crudelissimum esse, si necessitas postulet :
6 " Gallienus Veriano. non mihi satisfacies, si tan- turn armatos occideris, quos et fors in bellis interi-
7 mere potuisset. perimendus est omnis sexus virilis, si et senes atque impuberes sine reprehensione nostra
Soccidi possent. occidendus est quicumque male voluit, occidendus est quicumque male dixit contra me, contra Valeriani filium, contra tot principum
9 patrem et fratrem. Ingenuus factus est imperator. lacera, occide, concide, animum meum intellege, mea mente irascere, qui haec manu mea scripsi."
REGALIANUS
X. Fati publici f'uit, ut Gallieni tempore quicumque potuit ad imperium prosiliret. Regalianus denique
1 in aquam se tn^rsisse £, Hohl ; in qua se P1 ; intrasse domum in qua se pugione transfodit P corr. ; laqueasse se Peter.
1 On the other hand, Gallienus' clemency is noted by the Continuator of Cassius Dio, frg. 163 (ed. Boissevain, iii. p. 743) and Zonaras, xii. 25, and, in other instances, by Aminianus Marcelliuus, xxi. 16, 10.
84
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS IX. 4— X. 1
none exempt from his cruelty,1 and so brutal and savage was he, that in many communities he left not a single male alive. It is said of Ingenuus, indeed, that when the city was captured, he threw himself into the water, and so put an end to his life,2 that he might not fall into the power of the brutal tyrant.
There is, indeed, still in existence a letter of Gallienus, written to Celer Verianus,3 which shows his excessive brutality. This 1 have inserted, in order that all may learn that a profligate, if necessity demand, can be the most brutal of men :
" From Gallienus to Verianus. You will not satisfy me if you kill only armed combatants, for these even chance could have killed in the war. You must slay every male, that is, if old men and immature boys can be put to death without bringing odium upon us. You must slay all who have wished me ill, slay all who have spoken ill of me, the son of Valerian, the father and brother of so many princes. Ingenuus has been created emperor ! Therefore mutilate, kill, slaughter, see that you understand my purpose and show your anger with that spirit which I am showing, I who have written these words with my own hand."
REGALIANUS
X. It was the public destiny that in the time of Gallienus whosoever could, sprang up to seize the
2 According to Zonaras, xii. 24, he was killed by his attendant soldiers during his flight. It is difficult to re- concile this with sny of the suggested readings of § 4.
3 Unknown and probably fictitious.
85
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
in Illyrico ducatum gerens imperator est factus auctoribus imperil Moesis, qui cum Ingenuo fuerant ante superati, in quorum parentes graviter Gallienus
2 saevierat. hie tamen multa fortiter contra Sarmatas gessit, sed auctoribus Roxolanis consentientibusque militibus et timore provincialium ne iterum Gallienus graviora faceret, interemptus est.
3 Mirabile fortasse videatur, si quae origo imperil eius fuerit declaretur. capitali enim ioco ] regna prome-
4ruit. nam cum milites cum eo quidam cenarent, exstitit vicarius tribuni qui diceret : " Regaliani nomen unde credimus dictum ? ' alius continue,
5"Credimus quod a regno ". turn iis qui aderat scholasticus coepit quasi grammaticaliter declinare
6etdicere, "Rex, regis, regi, Regalianus ". milites, ut est hominum genus pronum ad ea quae cogitant, "Ergo potest rex esse?" item alius, "Ergo potest nos regere ? ' item alius, ''Deus tibi regis nomen
7imposuit".2 quid multa? his dictis cum alia die mane processisset, a principiis imperator est saluta- tus. ita quod aliis vel audacia vel iudicium, huic detulit iocularis astutia.
8 Fuit, quod negari non potest, vir in re 3 militari
1 lo~o P, S. ?- imposuit 27, Hohl, foil, by Klotz ; posuit
P, Peter. 3re ins. by Novak ; om. iu P1 ; ins. after militari P corn, Peter.
1 P. C Regalianus Augustus, according to his coins ;
see Cohen, vi.2 p. 10. The form Regilianus in which his name appears in the MSS. of this vita (except § 5) and also in Gall., ix. 1 and Claud., vii. 4 seems to owe its origin to the desire to make the pun contained in § 3 f. Aur. Victor (33, 2) agrees with the biographer in relating that he rallied the remains of Ingenuus' army and renewel the war against Gallienus.
86
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS X. 2-8
imperial power. And so Regalianus,1 who held the command in Illyricum, was declared emperor, the prime movers being the Moesians, who had previously been defeated with Ingenuus and on whose kinsmen Gallienus had vented his anger severely. He, in- deed, performed many brave deeds against the Sarmatians, but nevertheless, at the instigation of the Roxolani 2 and with the consent of the soldiers and the provincials, who feared that Gallienus might, on a second occasion, act even more cruelly, he was put to death.
It may perhaps seem a matter for wonder if I relate the origin of his rule, for it was all because of a notable jest that he gained the royal power. For when some soldiers were dining with him and a certain acting-tribune arose and said, " Whence shall we suppose that Regalianus gets his name ? " another replied at once, " I suppose from his regal power." Then a schoolmaster who was present among them began, as it seemed, to decline gram- matically, saying, " Rex, regis, regi, Regalianus," whereupon among the soldiers — a class of men who are quick to express what they have in mind — one cried out, " So, then, can he be regal ? ' another, " So, then, can he hold regal sway over us ? " and again another, " God has given you a regent's name." Why should I then say more ? The next day after these words were spoken, on going forth in the morn- ing he was greeted as emperor by the front-line troops. Thus what was offered to others through daring or reasoned choice was offered to him through a clever jest.
It cannot, indeed, be denied that he had always
2 See note to Hadr., vi. 6.
87
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
semper probatus et Gallieno iam ante suspectus, quod dignus videretur imperio, gentis Daciae, De- 9cebali ipsius, ut fertur, adfinis. exstat epistula divi Claudii tune privati, qua Regaliano, Illyrici duci, gratias agit ob redditum Illyricum, cum omnia Gallieni segnitia deperirent. quam ego repertam in authenticis inserendam putavi ; fuit enim publica.
10 "Claudius Regaliano multam salutem. felicem rem publicam quae te talem virum habere in castris bellicis l meruit, felicem Gallienum, etiamsi ei vera
11 nemo nee de bonis nee de malis nuntiat. pertule- runt ad me Bonitus et Celsus, stipatores principis nostri, qualis apud Scupos in pugnando fueris, quot uno die proelia et qua celeritate confeceris. dignus
12 eras triumpho, si antiqua tempora exstarent. sed quid multa ? memor cuiusdam hominis cautius velim vincas. arcus Sarmaticos et duo saga ad me velim inittas, sed fibulatoria, cum ipse misi de nostris."
13 Hac epistula ostenditur quid de Regaliano senserit Claudius, cuius gravissimum iudicium suis temporibus fuisse non dubium est.
14 Nee a Gallieno quidem vir iste promotus est sed a patre eius Valeriano, ut et Claudius et Macrianus et
1 bellicis Baehrens, Peter ; belli ius P.
1 The formidable king of the Dacians who was finally overcome by Trajan, after two wais, in 107.
2 Probably Zlokuchan near Uskiib (Skoplje) in Jugoslavia.
88
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS X. 9-14
won approbation in warfare and had long been suspected by Gallienus because he seemed worthy to rule ; he was, moreover, a Dacian by birth and a kinsman, so it was said, of Decebalus 1 himself. There is still in existence a letter written by the Deified Claudius, then still a commoner, in which he expresses his thanks to Regalianus, as general in command of Illyricum, for recovering this district, at a time when Gallienus' slothfulness was bringing all things to ruin. This letter, which I have found in the original form, I think should be inserted here, for it was written officially :
" From Claudius to Regalianus many greetings. Fortunate is the commonwealth, which has deserved to have such a man as yourself in its military camps, and fortunate is Gallienus, though no one tells him the truth about either good men or bad. Word has been brought to me by Bonitus and Celsus, the attendants of our emperor, how you conducted yourself in fight- ing at Scupi 2 and how many battles you fought in a single day and with what great speed. You were worthy of a triumph, did but the olden times still remain. But why say more ? I could wish that you might be mindful of a certain person and therefore be more cautious in gaining victories. I should like you to send me some Sarmatian bows and two military cloaks, but provided with clasps, for I am sending you some of my own."
