Valens (usurper)

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Valens (died 250 AD) is one of the Thirty Tyrants, a list of Roman usurpers compiled by the author(s) of the Historia Augusta .

According to Historia, this Valens was the uncle or great-uncle of another usurper, Valens Thessalonicus, who revolted against Emperor Gallienus. Valens senior would have revolted in Illyria against an earlier emperor, and would have been killed by his own soldiers after few days, as happened to his nephew. [1]

Valens Thessalonicus Roman usurper

Valens Thessalonicus was a Roman usurper against Roman Emperor Gallienus.

Gallienus Roman emperor

Gallienus, also known as Gallien, was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 22 October 253 to spring 260 and alone from spring 260 to September 268. He ruled during the Crisis of the Third Century that nearly caused the collapse of the empire. While he won a number of military victories, he was unable to prevent the secession of important provinces. His 15-year reign was the longest since the 19-year rule of Caracalla.

It is possible that this Valens was Julius Valens Licinianus, who usurped the purple in Rome during the absence of the Emperor Decius in the war against the Goths (250), and who was quickly executed. [2]

Julius Valens Licinianus was a Roman usurper in 250. Apparently, Licinianus, who was a senator, had the support of the Roman Senate and parts of the population when he initiated an uprising against Decius, who was fighting the Goths. However, Valerian, who had been left in charge in Rome by Decius, had little trouble in suppressing the rebellion.

Rome Capital city and comune in Italy

Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy. Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states.

Decius Roman Emperor

Decius, also known as Trajan Decius, was Roman Emperor from 249 to 251.

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References

  1. Tyranni Triginta, xx.
  2. Aurelius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus, 29.3; Epitome de Caesaribus , 29.5