Aemilan

M. Aemilius Aemilianus was born c.207 in Mauretania to an insignificant family. Little is known about his early life. He entered history in 251, when the governor of Moesia Superior, Trebonianus Gallus, was acclaimed emperor following the death of Trajan Decius and his two sons and Aemilianus was sent to replace him, serving as governor for both Moesia and Pannonia. Where his primary responsibility was to assure peace along the Danube frontier, which had been harassed in the previous years by the Goths led by king Cniva.Gallus was not a popular Emperor with the army, due to the humiliating treaties signed in 251 with the Goths and to the attack of king Shapur I of Persia against Syria. Aemilianus personified this discontent and refused to pay the tribute due to Cniva in 253. The Goths then invaded the Roman provinces to demand reparation but Aemilianus inspired his troop to successfully repulse the invasion of the Goths early that summer and took the war into Goth territory. The army was satisfied to see the Roman honour restored and acclaimed Aemilianus as emperor who proceeded to lead his troops against Rome. Aemilan and Trebonianus Gallus met at Interamna Nahars, near the southern terminus of the eastern branch of the Flaminian Way, with Aemilianus emerging the victor . In the aftermath, Gallus and Volusianus apparently retreated northward up the western branch of the same road, only to be murdered at the Forum Flaminii by their own men, who then went over to Aemilianus.

However, Aemilan success was short lived as the 58 year old Valerian was approaching either in a belated attempt to bring aid to Trebonianus Gallus or on learning about Aemilianus bid for power making one of his own. Either way, when Valerian learnt of Trebonianus Gallus death he was hailed emperor by his men (AD 253) and resolved to battle Aemilianus for imperial power. Valerian brought with him the combined strength of the Gaul and Germnay legions. Aemillian was to suffered the same fate as his predecessors. When the two armies faced each other near Spoletium that September for battle, Aemilianus, like Gallus before him, was assassinated by his own troops when they realised the numerical strength of Valerian formidable army having ruled for only three months. Numerous erasures from inscriptions testify to an official damnatio memoriae after his death.