This letter shows what opinion of Regalianus was held by Claudius, whose judgement was without doubt most weighty in his own time.
It was not, indeed, from Gallienus that Regalianus received his promotion, but from his father, Valerian, as did also Claudius, Macrianus, Iiigenuus, Postumus
89
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
Ingenuus et Postumus et Aureolus, qui omnes in im- perio interempti sunt, cum mererentur imperium. 15mirabile autem hoc fuit in Valeriano principe, quod omnes, quoscumque duces fecit, postea militum testi- moiiio ad imperium perveiierunt, ut appareat senem imperatorem in deligendis rei publicae ducibus talem fuisse, qualem Romana felicitas, si continuari fataliter
16 potuisset sub bono principe, requirebat. et utinam vel illi qui arripuerant imperia regnare potuissent, vel eius nlius in imperio diutius non fuisset, utlibet
17 se in suo statu res publica nostra tenuisset. sed nimis sibi Fortuna indulgeiidum putavit, quae et cum Valeriano bonos principes tulit et Gallienum diutius quam oportebat rei publicae reservavit.
AUREOLUS
XI. Hie quoque Illyricianos exercitus regens in contemptu Gallieni, ut omnes eo tempore, coactus
2 a militibus sumpsit imperium. et cum Macrianus cum filio suo Macriano contra Gallienum venire t cum plurimis, exercitus eius cepit, aliquos corruptos fidei
3 suae addixit. et cum factus esset hinc validus 1 im- perator cumque Gallienus expugnare virum fortem
1 hinc. validity Salni., Peter; invalidus P, 2.
1 Despite the assurance contained in §§ 6-7, practically our only information concerning this really important man comes from Zonaras (xii. 24). Aureolus as commander of Gallienus' cavalry contributed greatly to the successful battle against Ingenuus. Later he was sent to Thrace to oppose the advance of Macrianus (c. xii. 13-14; Gall., ii. 6-7), whose troops he persuaded to surrender without a battle. In 268 he declared himself emperor and advanced on Milan. Here Gallienus
90
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS X. 15— XI. 3
and Aureolus, who all were slain while they held the imperial power, although they deserved to hold it. It was, moreover, a matter for marvel in Valerian as emperor, that all who were appointed commanders by him, afterwards, by the voice of the soldiers, ob- tained the imperial rule, so that it is clear that the aged emperor, in choosing the generals of the common- wealth, was, in fact, such an one as the felicity of Rome — could it only have been permitted by fate to continue under a worthy prince — ever required. Oh that it might have been possible either for those who seized the imperial power to rule for a longer time, or for this man's son to rule less long, that somehow our commonwealth might have kept itself in its proper position ! But Fortune claimed for herself too much indulgence, when with Valerian she took away our righteous princes, and preserved Gallienus for the commonwealth longer than was meet.
AUREOLUS
XI. This man 1 also, while commanding the Illyrian armies, was urged on by the soldiers in their con- tempt for Gallienus (as were all others at that time) and so seized the imperial power. And when Macri- anus and his son Macrianus marched against Gallienus with very large forces, he took their troops, and some he won over to his cause by bribery. When Aureolus had thus become a mighty emperor, Gallienus, after trying in vain to conquer so brave a man and being
besieged him but fell during the siege (see Gall., xiv. 6-9). After his death Aureolus submitted to Claudius but again planned a revolt, at the outset of which he was killed by his Boldiers (Claud., v. 1-3).
91
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
frustra temptasset, pacem cum eo fecit 1 contra Postu- mum pugnaturus. quorum pleraque et dicta sunt et dicenda.
4 Hunc eundem Aureolum Claudius interfecto iam Gallieno conflictu habito apud eum pontem interemit qui nunc pons Aureoli nuncupatur, atque illic ut
6 tyrannum sepulchre humiliore donavit. exstat etiam nunc epigramma Graecum in hanc formam :
Dono sepulchrorum victor post multa tyranni
proelia iam felix Claudius Aureolum munere prosequitur mortali et iure superstes,
vivere quern vellet, si pateretur amor militis egregii, vitam qui iure negavit
omnibus indignis et magis Aureolo. ille tamen clemens, qui corporis ultima servans
et pontem Aureoli dedicat et tumulum.
6hos ego versus a quodam grammatico translates ita posui ut fidem servarem, non quo non 2 melius potu- erint transferri, sed ut fidelitas historica servaretur, quam ego prae ceteris custodiendam putavi, qui quod
Vad eloquentiam pertinet nihil euro, rem enim vobis
1 fecit 2, Hohl ; om. in P ; ins. after pugnaturiia by Peter. anon om. *n P.
1 Mod. Pontirolo on the Adda, about 20 miles N.E. of Milan.
2 The epigram is given in a Greek version, apparently by Andrea Alciatus, in 7. G., xiv. no. 355* (p. 32*).
£2
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XI. 4-7
now on the point of beginning a war against Postumus, made peace with him — of which events many have already been related and many are still to be told.
This same Aureolus, after Gallienus was slain, Claudius met in battle and killed at that bridge which now bears the name of Aureolus' Bridge,1 and there he bestowed upon him a tomb, but a lowly one as became a pretender. There is even now in exist- ence an epigram in Greek 2 of the following purport :
"Sepulture's gift, after many a battle against the
pretender,
Claudius, flushed with success, gives to Aureolus now, Doing him honour in death, himself the rightful
survivor.
Fain had he kept him alive, only his glorious troops Suffered it not in their love ; for they put out of life
very rightly All who deserved not to live — why not Aureolus
more ? Merciful, though, was that prince, who preserved
what was left of his body, And in Aureolus' name built both a bridge and a
tomb."
These verses, translated by a certain teacher of grammar, I have given in such a way that their accuracy is retained, although they could be trans- lated more elegantly ; but I do it with the purpose of preserving historical truth, which I have thought should be guarded above all else, and caring naught for considerations of literary style. For, indeed, it is fact that I have determined to put before you and not mere words, especially when we have such an
93
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
proposui deferre, lion verba, maxime tanta rerum copia ut in triginta tyrannorum simul vitis.
MACRIANUS
XII. Capto Valeriano, diu clarissimo principe civi- tatis, fortissimo deinde imperatori, ad postremum om- nium infelicissimo, vel quod senex apud Persas con- senuit vel quod indignos se posteros derel quit, cum Gallienum coritemnendum Ballista praefectus Valeri- ani et Macrianus primus ducum1 intellegerent, quae- rentibus etiam militibus principem, unum in locum 2 concesserunt quaerentes quid faciendum esset. tunc- que constitit, Gallieno longe posito Aureolo usurpante imperium, debere aliquem principem fieri, et quidem
5 optimum, lie quispiam tyrannus exsisteret. verba igitur Ballistae (quantum Maeonius Astyanax, qui
4consilio interfuit, adserit) haec fuerunt : " Mea et aetas et professio et voluntas longe ab imperio absunt, et ego, quod negare non possum, bonum principem
5quaero. sed quis tandem est, qui Valtriani locum possit implere, nisi talis qualis tu es, fortis, con- stans, integer, probatus in re publica et, quod
6 maxime ad imperium pertinet, dives ? arripe igitur
1 ducum Salm. ; dum P, 27.
1 M. Fulvius Macrianus Augustus. As Valerian's Ko/j.rjs Ttav drjffavpwv Kal ttyfffTws rp ayopa rov airov he was not present when the Emperor was captured ; later he succeeded in rallying the soldiers at Samo?ata ; see Continuator of Cassius Dio, frg. 159 (ed. Boissevain, iii. p. 742). Further details of his revolt in 261, as described here, are given in Gall., i-ii. and in Zonaras, xii. 24. His coins show that the correct form of his name and his Bon's is Macrianus, and not
94
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XTI. 1-6
abundance of facts as in the lives of the thirty pretenders taken together.
