AURELIAN

born c. 215 died 275, near Byzantium [now Istanbul, Tur.] Latin in full Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Roman emperor from 270 to 275. By reuniting the empire, which had virtually disintegrated under the pressure of invasions and internal revolts, he earned his self-adopted title restitutor orbis (restorer of the world). Aurelian, probably a native of the Balkan peninsula, had established himself as an army officer when, about 260, from outside pressure and internal fragmentation of authority, the frontiers of the empire suddenly collapsed. With his compatriot Claudius, Aurelian led the cavalry of the emperor Gallienus (253268), and, upon Gallienus' assassination in 268, Claudius became emperor. The new ruler quickly suppressed the rebellion of the usurper Aureolus, but, after a reign of 18 months, Claudius died. His brother Quintillus, who ruled about three months, died or was killed, and in May 270 Aurelian succeeded as emperor. Aurelian quickly set about restoring Roman authority in Europe. He turned back invaders from Pannonia (in present-day central Europe) and after a series of battles expelled the Juthungi from northern Italy. Returning to Rome, he quelled a revolt at the imperial mint. For protection against tribal incursions, the emperor ordered the construction of a new city wall around Rome, much of which still stands. In 271 Aurelian marched to the east. He defeated the Goths on the Danube and withdrew Roman occupants from Dacia to an area south of the Danube. Evidently he recognized that the empire had overextended its resources and must contract if it was to survive. At the same time, he sought to recover the eastern provinces, which for 10 years had obeyed the rule of the princes of Palmyra. He besieged Palmyra and captured Septimia Zenobia, regent for her young son Vaballathus; shortly afterward the capital surrendered. When Palmyra revolted a second time, Aurelian recaptured and destroyed the city (273). In 274 he returned west to confront Tetricus, the rival emperor, who controlled Gaul, Spain, and Britain. Beset by a German invasion and by internal conspiracies, Tetricus concluded a secret treaty with Aurelian, deserting to him at the Battle of Chlons. The leaderless army of the Rhine was swiftly defeated, and Tetricus was rewarded with the governorship of Lucania. Thus the vast empire was again ruled by a central authority. Aurelian was an outstanding general and a severe and uncompromising administrator. By increasing the distribution of free food at Rome, he did more for the plebeians than almost any other emperor. His attempt to reform the coinage, however, met with only limited success. He sought to subordinate the divergent religions of the empire to the cult of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus). Early in 275, while marching to open a campaign against Persia, Aurelian was murdered by a group of officers who had allegedly been misled by his secretary into believing themselves marked for execution. The government was continued in the name of Aurelian's widow, Ulpia Severina, until, after six months, the Senate appointed the elderly Marcus Claudius Tacitus to the throne.