In Rome, the Emperor was occupied with internal menaces to his power and with the defence of Italia and the Balkans. Their testimony does not allow us to determine whether the disturbances in Gaul were due to external or internal causes. Was: $174.99. Aurelian, probably the most underrated emperor, deserves a lot of credit to ending the crisis of the third century. assassination: [noun] murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons : the act or an instance of assassinating someone (such as a prominent political leader). The epithets P(ia) F(elix) that Severina bore when she assumed sole regency suggest the same: they are normally reserved for the emperor and we never see them in the titles of empresses except for Julia Domna, Salonina and Severina. Whatever his origins, Aurelian certainly must have built up a very solid reputation for military competence during the tumultuous mid-decades of the century. The coinage of Tacitus with the reverse Libertas Aug (Cohen 54; RIC V.1, 335/91), sometimes cited in support of the hypothesis of a revival of the privileges of the Senate, has never existed: it is a coin of Rome, with the legend Ubertas Aug misread. She appears systematically next to Aurelian on the coinage. Was Percy Brookfield's death a political . Apart from the campaign against the Goths we know almost nothing about the reign of Tacitus from written sources. Answer: I understand it is the first documented presence of Africans in Britain. [20] In 268 or 269 Aurelian and his cavalry participated in the victory of Emperor Gallienus (or Emperor Claudius II Gothicus) over the Goths at the Battle of Naissus. Iran's most powerful military commander, Gen Qasem Soleimani, has been killed by a US air strike in Iraq. Zonaras does not contradict this, since he states that on Aurelians death, it was the army that proclaimed Tacitus in his absence: this is a much more normal procedure, in the context of the succession of soldier emperors, than the improbable meeting of the Senate described by the Historia Augusta. They could have been due to the return of the barbarians to a territory which was no longer being protected by the Gallic emperors, or to the discontent of the civil population faced by some of the consequences of Aurelians reconquest, such as political retaliation, economic and fiscal sanctions. This title was first assumed by Aurelian in late summer of 272, and had been carried previously by both Valerian and Gallienus. In Syria he defeated the main force of the Palmyrene army at Immae, 26 miles east of Antioch (AD 272). And yet still the chaos of barbarian invasions continued. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had nearly disintegrated under the pressure of barbarian invasions and internal revolts. Aurelian, now sole emperor, took to dealing with the most pressing military threat, the Juthungi (Jutes). In 271, the Alamanni moved towards Italia, entering the Po plain and sacking the villages; they passed the Po River, occupied Placentia and moved towards Fano. It is commonly accepted that Aurelian probably joined the army in 235 at around age twenty. The following year he conquered the Gallic Empire in the west, reuniting the Empire in its entirety. This article is about the Roman emperor. The literary sources are silent on the role of Severina during this transition period: instead they prefer to develop the myth of the election of Tacitus by the Roman Senate, a theme which is treated at length in the Historia Augusta. During the Roman Republic, the name of the moneyer would appear on the coinage just as today the Secretary of the Treasury's signature appears on our paper currency - i.e. It was very questionable if Claudius II Gothicus had truly named his brother heir to the imperial throne, but once more the preference of the army and senate of a less strict man than Aurelian made sure he did not become emperor. Learn more. The walls were 3.5 meters (11 feet) thick, 8 meters (26 feet) tall, and 19 kilometers (12 miles) long. The ensuing battle was indecisive: the northward advance of the Goths was halted but Roman losses were heavy. $17. Carus and Numerian fought a victorious campaign against the Persians . The emperor then set his sights on Persia only to be assassinated by some of his staff in September 275. A few days before his assassination, Aurelian's secretary Eros had told a minor lie to the . Sol Invictus would continue to be favored by Roman emperors for the next 50 years, until Constantines adoption of Christianity.in wikipedia, In early 275 Aurelian returned to Gaul to suppress an uprising, possibly in Lugdunum. ^A Prince Necessary Rather Than Good _: The ampaigns of Aurelian, AD 270-275. Aurelian was a very competent and energetic commander. Aurelian also introduced Sol Invictus in the Roman pantheon (indirectly) paving the way for the rise of Christianity. He marched through Asia Minor (Turkey) unchallenged. About Aurelian, Roman Emperor. One of his successors, Emperor Diocletian (reigned 