MACRIANUS i
XII. After the capture of Valerian, long a most noble prince in the state, then a most valiant emperor, but at the last the most unfortunate of all men (either because in his old age he pined away among the Persians or because he left behind him unworthy descendants), Ballista,2 Valerian's prefect, and Macri- anus, the foremost of his generals, since they knew that Gallienus was worthy only of contempt and since the soldiers, too, were seeking an emperor, withdrew together to a certain place, to consider what should be done. They then agreed that, since Gallienus was far away and Aureolus was usurping the imperial power, some emperor ought to be chosen, and, indeed, the best man, lest there should arise some pretender. Therefore Ballista (or so Maeonius Astyanax,3 who took part in their council, relates) spoke as follows : " As for myself, my age and my calling and my desires are all far removed from the imperial office, and so, as I cannot deny, I am searching for a worthy prince. But who, pray, is there who can fill the place of Valerian except such a man as yourself, brave, steadfast, honourable, well proved in public affairs, and — what is of the highest importance for holding the imperial office — possessed of great wealth ?
Maori n us, as it frequently appears in the MSS. of the Historia Augusta and in other authors ; see Cohen, vi.2 pp. 2-3. Papyri dated in the first year of Macrianus and Quietus (c. xiv.) show that they were accepted in Egypt as emperors in 260. 2 See c. xviii. 3 Otherwise unknown.
95
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
locum meritis tuis debitum. me praefecto, quamdiu voles, uteris. tu cum re publica tantum bene agas,
7 ut te Romanus orbis factum principem gaudeat." ad haec Macrianus : " Fateor, Ballista, imperium prudent! non frustra est. volo enim rei publicae subvenire atque illam pestem a legum gubernaculis dimovere, sed non hoc in me aetatis est ; senex sum, ad exem- plum equitare non possum, lavandum mihi est fre- quentius, edendum delicatius, divitiae me iam dudum
Sab usu militiae retraxerunt. iuvenes aliqui sunt quae- rendi, nee unus sed duo vel tres fortissimi, qui ex diversis partibus l orbis humani rem publicam resti- tuant, quam Valerianus fato, Gallienus vitae suae
9genere perdideruiit." post haec intellexit eum Bal- lista sic agere ut de filiis suis videretur cogitare, atque adeo sic adgressus est : " Prudentiae tuae rem publi-
10 cam tradimus. da igitur liberos tuos Macrianum et Quietum, fortissimos iuvenes, olim tribunes a Valeri- ano factos, quia Gallieno imperante, quod boni sunt,
11 salvi esse non possunt." tune ille ubi intellectum se esse comperit, "Do," inquit, "manus, de meo stipendium militi duplex daturus. tu tantum prae- fecti mihi studium et annonam in necessariis locis praebe. iam ego faxim ut Gallienus, sordidissimus feminarum omnium, duces sui parentis intellegat."
1 partibu* 2 ; patribua P.
96
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XII. 7-11
Therefore, take this post which your merits deserve. My services as prefect shall be yours as long as you wish. Do you only serve the commonwealth well, so that the Roman world may rejoice that you have been made its prince." To this Macrianus replied : " I admit, Ballista, that to the wise man the imperial office is no light thing. For I wish, indeed, to come to the aid of the commonwealth and to remove that pestiferous fellow from administering the laws, but I am not of an age for this ; I am now an old man, I cannot ride as an example to others, I must bathe too often and eat too carefully, and my very riches have long since kept me away from practicing war. We must seek out some young men, and not one alone, but two or three of the bravest, who in different parts of the world of mankind can restore the common- wealth, which Valerian and Gallienus have brought to ruin, the one by his fate, the other by his mode of life." Whereupon Ballista, perceiving that Macri- anus, in so speaking, seemed to have in mind his own two sons, answered him as follows : " To your wisdom, then, we entrust the commonwealth. And so give us your sons Macrianus and Quietus, most valiant young men, long since made tribunes by Valerian, for, under the rule of Gallienus, for the very reason that they are good men, they cannot remain un- harmed/' Then Macrianus, finding out that his thoughts had been understood, replied : " I will yield, and from my own funds I will present to the soldiers a double bounty. Do you but give me your zealous service as prefect and furnish rations in the needful places. I will now do my best that Gallienus, more contemptible than any woman, may come to know his father's generals." And so, with the consent of all
97
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
12 tactus est igltur cum Macriano et Quieto duobus filiis cunctis militibus volentibus imperator ac statim contra Gallienum venire coepit utcumque rebus in oriente
13 clerelictis. sed cum quadraginta quinque milia mili- tum secum duceret, in Illyrico vel in Thraciarum extimis congressus cum Aureolo victus et cum filio
14 interemptus est. triginta denique milia militum in Aureoli potestatem concessere. Domitianus autem eundem vicit, dux Aureoli fortissimus et vehementis- simus, qui se originem diceret a Domitiano impera- tore J trahere atque a Domitilla.
15 De Macriano autem iiefas mihi videtur iudicium Valeriani praeterire, quod ille in oratione sua, quam ad senatum e Persidis finibus miserat, posuit. inter
16 cetera ex oratione divi Valeriani : " Ego, patres con- scripti, bellum Persicum gerens Macriano totam rem pubiicam credidi et 2 quidem a parte militari. ille vobis fidelis, ille mihi devotus, ilium et amat et timet miles, utcumque res exegerit, cum exercitibus agit.
17 nee, patres conscripti, nova vel inopina nobis sunt ; pueri eius virtus in Italia, adulescentis in Gallia, iuvenis in Thracia, in Africa iam provecti, senescentis denique in Illyrico et Dalmatia comprobata est, cum in diversis proeliis ad exemplum fortiter faceret.
] imperatore ins. by P corr., foil, by Klotz ; om. by Peter and Hohl. -etom. in P.
1 Mentioned also in c. xiii. 3 and Gall., ii. C. He is probably the pretender of this name who arose under Aurelian ; see Zosimus, i. 49, 2. A coin of his has been found in France on which he bears the titles Caesar and Augustus ; see Babelon in Compt.es Rendus de VAcad. des Inscrs , 1901, p. 200. His descent is evidently a fabrication of the biographer's, for
98
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XIJ. 12-17
the soldiers, Macrianus was made emperor, together with his two sons Macrianus and Quietus, and he immediately proceeded to march against Gallienus, leaving affairs in the East in whatever state he could. But while he was on the march, having with him a force of forty-five thousand soldiers, he met Aureolus in Illyricum or on the borders of Thrace, and there he was defeated and together with his son was slain. Then thirty thousand of his men yielded to Aureolus' power. It was Domitianus,1 indeed, who won this victory, the bravest and most active of Aureolus' leaders, who claimed to be the descendant of the Emperor Domitian and Domitilla.
In writing of Macrianus, moreover, it would seem to me wrong to leave out the opinion of Valerian, which he expressed in the message he sent to the senate from the frontier of Persia. A portion of the message of the Deified Valerian : " Being now en- gaged in the war with the Persians, Conscript Fathers, I have entrusted all public affairs, and even those which concern the war, to Macrianus. He is faithful to you, loyal to me, and both beloved and feared by the soldiers. He with his army Will act as the case shall demand. And in this, Conscript Fathers, there is nothing new or unexpected by us. For while a boy in Italy, while a youth in Gaul, while a young man in Thrace, while a mature man in Africa, and, finally, while well advanced in years in Illyricum and Dalmatia, his valour has been well proved, for in divers battles he has done brave deeds which may serve as a pattern to others. I will add, besides, that he has young sons, worthy of being our associates
Domitilla was Domitian's niece, not his wife ; the latter was Domitia Longina.
99
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
18 hue accedit quod habet iuvenes filios Romano dignos1 collegio, nostra dignos l amicitia," et reliqua.
MACRIANUS IUNIOR
XIII. Multa de hoc in patris imperio praelibata sunt, qui numquam imperator factus esset, nisi pru-
2dentiae patvis eius creditum videretur. de hoc plane multa miranda dicuntur, quae ad fortitudinem pertin- eant iuvenalis aetatis. sed quid 2 ad fata aut quantum
3 in bellis unius valet fortitude? hie enim vehemens cum prudentissimo patre, cuius merito imperare coeperat, a Domitiano victus triginta (dixi superius) milibus militum spoliatus est, matre nobilis, patre tantum forti et ad bellum parato atque ab ultima militia in summum perveniente ducatum splendore sublimi.
