He lived up to the expectations, spending the entirety of Claudius’ brief reign fighting alongside the emperor.Īurelian is said to have had a decisive role in the most famous battle of the time in which the Roman forces inflicted a devastating defeat on the Goths, earning Claudius the moniker “Gothicus” (conqueror over Goths). Instead, Aurelian was appointed as commander of all the cavalry, becoming the most powerful military figure after the emperor. He was a strong contender for the vacant throne, but the army chose to elect another officer, Claudius. His talents had not gone unnoticed, and Aurelian was chosen as a commander of emperor Gallienus’s elite cavalry.Ĭoins of the emperors Gallienus and Claudius II Gothicus, 265 and 269 CE, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Wienĭespite his privileged status in the emperor’s entourage, Aurelian took part in the conspiracy devised by several high-ranking officers to assassinate Gallienus in 268. According to our primary source, Historia Augusta, young Aurelian was a natural warrior, rising quickly through the ranks. His tall stature, physical strength, austerity, and strict discipline (to the point of cruelty) earned him the moniker “manu ad ferrum” (“sword-in-hand”). Born in either 214/215, near Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica), Aurelian joined the army at an early age, and it was the army that defined his life and his reign. The third century was a chaotic period for the Roman Empire, and only a soldier-emperor could prevent the empire’s collapse.
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Like most third-century rulers, Aurelian began his career as a professional soldier. Aurelian’s brilliant career came to an untimely end. Later that day, the emperor was assassinated by his own men. The military glory gained in the East would neatly complement his unbroken line of victories and confirm Aurelian’s status as an “unconquerable emperor.” Alas, it was not to be. Like many Roman leaders before him, Aurelian looked eastwards, attracted by the wealth and splendor of Persia. On a cold autumn day of 235 CE, in an army camp near the town of Byzantium (present-day Istanbul), emperor Aurelian was planning his next move. 275 CE, Museo di Santa Giulia, Brescia, via Wikimedia Commons Ironically, one of the most prolific and capable Roman emperors, the savior of Rome, is nowadays almost forgotten outside academic circles.Īurelian: The Soldier-Emperor Bust of a Roman emperor, probably Aurelian, ca. His reign, however, was abruptly cut by the emperor’s assassination on his way to Persia. Aurelian also introduced Sol Invictus in the Roman pantheon (indirectly) paving the way for the rise of Christianity. Inspired by his many victories, Aurelian declared himself a god and laid the foundation for the autocratic emperorship of the late Empire. It was during his brief reign that a long-overdue monetary reform took place with the aim to restore people’s confidence in the imperial coinage. Most importantly, Aurelian restored the unity of the Roman Empire, defeating and incorporating breakaway states in both east and west.īesides being a battle-hardened soldier, Aurelian was also a reformer.
He encircled Rome with massive ramparts that stand until today. He stabilized the Danube frontier, defeating the barbarians who threatened the Empire. The Triumph of Aurelian or Queen Zenobia in front of Aurelian, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1717, Museo del Prado, Madrid Gold coin of Aurelian, 270-275 CE, The British Museum, LondonĪlthough his reign lasted only five years (270-275), emperor Aurelian achieved amazing results during that short time period.
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