284-305) reformed the empire, allowing it to survive in the west for almost two centuries and in the east for over a millennium. His conversion was motivated in part by a vision he experienced at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in Rome in 312 . The Gallic Empire was again part of the Roman Empire. [25], During the reign of Claudius, Aurelian was promoted rapidly: he was given command of the elite Dalmatian cavalry and soon promoted to overall head of the army after the emperor and what had been Emperor Claudius' own position before his acclamation. In the beginning, Aurelian had been recognized as Emperor, while Vaballathus, the son of Zenobia, held the title of rex and imperator ("king" and "supreme military commander"), but Aurelian decided to invade the eastern provinces as soon as he felt his army to be strong enough. . Following that, Claudius . 171 Painting. His assassins were junior officers: only the name of their chief, a certain Mucapor, is known to us; the most detailed sources tell of a plot involving tribunes . He set himself apart from previous emperors of the third century in . In addition, the gold issue and the parallel series of aureliani clearly show a warlike imagery: these have military portraits with Tacitus holding a spear and shield, exalting the imperial Virtus (valour) as a fighting emperor and not as a senator restricted to civilian duties. The coinage demonstrates unambiguously that when Tacitus arrived in Rome he was already emperor and, what is more, he came as a victorious general. Aurelian (Latin: Lucius Domitius Aurelianus; 9 September 214 - c. October 275) was a Roman emperor, . You have heard of Emperor Diocletian and Emperor Constantine, but its very unlikely youve heard of Emperor Aurelian. [33], The burden of the northern barbarians was not yet over, however. His adventus took place in December 275, as is shown by denarii struck from aureus dies with the dated reverse P M Tr P II Cos P P: Tacituss second tribunician power began on 10 December 275 and he assumed his second consulship on 1 January 276. He then marched to Raetia, where the Vindelici tribe had been overrun by barbarians (generally believed to be the Alemanni, but possibly the newly-arrived Longiones). Aurelian is also credited with increasing the size of the loaves of bread without increasing their price a measure that was undoubtedly popular with the Romans who were not receiving free bread and other products through the dole. Birthplace: Sirmium, Pannonia Died: 275 AD Location of death: (en route to Byzantium) Cause of death: Assassination. Les Classics. A career soldier, Aurelian became a senior officer in the central imperial field army by 268, and in 270 he was elevated to the position of emperor. Claudius II Gothicus instead appointed him Master of the Horse and perhaps the most powerful military figure in the empire.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'roman_empire_net-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roman_empire_net-medrectangle-4-0'); When Claudius II died in AD 270, the throne controversially passed onto Quintillus, the late emperors brother. The bed of the Tiber was cleared and its banks were repaired. But Aurelian, well knowing where much of the trouble had originated from, also had several senators put to death, or had their properties confiscated. By the time he had risen to the throne, large portions of the empire in the west and east had splintered off into the Gallic Empire and Palmyrene Empire, respectively.. In just five years, Aurelian saved the Roman Empire from collapse, earning himself the title Restitutor Orbis (in Latin Restorer of the World). Riots ensued, no doubt encouraged by senators who sought to undermine Aurelians authority as much as possible. His assassins were junior officers: only the name of their chief, a certain Mucapor, is known to us; the most detailed sources tell of a plot involving tribunes or praetorians. They are an important symbol of power and are full of symbolism. [13] Crinitus adopted Aurelian as his heir, either voluntarily or possibly through force. $17.50. The harsh conditions now exacerbated their shortage of food. [28] Aurelian had no time to relish his victories; in late August news arrived from Sirmium that emperor Claudius was dead. But in October or November at Caenophrurium, a small Thracian town between Perinthus and Byzantium, he discovered that his private secretary, a certain Eros, had lied to him on a minor matter. Why was the Emperor Septimius Severus not well liked in Italy? Have read about him a lot, there seems to be a big lacuna here . Quintillus 270 Assassination or suicide Aurelian 270-75 Assassination Tacitus 275-76 Possible assassination Florianus 276 Assassination Probus 276-82 Assassination Carus 282-83 Assassination Numerian 283-84 Possible assassination Carinus 283-85 Killed in battle Document Questions 1. The Historia Augusta describes her as "priestess of Sol", whose worship Aurelian promoted