QUIETUS
XIV. Hie, ut diximus, Macriani filius fuit. cum patre et fratre Ballistae iudicio imperator est factus. sed ubi comperit Odaenathus, qui olim iam orientem tenebat, ab Aureolo Macrianum, patrem Quieti, cum
1 dignos 2 ; dignus P, Peter, Hohl. 2 quid ins. by Helm, foil, by Hohl ; om. in P and 27 ; ad fata aut in bellis quantum Peter following Salm. and Obrecht.
JT. Fulvius lunius Macrianus Augustus, according to his coins; see Cohen, vi.2 pp. 3-6.
2 T. Fulvius lunius Quietus Augustus, according to his coins ; see Cohen, vi.2 pp. 6-8. For his death, see c. xv. 4 and Gall., iii. 2. According to Zonaras (xii. 24), he was defeated near
100
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XII. 18— XIV. 1
in Rome and worthy, too, of our friendship/' and so forth.
MACRIANUS THE YOUNGER
XIII. I have already given a foretaste, in the account of his father's rule, of many details about this man,1 who would never have been chosen emperor, had it not seemed well to trust to his father's wisdom. Many marvellous stories, it is true, are related con- cerning him, all of which have to do with the bravery of youthful years. But what, after all, does one single man's bravery avail against fate or how much does it profit in war ? For, though active himself and accompanied by the wisest of fathers (through whose merits he had begun to rule), he was defeated by Domitianus, and despoiled, as I have previously said, of an army of thirty thousand soldiers, being himself of noble birth through his mother, for his father was merely brave and ready for war, and had risen from the lowest rank in the army with exalted distinction to the highest command.
QUIETUS
XIV. This man,2 as we have said,3 was the son of Macrianus and was made emperor, along with his father and brother, in accordance with the judgement of Ballista. But when Odaenathus, who had now for some time held the East, learned that the two Macriani, the father and brother of Quietus, had been
Emesa (Horns) by Odaenathus and then put to death by the people of "the city. »o. xii. 12.
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THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
eius fratre Macriano victos, milites in eius potestatera concessisse, quasi Gallieni partes vindicaret, adules- centem cum Ballista praefecto dudum interemit.
2 idem quoque adulescens dignissimus Romano imperio fiiit, ut vere Macriani filius, Macriani etiam frater, qui duo adflictis rebus potuerunt rem publicam gerere, videretur.
3 Non mihi praetereundum videtur de Macrianorum familia, quae hodieque floret, id dicere quod speciale
4 semper habuerunt. Alexandrum Magnum Mace- donem viri in anulis et argento, mulieres et in reti- culis et dextrocheriis et in anulis et in omni orna- mentorum genere exsculptum semper habuerunt, eo usque ut tunicae et limbi et paenulae matronales in familia eius hodieque sint, quae Alexandri effigiem de
5 liciis variantibus monstrent. vidimus proxime Corne- lium Macrum ex eadem familia virum, cum cenam in Templo Herculis daret, pateram electrinam, quae in medio vultum Alexandri haberet et in circuitu omnem historian! contineret signis brevibus et minutulis, pontifici propinare, quam quidem circumferri ad
6 omnes tanti illius viri cupidissimos iussit. quod idcirco posui quia dicuiitur iuvari in omni actu suo qui Alexandrum expressum vel auro gestitant vel argento.
1 These writers have a liking for representing descendants of emperors or pretenders as alive in their own day ; see c. xxxiii. 5 ; Gord., xx. 6; Max.-Balb., xvi. 1 ; Aur., i. 3 ; xlii. 1 ; Prob., xxiv. 1; Firm., xiii. 5. Most of these persons are probably fictitious.
102
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XIV. 2-6
defeated by Aureolus, and that their soldiers had yielded to his power in the belief that he was uphold- ing the cause of Gallienus, he put the young man to death and with him Ballista, for a long time prefect. This young man, too, was worthy to hold the power at Rome, so that he seemed to be truly the son of Macrianus and also the brother of Macrianus, who together were well able to govern the commonwealth in its stricken state.
It does not seem to me, in telling of the family of the Macriani (which is still flourishing to-day),1 that I should fail to speak of a peculiar custom which they have always observed. For an embossed head of Alexander the Great of Macedonia was always used by the men on their rings and their silver plate, and by the women on their head-dresses, their bracelets, their rings and ornaments of every kind, so that even to-day there are still in that family tunics and fillets and women's cloaks which show the likeness of Alexander in threads of divers colours. We, our- selves, recently saw Cornelius Macer, a man of that same family, while giving a dinner in the Temple of Hercules,2 drink the health of a pontiff from a bowl made of electrum,3 which had in the centre the face of Alexander and contained on the circumference his whole history in small and minute figures, and this he caused to be passed around to all the most ardent admirers of that great hero. All this I have included because it is said that those who wear the likeness of Alexander carved in either gold or silver are aided in all that they do.
a There were several temples of Hercules in Home. 3 An alloy of gold and silver ; a somewhat similar bowl is described in Martial, viii. 51.
103
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
ODAENATHUS
XV. Nisi Odaenathus, princeps Palmyrenorum, capto Valeriano, fessis Romanae rei publicae viribus, sumpsisset imperium, in oriente perditae res essent. 2quare adsumpto nomine primum regali cum uxore Zenobia et filio maiore, cui erat nomen H erodes, minoribus Herenniano et Timolao collecto exercitu
3 contra Persas profectus est. Nisibin primum et orientis pleraque cum omni Mesopotamia in potes- tatem recepit, deinde ipsum regem victum fugere
4 coegit. postremo Ctesiphonta usque Saporem et eius liberos persecutus captis concubinis, capta etiam magna praeda ad orientem vertit, sperans quod Mac- rianum, qui imperare contra Gallienum coeperat, posset opprimere, sed illo iam profecto contra Aureo- lum et contra Gallienum. eo interempto filium eius Quietum interfecit, Ballista, ut plerique adserunt,
5 regnum usurpante, ne et ipse posset occidi. composite igitur magna ex parte orientis statu a consobrino suo
1 Septimius Odaenathus, son of Septimius Hairanes. A member of the most important family of Palmyra, he received from the Roman government the title of consularis, which he bears in an inscription of 258 (Lebas-Wad. 2602) and on his coins. Later he received from Gallienus the office of (rrpar-ny'bs TTJS 'Ecpas or ird<n)s 'Aj/aroATjs ; see Zonaras, xii. 23-24 and Syncellus, I., p. 716 (cf. Gall., iii. 3 ; x. 1). This indicates a general imperium over all the Asiatic provinces and Egypt, but subject to that of the Roman Emperor. He afterwards took the title of King of Palmyra (§ 2), and on a Palniyrene inscrip- tion set up in 271 after his death he is called " King of Kings." There is no evidence that he ever received the title of Augustus
104
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XV. 1-5
ODAENATHUS
XV. Had not Odaenathus,1 prince of the Palmy- renes, seized the imperial power after the capture of Valerian, when the strength of the Roman state was exhausted, all would have been lost in the East. He assumed, therefore, as the first of his line, the title of King, and after gathering together an army he set out against the Persians, having with him his wife Zenobia,2 his elder son, whose name was Herodes, and his younger sons, Herennianus and Timolaus.3 First of all, he brought under his power Nisibis and most of the East together with the whole of Meso- potamia, next, he defeated the king himself and compelled him to flee. Finally, he pursued Sapor and his children even as far as Ctesiphon, and cap- tured his concubines and also a great amount of booty ; then he turned to the oriental provinces, hoping to be able to crush Macrianus,4 who had begun to rule in opposition to Gallienus, but he had already set out against Aureolus and Gallienus. After Macrianus was slain, Odaenathus killed his son Quietus also, while Ballista, many assert, usurped the imperial power 5 in order that he, too, might not be slain. Then, after he had for the most part put in order the affairs of the East, he was killed by his cousin
from Gallienus (Gall., xii. 1), or assumed it himself, or in any way formally rebelled against the power of Rome, although in fact his position was almost that of an independent prince. On his suppression of the revolt of Quietus see also c. xiv. 1 and Gall., iii. 1-5, and on his invasion of Mesopotamia after the capture of Valerian see VaL, iv. 2-4 ; Gall., x. 3-8 ; xii. 1.
2 See c. xxx. 3 See c. xxvii-xxviii.
4 See c. xii. ° See note to c. xviii. 1.
105
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
Maeonio. qui et ipse imperium sumpserat, interemptus e^t cum tilio suo Herode, qui et ipse post reditum de
6 Perside cum patre imperator est appellatus. iratum fuisse rei publicae deum credo, qui interfeeto Valeri-
7 ano noluit Odaenathum reservare. ille plane cum uxore /enobia non solum orientem, quern iam in pristimim reformaverat statum, sed et omnes omnino totius orbis partes refonnasset, vir aeer in bellis et, quantum plerique scriptores loquuntur, venatu me- morabili semper inclitus, qui a prima aetate capiendis leonibus et pardis. ursis ceterisque silvestribus ani- mal ibus sudorem orticii virilis impendit quique semper in silvis ac montibtis \\xit, perferens calorem, pluvias et omnia mala quae in se continent venatoriae volup-
S tates. quibus duratus solem ac pulverem in bellis Persieis tulit, non aliter etiain coniuj^e adsueta, quae nuiltorum sententia fortior marito fuisse perhibetur, mulier omnium nobilissima orientalium feminarum et, ut Cornelius Capitolinus adserit. speciosissima.1
HERODES
X\ I. Non /enobia matre sed priore uxore genitus Herodes cum patre accepit imperium. homo omnium delicatissimus et prorsus orientalis et Graecae luxuriae,
x 'v "'•' £l saet w "/ P :.
1 See also cVti//., xiii. 1. On Maeouius, see note to c. xvii. 1. According to Zosimus. i. 3,\ -2, the murder took place at Emesa (Horns); it eau be dated in -JtH^-JOT. as Alexandrian coins show this to be the first year of Vaballathus. Odaeuathus' son and successor.
- Otherwise unknown and perhaps fictitious.
8 Mentioned also in c. xv. -2 and 5 ; xvii. 1 ; Gall., xiii. 1. The statement that he wa-^ killed with his father seems to
106
THE THIRTY PRKTKNDKKS XV. 6— XVI. 1.
Maeonius ] (who also had seized the imperial power), together with his son H erodes, who, also, after return- ing from Persia along with his father, had received the title of emperor. Some god, I believe, was angry with the commonwealth, who, after Valerian's death, was unwilling to preserve Odaenathus alive. For of a surety he, with his wife Zenobia, would have re- stored not only the East, which he had already brought back to its ancient condition, but also all parts of the whole world everywhere, since he was fierce in warfare and, as most writers relate, ever famous for his memorable hunts ; for from his earliest years he expended his sweat, as is the duty of a man, in taking lions and panthers and bears and other beasts of the forest, and always lived in the woods and the mountains, enduring heat and rain and all other hardships which pleasures of hunting entail. Hardened by these he was able to bear the sun and the dust in the wars with the Persians ; and his wife, too, was inured to hardship and in the opinion of many was held to be more brave than her husband, being, indeed, the noblest of all the women of the East, and, as Cornelius Capitolinus 2 declares, the most beautiful.
HERODES
XVI. Herodes,3 who was the son, not of Zenobia, but of a former wife of Odaenathus, received the imperial power along with his father, though he was the most effeminate of men, wholly oriental and given over to Grecian luxury, for he had embroidered tents
be borne out by Zonaras (xii. 24), who says that Odaenathus' older son was killed with him.
107
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
cui erant sigillata tentoria et aureati papiliones et
2omnia Persica. denique ingenio eius usus Odaenathus
quicquid concubinarum regalium, quicquid divitiarum
gemmarumque cepit, eidem tradidit paternae indul-
Sgentiae adfectione permotus. et erat circa ilium
Zenobia novercali animo, qua re commendabiliorem
patri eum fecerat. neque plura sunt quae de Herode
dicantur.
MAEONIUS
XVII. Hie consobrinus Odaenathi fuit nee ulla re alia ductus nisi damnabili invidia imperatorem optimum interemit, cum ei nihil aliud obiceret praeter filium
2 Herodem.1 dicitur autem primum cum Zenobia con- sensisse, quae ferre non poterat ut privignus eius Herodes priore loco quam filii eius, Herennianus et Timolaus, principes dicerentur. sed hie quoque spur-
3 cissimus fuit. quare imperator appellatus per errorem brevi a militibus pro suae luxuriae meritis interemptus est.
BALLISTA
XVIII. De hoc, utrum imperaverit, scriptores inter se ambigunt. multi enim dicunt Quieto per Odae-
1 So Salm. foil, by Peter ; filii herodes P ; filii Herodis Helm foil, by Hohl.
!Cf. c. xv. 4 ; Val., iv. 3.
9 He is represented here, as well as in c. xv. 5 and Gall., xiii. 1, as Odaenathus' cousin, but in Zonaras (xii. 24) as his nephew. Here and in c. xv. 5 his name is given as Maeonius, while Syncellus (I. p. 717) knows him as Odaenathus, and the Continuator of Cassius Dio frg. 166 (ed. Boissevain., iii p. 744), as Kufinus. The statement that he was vested with the imperial power and not killed until later seems to be an invention of the biographer's, due to his desire to swell the
108
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XVI. 2— XVIII. 1
and pavilions made out of cloth of gold and every- thing in the manner of the Persians. In fact, Odaenathus, complying with his ways and moved by the promptings of a father's indulgence, gave him all the king's concubines1 and the riches and jewels that he captured. Zeiiobia, indeed, treated him in a step-mother's way, and this made him all the more dear to his father. Nothing more remains to be said concerning Herodes.
MAEONIUS
XVII. This man,2 the cousin ot Odaenathus, murdered that excellent emperor, being moved thereto by nothing else than contemptible envy, for he could bring no charge against him save that Herodes was his son. It is said, however, that previ- ously he had entered into a conspiracy with Zenobia, who could not bear that her stepson Herodes should be called a prince in a higher rank than her own two sons, Herennianus and Timolaus. But Maeonius, too, was a filthy fellow, and so, after being saluted as emperor through some blunder, he was shortly there- after killed by the soldiers, as his excesses deserved.
BALLISTA
XVIII. As to whether this man 3 held the imperial power or not historians do not agree. For many
number of his " Thirty." According to Zonaras he was killed immediately after the murder.
3 On his services in aiding Odaenathus to repel the Persians after Valerian's capture, see VaL, iv. 4 ; Zonaras, xii. 23 (where he is called Callistus). On his co-operation with Macrianus and bis sons and his death, see c. xii. 1-3; xiv. 1; xv. 4; Gall., i. 2-4; iii. 2. There is no evidence for the statement that he assumed the purple.
109
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
nathum occiso Ballistae veniam datam et tamen eum
imperasse, quod nee Gallieno nee Aureolo nee Odae-
2natho se crederet. alii adserunt privatum eum in
agro suo, quern apud Daphnidem sibi compararat, in-
3 teremptum. multi et sumpsisse ilium purpuram, ut more Romano imperaret, et exercitum duxisse et de se plura promisisse dixerunt, occisum autem per eos quos Aureolus miserat ad comprehendendum Quietum, Macriani filium, quern praedam suam esse dicebat.