as Emperor (Sol Invictus). For this, he received the title Germanicus Maximus. In 272, Aurelian turned his attention to the lost eastern provinces of the empire, the Palmyrene Empire, ruled by Queen Zenobia from the city of Palmyra. To this day, our coins are denoted by which mint produced them - Philadelphia, Coin: rare Antoninianus from Emperor Tacitus, struck Rome between December 275 - June 276 AD. Having conquered the town, he did not allow his troops to sack it, making it clear to any territories that their return to the empire would go without retribution. By contrast, a spectacular correction to the portrait occurs in the 3rd issue from Rome and the 2nd from Ticinum: it is certainly the same person who is shown, now mostly wearing a cuirass or shown in heroic nudity, but the effigy is heavier and the features are thicker. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. The activity of the mint of Lyon, which was striking regularly but on a reduced scale, does not provide any evidence of troubles in the town, as there is no apparent disruption in its operation. Dec 274Aurelian makesSol Invictusan official religion, 275Aurelian defeats Germanicattack on Raetia, SepNov 275Interregnum followsAurelians death whilenew emperor is chosen. Eventually Zenobia and her son were captured and made to walk the streets of Rome in his triumph, the woman in golden chains. Consequently, Aurelian decided to invade. . Tetricus was made governor of Lucania, his son was made senator and Zenobia was moved to Tibur (Tivoli) and was married to a wealthy Roman senator. He used his force of 2,500 auxiliaries, and the armies of four Germanic chieftains to defeat the Goths in battle. Aurelian and Probus - Ilkka Syvnne 2020-06-24 This is a narrative military history of the emperors Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (270-275) and Marcus Aurelius Probus Aurelian, being an experienced commander, was aware of the importance of the army, and his propaganda, known through his coinage, shows he wanted the support of the legions. The officers, afraid for their own lives, killed Aurelian. This section of the city once contained the Library of Alexandria, although the extent of the surviving Library in Aurelian's time is uncertain. However, it would be wrong to think of these rebels as a real threat. Florianus is still killed by his . The Battle of Lake Benacus was fought along the banks of Lake Garda in northern Italy, which was known to the Romans as Benacus, in 268 [2] or early 269 AD, [1] between the army under the command of the Roman Emperor Claudius II and the Germanic tribes of the Alamanni and Juthungi. Next, Claudius began to distance himself from those responsible for his predecessor's assassination, ordering the execution of those directly involved. He went on to lead the cavalry of the emperor Gallienus, until Gallienus' assassination in 268. Emperor Claudius fell ill on the march to the battle and returned to his regional headquarters in Sirmium, leaving Aurelian in charge of operations against the Goths. [c] This could be a more expeditious route to senior military and procuratorial offices than that pursued by ex-rankers, although not necessarily less laborious. He would go on to lead the cavalry of the emperor Gallienus, until Gallienus' assassination in 268. $22. During this period, Aurelians widow Ulpia Severina seems to have been acknowledged as empress, with coins being minted in her name. [13] If he did exist he would have been a dux of the Illyrian and Thracian legions. Besides victories against various invading tribes, he successfully restored the Roman Empire by bringing the breakaway territories of the Gallic Empire and Palmyra back under Roman control . Meaning of aurelian. The reference to a military victory by Tacitus before his arrival in Rome and the celebration of his adventus in the capital after his proclamation as emperor, disproves the theory that Tacitus was the old princeps senatus present at Rome when he was elected by his peers, or else a senator who had retired from affairs of state and who was brought back from his countryside retreat and entered Rome as a private citizen. After the assassination of Probus in 282 by soldiers, Carus became emperor and immediately associated with himself his two sons, Carinus and Numerian. The assassination of Aurelian in September 275 ushered in a period of ten years during which the Roman Empire once more descended into chaos. Neither do the Greek sources mention the interregnum, nor the fact that Tacitus belonged to the senatorial class, nor the revival of the Senates traditional role in choosing a prince. Aurelian, in the span of five years, reconquered Gaul and Palmyra. These titles had been assumed by the Severan princesses before her, Julia Domna, Julia Maesa, Aquilia Severa and Julia Mamaea (CIL II, 3413: mater domini n. [] et castrorum et senatus et patriae et universi generis humani), all women who played a leading political role in the life of the Severan