4 fuit vir insignis, eruditus ad gerendam rem publicam, in consiliis vehemens, in expeditionibus clarus, in provisione annonaria singularis, Valeriano sic ac- ceptus ut eum quibusdam Htteris hoc testimonio pro- secutus sit :
5 "Valerianus Ragonio Claro praefecto Illyrici et Galliarum. si quid in te bonae frugis est, quam esse scio, parens Clare, dispositiones tu Ballistae perse-
6 quere. his rem publicam informa. videsne ut ille provinciales non gravet, ut illic equos contineat ubi sunt pabula, illic annonas militum mandet ubi sunt frumenta, non provincialem, non possessorem cogat illic frumenta ul3i non habet dare, illic equum ubi non
7 potest pascere ? nee est ulla alia provisio melior quam ut in locis suis erogentur quae nascuntur, ne aut vehi-
8 culis aut sumptibus rem publicam gravent. Galatia frumentis abundat, referta est Thracia, plenum est Illyricum ; illic pedites conlocentur, quamquam in
1 Presumably Daphne near Antioch.
2 Otherwise unknown and probably, like the letter, fictitious.
110
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XVIII. 2-8
assert that when Quietus was killed by Odaenathus, Ballista was pardoned, but nevertheless took the imperial power, putting no trust in either Gallienus or Aureolus or Odaenathus. Others, again, declare that while still a commoner he was killed on the lands which he had bought for himself near Daphne.1 Many, indeed, have said that he assumed the purple in order to rule in the Roman fashion, and that he took command of the army and made many promises on his own account, but was killed by those de- spatched by Aureolus for the purpose of seizing Quietus, Macrianus' son, who, Aureolus averred, was his own due prey. He was a notable man, skilled in administering the commonwealth, vehement in counsel, winning fame in campaigns, without an equal in providing for rations, and so highly esteemed by Valerian that in a certain letter he honoured him with the following testimony :
" From Valerian to Ragonius Clarus,2 prefect of Illyricum and the provinces of Gaul. If you are a man of good judgement, my kinsman Clarus, as I know that you are, you will carry out the arrange- ments of Ballista. Model your government on them. Do you see how he refrains from burdening the provincials, how he keeps the horses in places where there is fodder and exacts the rations for his soldiers in places where there is grain, how he never compels the provincials or the land-holders to furnish grain where they have no supply, or horses where they have no pasture ? There is no arrangement better than to exact in each place what is there produced, so that the commonwealth may not be burdened by transport or other expenses. Galatia is rich in grain, Thrace is well stocked, and Illyricum is filled with
111
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
Thracia etiam equites sine noxa provincialium hiemare
possint. multum enim ex campis faeni colligitur.
9 iam vinum,1 laridum, iam ceterae species in iis dandae
10 sunt locis, in quibus adfatim redundant, quae omnia sunt Ballistae consilia, qui ex quadam provincia unam tantum speciem praeberi iussit, quod ea redun- daret, atque ab ea milites submoveri. id quod pub- licitus est decretum."
11 Est et alia eius epistula qua gratias Ballistae agit,2 in qua docet sibi praecepta gubernandae rei publicae ab eodem data, gaudens quod eius consilio nullum adscripticium (id est vacantem) haberet tribunum,3 nullum stipatorem, qui non vere aliquid ageret, nullum militem, qui non vere pugnaret.
12 Hie igitur vir in tentorio suo Cubans a quodam gre- gario milite in Odaenathi et Gallieni gratiam dicitur
13 mteremptus. de quo ipse vera non satis comperi, idcirco quod scriptores temporum de huius praefectura multa, de imperio pauca dixerunt.
VALENS
XIX. Hie vir militaris, simul etiam civilium virtu- turn gloria pollens, proconsulatum Achaiae dato a 2Gallieno tune honore gubernabat. quern Macrianus vehementer reformidans, simul quod in omni genere
1 iam uinnm Peter,3 Hohl ; iam in P. 2 agit S, Lessing, Hohl; ait P, Peter. 3 tribnnnm Cornelissen foil, by
Hohl ; et tribunum P, Peter.
1 See also c. xxi. 2 and Gall., ii. 2-4. He is also said in Epit., 32, 4 to have declared himself emperor in Macedonia, and he is listed with Aureolus, Postumus and Ingenuus as an opponent of Gallienus by Ammianus Marcellinus, xxi. 16, 10, but no coins of his are known.
112
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XVIII. 9 -XIX. 2
it ; so let the foot-soldiers be quartered in these regions, although in Thrace cavalry, too, can winter without damage to the provincials, since plenty of hay can be had from the fields. As for wine and bacon and other forms of food, let them be handed out in those places in which they abound in plenty. All this is the policy of Ballista, who gave orders that any province should furnish only one form of food, namely that in which it abounded, and that from it the soldiers should be kept away. This, in fact, has been officially decreed."
There is also another letter, in which he gives thanks to Ballista, showing that he himself had received from him instruction in governing the state, and expressing his pleasure that he had on his staff no supernumerary tribune (that is, one unassigned to some duty), no one in attendance who did not truly perform some office, and no soldier who was not truly a fighter.
This man, then, while resting in his tent was slain, it is said, by a certain common soldier, in order to gain the favour of Odaenathus and Gallienus. I, however, have not been able to find out sufficiently the truth concerning him, because the writers of his time have related much about his prefecture but little about his rule.
VALENS
XIX. This man,1 a warrior and at the same time excelling in glory for his qualities as a citizen, was holding the proconsulship of Achaea, an honour con- ferred on him by Gallienus. Macrianus feared him greatly, both because he had learned that he was distinguished for his whole manner of life and because
113
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
vitae satis clarum iiorat, simul quod inimicurn sibi esse invidia virtutum sciebat, misso Pisone, nobilis- simae tune et consularis familiae viro, interfici prae- Scepit. Valens diligentissime cavens et providens neque aliter sibi posse subveniri aestimans sumpsit imperium et brevi a militibus interemptus est.
VALENS SUPERIOR
XX. Et bene venit in mentem, ut, cum de hoc Valente loquimur, etiam de illo Valente qui superiorum principum temporibus interemptus est aliquid dicere-
2 mus. nam huius Valentis, qui sub Gallieno imperavit, avunculus magnus fuisse perhibetur. alii tantum
Savunculum dicunt. sed par in ambobus fuit fortuna,1 nam et ille, cum 2 paucis diebus Illyrico imperasset, occisus est.
PISO
XXI. Hie a Macriano ad interficiendum Valentem missus, ubi eum providum futurorum imperare cog- novit, Thessaliam concessit atque illic paucis sibi consentientibus sumpsit imperium Thessalicusque ap- pellatus vi3 interemptus est, vir summae sanctitatis
1 forma P. "cum om. in P ; ins. by Hohl ; before ille
in 2. 3ui P ; om. by Peter and Hohl.
1 Probably Julius Yalens Liciniauus is meant, who pro- claimed himself emperor in Rome during the absence of the Emperor Decius in the war against the Goths in 250, but was promptly put to death ; see Aur. Victor, Caes., 29, 3 ; E^it., 29, 5. As the biographer himself admits in c. xxxi. 8, he has no place among the rivals of Gallienus, and he is inserted solely for the purpose of increasing the number of Ti/ranni.
114
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XIX. 3— XXI. 1
he knew him to be his enemy out of hatred for his virtues. He therefore despatched Piso, a member of a family then most noble and, in fact, of consular rank, with orders to put him to death. Valens, however, who kept a most careful watch, foreseeing the future and believing that there was no other means of protecting himself, seized the imperial power and soon was slain by the soldiers.
VALENS THE ELDER
XX. It has fortunately occurred to us that, in speaking of this Valens, we should make some men- tion also of the Valens l who was killed in the time of the earlier emperors. For he, it is said, was the great-uncle of the Valens who seized the power under Gallienus. Others, however, assert that he was only his uncle. But the fate of them both was alike, for he, too, was killed after he had ruled for a few days in Illyricum.
- PISO
XXI. This man '2 was despatched by Macrianus to kill Valens, but on learning that he, foreseeing the future, had declared himself emperor, he withdrew into Thessaly ; there by consent of a few he assumed the imperial power, taking the surname Thessalicus, but was then slain by violence. He was a man of the utmost righteousness and during his life- time he
2 Known also from c. xix. 2 and Gall., ii. 2-4, but un- mentioned by any other author. - That Macrianus during his march through the Balkan Peninsula (see c. xii. 12-14) sent a force into Macedonia (Achaea) is not improbable ; but no coins of Piso's are known, and the story of his assumption of the power, like the " *enatu$ consultum " conferring honours on a rebel (I), must be regarded as fiction.
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THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
et temporibus suis Frugi dictus et qui ex ilia Pisonum familia ducere originem diceretur cui se Cicero nobili- 2tandi causa sociaverat. hie omnibus principibus ac- ceptissimus fuit. ipse denique Valens. qui ad eum percussores misisse perhibetur, dixisse dicitur non sibi apud deos inferos constare rationem, quod, quamvis hostem suum, Pisonem tamen iussisset occidi, virum cuius similem Romana res publica non haberet.
3 Senatus consultum de Pisone factum ad noscendam eius maiestatem libenter inserui : Die septimo kal. luliarum cum esset nuntiatum Pisonem a Valente in- teremptum, ipsum Valentem a suis occisum, Arellius Fuscus, consularis primae sententiae, qui in locum
4 Valeriani successerat, ait : " Consul, consule." cumque consultus esset, " Divinos ' inquit, " honores Pisoni decerno, patres conscripti, Gallienum et Valerianum et Saloninum imperatores nostros esse id probaturos 1 confido. neque enim melior vir quisquam fuit neque
Sconstantior." post quern ceteri consulti 2 statuam inter triumphales et currus quadriiugos Pisoni decre-
6verunt. sed statua eius videtur, quadrigae autem, quae decretae fuerant, quasi transferendae ad alium
7 locum 3 positae sunt nee adhuc redditae. nam in his locis fuerunt in quibus Thermae Diocletianae sunt exaedificatae, tarn aeterni nominis quam sacrati.
1 id probaturos Salm. ; imperaturos P. 2 citer consuU-nm P. a locum ins. by Richter aud Hohl ; om. in P and 2 •
alibi Peter.
1 Cicero's daughter Tullia was married to C. Calpurnius Piso Frugi. They were betrothed in 67 B.C. after Cicero had been elected praetor.
2 On such " senatus consulta " see note to VaL, v. 3.
3 A writer of this name (if Salmasius' conjecture be correct) is cited in c. xxv. 2, but he may well be fictitious. Also an
116
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XXI. 2-7
was given the name Frugi, and he was said to derive his descent from that family of Pisos with which Cicero had formed an alliance for the purpose of entering the nobility.1 He was highly esteemed by all the emperors ; in fact, Valens himself, who is said to have sent the assassins against him, declared, it is told, that never could he render account to the gods of the lower world for having given an order to put Piso to death, albeit his enemy, for his like the Roman commonwealth did not contain.
I have gladly inserted the senate's decree 2 which was passed concerning Piso, in order that his honours may be made known : On the seventh day before the Kalends of July, when word had been brought that Piso was slain by Valens and Valens himself by his own soldiers, Arellius Fuscus,3 the consular whose right it was to give his opinion first, having succeeded to the place of Valerian, said : "Consul, consult us." And on being asked his opinion, he said, " I propose divine honours for Piso, Conscript Fathers, and I firmly believe that this will be approved by our emperors, Gallienus, Valerian, and Saloninus ; for never was there a better man or a braver." After him the others also on being consulted voted Piso a statue among the triumphant generals and also a four-horse chariot. His statue is still to be seen, but the chariot which they decreed was erected only to be moved elsewhere, and it has not yet been brought back. For it was set up in the place where the Bath of Diocletian 4 was afterwards built, destined to have a name as undying as it is revered.
Arellius Fuscus was proconsul of Asia in 274-275, according to Aur., xl. 4.
4 Now the Museo Nazionale delle Terme.
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THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
AEMILIANUS
XXII. Est 1 hoc familiare populi Aegyptiorum ut velut 2 furiosi ac dementes de levissimis quib usque 3 ad
2summa rei publicae pericula perducantur ; saepe illi ob neglectas salutationes, locum in balneis non con- cessum, carnem et olera sequestrata, calceamenta servilia et cetera talia usque ad summum rei publicae periculum in 4 seditiones, ita ut armarentur contra eas
Sexercitus, pervenerunt. familiari ergo sibi furore, cum quadam die cuiusdam servus curatoris, qui Alex- antlriam tune regebat, militari ob hoc caesus esset quod crepidas suas meliores esse quam militis diceret, collecta multitude ad domum Aemiliani ducis venit atque eum omni seditionum instrumento et furore persecuta est ; ictus est lapidibus, petitus est ferro,
4 nee defuit 5 ullum seditionis telum. qua re coactus Aemilianus sumpsit imperium, cum sciret sibi unde-
Scumque pereundum. consenserunt ei Aegyptiacus
Cexercitus, maxime in Gallieni odium, nee eius ad regendam rem publicam vigor defuit, nam Thebaidem
1 est Peter ; et P. " uelut Baehrens, Peter 3 ; nel P, 27.
9quibusq^le Editio Princ. ; quibus usque P; quibusque usque Peter. 4in ins. by Petschenig and Hohl ; om. in P.
5 defuit God. Laurent, foil, by Peter; de P.
1 See also c. xxvi. 4 ; Gall., iv. 1-2 ; v. 6 ; ix. 1 ; He is also mentioned in Epit., 32, 4. It is known from papyri that L. Mussius Aemilianus and Aurelius Theodotos (3 8) were prefects of Egypt, the former as late as Oct. 259, the latter in August 262. Aemilianus would seem to have held central Egypt (the Thebais) for Gallienus against Macrianus and Quietus, who were acknowledged as emperors in lower Egypt in 260. However, no genuine coins of his are known, and it is unlikely that he ever assumed the imperial power ; therefore it
118
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XXII. 1-6
AEMILIANUS l
XXII. It is the wont of the people of Egypt that like madmen and fools they are led by the most trivial matters to become highly dangerous to the common- wealth ; 2 for merely because a greeting was omitted, or a place in the baths refused, or meat and vegetables withheld, or on account of the boots of slaves or some other such things, they have broken out into riots, even to the point of becoming highly dangerous to the state, so that troops have been armed to quell them. With their wonted madness, accordingly, on a certain occasion, when the slave of the chief magis- trate 3 then governing Alexandria had been killed by a soldier for asserting that his sandals were better than the soldier's, a mob gathered together, and, coming to the house of the general Aemiliaiius, it assailed him with all the implements and the frenzy usual in riots ; he was pelted with stones and attacked with swords, and no kind of weapon used in a riot was lacking. And so Aemilianus was constrained to assume the imperial power, knowing well that he would have to die in any event. To this step the army in Egypt agreed, chiefly out of hatred for Gallienus. He did not, indeed, lack energy for administering public affairs. For he marched through the district of Thebes and, in fact, the whole of
is hard to understand why he should have been arrested by order of Gallienus ; see Milne in Journ. Egypt. Arch., ix. p. 80 f.
2 See also Firm., vii. 4.
3 On the curator rei publicae in the second century see note to Marc., xi. 2. In the third century he became a regular official, chosen by the local curia but ratified by the emperor and charged with the general administration of the city with control over the finances and the power to veto municipal legislation.
119
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
totamque Aegyptum peragravit et, quatenus potuit, 7 barbarorum gentes forti auctoritate summovit. Alex- ander denique vel Alexandrinus (nam incertuin id Squoque habetur) virtutum merito vocatus est. et cum contra Indos pararet expeditionem, misso Theo- doto duce Gallieno iubente dedit poenas, et 1 quidera strangulatus in carcere captivorum veterum more per- hibetur.
9 Tacendum esse 11011 credo quod, cum de 2 Aegypto loquor, vetus suggessit historia, simul etiam Gallieni
10 factum. qui cum Theodoco vellet imperium procon- sulare decernere, a sacerdotibus est probibitus, qui dixerunt fasces consulares ingredi Alexandrian! non
11 licere. cuius rei etiam Ciceronem, cum contra Ga- biiiium loquitur, meminisse satis novimus. denique
l^nunc3 exstat memoria rei frequentatae. quare scire oportet Herennium Celsum, vestrum parentem, cum* consulatum cupit, hoc quod desiderat non licere.