dynasty. Bringing a weakened Rome to bear on . . Some historical dramas are docudramas, which attempt an accurate portrayal of a historical event or biography, to the degree that the available historical research will allow.Other historical dramas are fictionalized tales that are based on an actual person and their deeds . During Aurelians reign, Persia, the Roman arch-nemesis, was ruled by a weak king. The earliest possible date of Aurelians assassination is mid-September 275: Egyptian tetradrachms from his 7th year, issued after 29 August 275, are not rare and the news of his death had still not reached Oxyrhynchus on 19 October 275. As Aurelian left for Europe, the defiant city of Palmyra staged another rising, slaughtering its Roman garrison. Zenobia was captured. However, throughout the last quarter of the 3rd century and the first third of the 4th century the western provinces had to content themselves with the poor quality unreformed antoniniani. The traditional reverses for empresses which celebrate their fertility were kept to a bare minimum in Severinas case: Venus Felix on denarii, Iuno Regina on the bronze, coins rarely struck and therefore not widespread. He was also responsible for the construction of the Aurelian Walls in Rome, the abandonment of the province of Dacia, and monetary reform, trying to curb the devaluation of the Roman currency. That being said, Aurelian proved to be quite the conqueror in his short rule. From the end of 274, when Aurelian celebrated his triumph over the West and East, the Augusta Severina received an exceptional status. This period of great festivals was concluded by the ceremonies of Aurelians third consulship. Six emperors came and went before the next strong ruler, Diocletian, came on to the scene. [28] The Roman army continued to follow the Goths during the spring and summer of 270. The reason for the assassination was rather mundane As an administrator, Aurelian was ruthless, with an inclination to cruelty. It is also noteworthy that his assassination was a hastily carried out plot. He appears with the title deus et dominus natus ("God and born ruler") on some of his coins, a style also later adopted by Diocletian. Aurelian, Emperor of Rome. Aurelian was born on 9 September, most likely in 214 AD, although 215 AD is also possible. Once more northern Italy had to endure a force of barbarians descending upon it from the Alps. With the grain stores once again shipped to Rome, Aurelian's soldiers handed out free bread to the citizens of the city, and the Emperor was hailed a hero by his subjects. Probus, Aurelian's chief general and future successor, reconquered Egypt; Aurelian re-took the separatist Gallic Empire. Lucius Domitius Aurelianus was born of humble parents at Sirmium sometime between 207 and 215 AD most likely on September 9th, 214 AD. $2.99 shipping. What does aurelian mean? Most of all that of the moneyers (coin makers) and their supporters who were holding out on the Caelian Hill. Gallienus was followed on the throne by Claudius Gothicus. Asia Minor was recovered easily; every city but Byzantium and Tyana surrendered to him with little resistance. Historian Franco Cavazzi dedicated hundreds of hours of his life to creating this website, roman-empire.net as a trove of educational material on this fascinating period of history. Pseudo-Victor and John Xiphilinus place his birthplace in an area between Dacia Ripensis and Macedonia (overlapping with Dacia Mediterranea). Following his victory in Gaul, Aurelian returned to Rome, where he was given the honorific Restitutor Orbis (Restorer of the World) by the Senate. Aurelians victory in Gaul restored unity to the Roman Empire, a feat the Senate acknowledged by granting him the title Restitutor Orbis (Restorer of the World). The losses here seem not so much due to any rise in power of the local Alemanni tribe, but Roman internal division. warfare which seems to have begun in the 230s and climaxed in the 260s and 270s did not suddenly stop after the assassination of Aurelian. The type no longer shows the standard reverse, Aurelian shaking the hand of Concordia, but an anonymous male figure, now without laurel-wreath and sceptre, shaking the hand of Severina, who is easily recognizable by her characteristic hairdress and is shown in a larger size. Very few of the barbarians managed to escape back across the Alps. However, the majority of the Goths escaped and began retreating south the way they had come. At the same time, a group of moneyers from Lyon must have been transferred to the mint at Ticinum in northern Italy as the work of a engraver from Lyon can be identified there. [27], Claudius could not afford another pitched battle, so he instead laid a successful ambush, killing thousands. The line of leaders who followed Gallienus, the Soldier Emperors, ended with the assassination of _____ Aurelian. T. IT very much continued under the reigns of Probus . [citation needed] Tetricus was rewarded for his collusion by Aurelian who made him a senator and corrector (governor) of Lucania et Bruttium. More from This Artist Similar Designs. While Aurelian was marching with his army to invade Persia his Praetorian Guard murdered him in Thrace, Greece. In fact, he is credited with having had the idea of raising the alarm at night, which caused the emperor to rise from his tent and which provided the assassins with their opportunity to strike. $18. 