13 fertur enim apud Memphim in aurea columna Aegyp- tiis esse litteris scriptum tune demum Aegyptum liberam fore cum in earn venissent Romani fasces et
14 praetexta Romanorum. quod apud Proculum gram- maticum, doctissimum sui temporis virum, cum de peregrinis regionibus loquitur, invenitur.
1 et Baehrens, Peter - ; sed P. 2 de 2, Peter ; om. in. P.
*nunc Petschenig, Peter ; non P. 4 cum ins. by Peter and
Hohl ; om. in P.
1e.g., Juguitha and Veruingetorix, strangled in the Tullianum at Borne.
8 Aulus Gabinius, who had restored Ptolemy Auletes to his throne, was, on his return to Rome in 54, attacked by Cicero in a speech now lost ; see Cassius Dio, xxxix. 62, 2.
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XXII. 7-14.
Egypt, and to the best of his powers drove back the barbarians with courage and firmness. Finally, he won by his merits the name of Alexander, or else Alexandrinus — for this is considered uncertain. But when he was making ready for a campaign against the people of India, the general Theodotus was sent against him by order of Gallienus, and so he suffered punishment, for it is related that, like the captives ot old,1 he was strangled in prison.
Now, since I am speaking of Egypt, I think I must not fail to relate what the history of former times has suggested and, in connection therewith, a deed of Gallienus. For when he wished to confer procon- sular power on Theodotus, the priests forbade it, saying that it was not lawful for the consular fasces to be brought into Alexandria. This, we know well enough, was mentioned by Cicero in his speech against Gabinius,2 and, in fact, it is still remembered that this practice was maintained. Therefore, your3 kinsman Herennius Celsus,4 in seeking the consul- ship, ought to know that what he desires is not law- ful. For at Memphis, they say, it was written on a golden column in Egyptian letters that Egypt would at last regain its freedom when the Roman fasces and the Roman bordered toga had been brought into the land. This may be found in Proculus 5 the grammarian, the most learned man of his time, in the place where he tells of foreign countries.
3 On the person addressed see Vol. I., Intro., p. xiv.
4 Otherwise unknown.
'Possibly either Eutychius Proculus (Mare., ii. 3) or Proklos, the author of a x°^(rTO/J-^eia ypa-V-nariK-j cited by Photios, but more probably, like the " inscription," fictitious.
121
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
SATURNINUS
XXIII. Optimus ducum Gallieni temporis, sed 2 Valeriano delectus, Saturninus fuit. hie quoque, cum
dissolutioiiem Gallieni, pernoctantis in publico, ferre non posset et milites non exemplo imperatoris sui sed suo regeret, ab exercitibus sumpsit imperium, vir pru- dentiae singularis, gravitatis insignis, vitae amabilis, Svictoriarum barbaris etiam ubique notarum. hie ea die, qua est amictus a militibus peplo imperatorio, contione adhibita dixisse fertur : " Commilitones, bonum ducem perdidistis et malum principem fecistis."
4 denique cum multa strenue in imperio fecisset, quod esset severior et gravior militibus ab iisdem ipsis a
5 quibus factus fuerat interemptus est. huius insigne est quod convivio discumbere milites, ne inferiora denudarentur,1 cum sagis iussit, hieme gravibus, aestate perlucidis.
TETRICUS SENIOR
XXIV. Interfecto Victorino et eius filio mater eius Victoria sive Vitruvia Tetricum senatorem populi Romani praesidatum in Gallia regentem ad imperium
1 denudarentur 2, Peter, Hohl ; nudarentur P.
1 Mentioned in Gall., ix. 1 and also in Firm., xi. 1, where a careful distinction is made between him and the historical Saturninus, a pretender of the time of Probus. In the lack of any evidence for his existence he may be supposed to be merely an invention of the biographer's.
2C. Pius Esuvius Tetricus Augustus, according to his in- scriptions and coins; see Cohen, vi.2 pp. 91-115. His elevation to power after the death of Victorinus is mentioned also in c. v. 3 and xxxi. 2, and Aur. Victor, Goes., 83, 14, and further details
122
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XXIII. 1— XXIV. 1
SATURNINUS
XXIII. The best of the generals of the time of Gallienus, though, in fact, he was chosen by Valerian, was Saturninus.1 He also, being unable to endure the loose ways of Gallienus, who revelled all night in public places, and preferring to command the soldiers in his own way rather than in that of his emperor, accepted the imperial power from the army. He was a man unequalled in wisdom, outstanding in dignity, lovable in his ways, and because of his victories well known everywhere, even among the barbarians. On the day on which the soldiers clothed him with the imperial robe he called together an assembly, it is related, and said : " Fellow-soldiers, you have lost a good general and made a bad emperor." Finally, after doing many vigorous deeds during his rule, merely because he was too severe and too harsh to the soldiers he was killed by those very men who had made him emperor. He is famous for having commanded the soldiers, when reclining at table, to wear military cloaks in order that their lower limbs might not be bared, heavy ones in winter and very light ones in summer.
TETRICUS THE ELDER.2
XXIV. After Victorinus 3 and his son were slain, his mother Victoria (or Vitruvia) urged Tetricus, a Roman senator then holding the governorship of
of his career are given by Butropius and Aurelius Victor. The story concerning him is fairly consistent and in the main per- haps correct, but he does not belong in the list of the pretenders of the time of Gallienua, for he assumed the imperial power in 270 at the earliest. 8 See c. vi.
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THE THIRTY PRETENDERS
hortata, quod eius erat, ut plerique loquuntur, adfinis, Augustum appellari fecit filiurnque eius Caesarem nun-
2 cupavit. et cum multa Tetricus feliciterque gessisset diuque imperasset, ab Aureliano victus, cum militum suorum impudentiam et procacitatem ferre non posset, volens se gravissimo principi et severissimo dedit.
3 versus denique illius fertur, quern furtim l ad Aureli- anum scripserat :
" Eripe me his, invicte, malis."
4 Quare cum Aurelianus nihil simplex neque mite aut tranquillum facile cogitaret, senatorem populi Romani eundemque consularem, qui iure praesidali omnes Gallias rexerat, per triumphum duxit, eodem tempore quo et Zenobiam Odaenathi uxorem cum filiis minori-
6 bus Odaenathi, Hereniiiano et Timolao. pudore tamen victus vir nimium severus eum quern tri- umphaverat correctorem totius Italiae fecit, id est Campaniae, Samnii, Lucaniae, Bruttiorum, Apuliae, Calabriae, Etruriae atque Umbriae, Piceni et Flam- iniae omnisque annonariae regionis, ac Tetricum non solum vivere, sed etiam in summa dignitate manere
1 furtim Peter; statim P, Hohl.
1 More correctly, Aquitania, according to Aur. Victor, Caes. 33, 14 and Eutropius, ix. 10 ; according to the latter he was ac- claimed emperor by the soldiers at Bordeaux.
2 Apud Catalaunos (Chalons-sur-Marne) according to Eutro- pius, ix. 13, 1 , who tells the same story of his surrender. Further details are given by Aur. Victor, Cats., 35, 4-5.
3Aeneid, vi. 365.
4 In 274 ; cf. c. xxx. 24-26 ; Aur., xxxii. 4 ; xxxiv. 2-3.
8 See c. xxvii.-xxviii.
6 Corrector Lucaniae, according to Aur., xxxix. 1 ; Aur. Victor, Goes., 35, 5 ; Epit., 35, 7 ; Eutropius, ix. 13, 2. It
124
THE THIRTY PRETENDERS XXIV. 2-5
Gaul,1 to take the imperial power, for the reason, many relate, that he was her kinsman ; she then caused him to be entitled Augustus and bestowed on his son the nam^ of Caesar. But after Tetricus had done many deeds with success and had ruled for a long time he was defeated 2 by Aurelian, and, being unable to bear the impudence and shamelessness of his soldiers, he surrendered of his own free will to this prince most harsh and severe. In fact, a quota- tion of his is cited, which he secretly sent in writing to Aurelian :—
" Save me, O hero unconquered, from these my misfortunes." 3
And so Aurelian, who did not readily plan aught that was guileless or merciful or peaceful, led this man, though he was a senator of the Roman people and a consular and had ruled the provinces of Gaul with