14. Much more serious was the threat posed to the empire by great parts having been severed from it; in the west by the Gallic empire; and in the east by the Queen Zenobia of Palmyra. However, the Romans underestimated the Goths and let their guard down, allowing the enemy to break through their lines and escape. 'Moors' may be misleading. Zenobia was afterwards granted a pension and married to a senator, while Tetricus was awarded governorship of the Italian province of Lucania.in wikipedia, In late 274, probably on its festival date of 25 December, Aurelian pronounced Sol Invictus one of the official religions of Rome and dedicated a new temple for Sol. [2] His successes were instrumental in ending the crisis, earning him the title Restitutor Orbis ("Restorer of the World"). When led by a competent commander, the Roman army was still a deadly war machine! His sudden death shocked the army, who turned to the Senate to select a new emperor. Aurelian served under Emperor Gallienus's (ruled 253-268) army and is believed to have participated in his assassination. Modern research considers Dacia Ripensis as the more likely region. Aurelian's reputation as a commander of the cavalry. He pushed traditional Roman religion hard as Christianitt was rising. "[40] Aurelian spared Tyana, and it paid off; many more cities submitted to him upon seeing that the Emperor would not exact revenge upon them. At his accession Tacitus was of consular rank but had come from the equestrian class and was in no way a champion of the senatorial cause. [28] As winter set in, the Goths retreated into the Haemus Mountains, only to find themselves trapped and surrounded. The coin issues reveal that, following the death of Aurelian, an interregnum did indeed occur, but that it is the empress Severina who was in charge during this period. One of his interesting events left out of the series was the accounts of his siege of Tyana, which he threatened that even the dogs would be massacred until the city surrendered and decided to kill . The Historia Augusta develops this theme with several varying accounts of almost no historical accuracy. $14. Apart from normal base silver coinage, the interregnum of Severina is also clearly shown from the production of a gold donative at the mints of Rome, Ticinum, Siscia and Cyzicus. He reorganized a new province of Dacia south of the Danube, inside the former Moesia, called Dacia Aureliana, with Serdica as the capital.[38]. Tacitus and Florian Not for the first time in Rome's history, a group of plotters The ancient sources are not agreed on his place of birth, although he was generally accepted as being a native of Illyricum.Sirmium in Pannonia Inferior (now Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) is the preferred location, which was created by Aurelian as Emperor when he abandoned the old trans-Danubian . Aurelian, by then at the Danube campaigning against the Carpi, immediately moved back to Syria and captured the city. Aurelian (Latin: Lucius Domitius Aurelianus; 9 September 214 - c. October 275) was a Roman emperor, who reigned during the Third Century Crisis, from 270 to 275. . The procession might have been humiliating to the three of them, but Aurelian showed unusual clemency for a Roman emperor. To celebrate these victories, Aurelian was granted the title of Germanicus Maximus. They were reluctant to do so, and yet they had no choice.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'roman_empire_net-box-4','ezslot_1',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roman_empire_net-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'roman_empire_net-box-4','ezslot_2',107,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roman_empire_net-box-4-0_1');.box-4-multi-107{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. In the 3rd century, the once mighty Roman Empire was falling apart. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. After the battle, Crinitus thanked Valerian, the emperor at the time, for providing him with such a talented deputy. The title Pacator Orbis given to Tacitus (CIL VIII, 10072) refers to imperial victories: Tacitus is reusing a title which had previously been held by Aurelian and which appeared on the reverse of coins from Trier and Lyon. The ancient sources are not agreed on his place of birth, although he was generally accepted as being a native of Illyricum. The western provinces, those facing the limes of the Rhine, seceded to form a third, autonomous state within the territories of the Roman Empire, which is now known as the Gallic Empire. Thousands died on the Caelian Hill alone, where the moneyers were crushed. When a group of Goths invaded Illyria and Thrace, Ulpius had fallen ill, so he ordered Aurelian to deal with the invaders. History repeats because human nature never changes. In 268 Gallienus travelled to Italy and fought Aureolus, his former general and now usurper for the throne. The Historia Augusta tells us that the region of Augusta Vindelicum (Augsburg) was exposed to the ravages of the barbarians, probably again the Alamanni and the Juthungi. Following this, Claudius Gothicus became emperor, until his own death in 270 . With an act typical of the Crisis of the Third Century, the army refused to recognize the new emperor, preferring to support one of its own commanders: Aurelian was proclaimed emperor about May 270[30][31] by the legions in Sirmium. Importantly, the reverse of these denarii have an image of the emperor as a conquering imperator: he is shown wearing military dress, a cuirass and paludamentum, and standing between two military standards. Ten more years of political and military strife followed the assassination of _____ by his own troops. TIEPOLO GIAMBATTISTA Venecia. Sirmium in Pannonia Inferior (now Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) is the preferred location, which was created by Aurelian as Emperor when he abandoned the old trans-Danubian territory . Nothing Less than This is obvious because there was no immediate successor. This was mainly the case, due to Aurelians reputation as a strict disciplinarian. To be sure, the exploits detailed in the Historia Augusta vita Divi Aureliani, while not always impossible, are not supported by any independent evidence and one at least is demonstrably an invention typical of that author. [26], While still dealing with the defeated enemy, news came from the Balkans reporting large-scale attacks from the Heruli, Goths, Gepids, and Bastarnae. After a brief clash with the Persians and another in Egypt against the usurper Firmus, Aurelian was obliged to return to Palmyra in 273 when that city rebelled once more. His father was a tenant farmer of a wealthy senator Aurelius, after whom the family were named.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'roman_empire_net-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',102,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roman_empire_net-medrectangle-3-0'); Aurelian rose through the ranks of the army, serving with distinction on the Danube frontier. [6], The Historia Augusta describes him both as a Pannonian from Sirmium and as a native of Dacia Ripensis "which he founded so that he would have been a Moesian". . Having now sufficient strength of authority, Aurelian announced the long overdue withdrawal from Dacia. In 274, the victorious emperor turned his attention to the west, and the Gallic Empire which had already been reduced in size by Claudius II. [26] Claudius immediately dispatched Aurelian to the Balkans to contain the invasion as best he could until Claudius could arrive with his main army. The mint at Serdica struck coins for Severina with the legend Severina Augusta.The mint at Antioch exceptionally gave the Empress the titles P(ia) F(elix), normally reserved for emperors; on the reverse, the legend is changed from the plural form Concordia Augg (Augustorum) to the singular Concordia Aug, which may be expanded as Concordia Augustae. Following that, Claudius Gothicus became emperor until his own death in 270. The reign of Aurelian as Emperor of Rome between September 270 and September 275 was a period during which some semblance of . Aurelian is succeeded by Tacitus, who finished the wars of his predecessor but was killed in a battle against the Franks. He came from humble beginnings; his father was a peasant farmer. The . As an administrator, Aurelian was ruthless, with an inclination to cruelty. Aurelian strengthened the position of the Sun god Sol Invictus as the main divinity of the Roman pantheon. [15] He took an interest in Aurelian's early career. assassination definition: 1. the murder of someone famous or important: 2. the murder of someone famous or important: . [citation needed], Aurelian was a reformer, and settled many important functions of the imperial apparatus, dealing with the economy and religion. There is some evidence that Aurelian's wife, Ulpia Severina, who had been declared Augusta in 274, ruled the empire in her own right for some time after his death, although this is just speculative. Nobody dared take on the strongest military figure of the empire, and quickly all the forces changed sides to this stern Danubian commander, abandoning a lonely emperor in Aquileia, who alas committed suicide. Constantine I (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) was Roman emperor from 306-337 CE and is known to history as Constantine the Great for his conversion to Christianity in 312 CE and his subsequent Christianization of the Roman Empire. 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