Laelianus
Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus[1] (also incorrectly referred to as Lollianus and Aelianus)[2] was a usurper against Postumus, the emperor of the Gallic Empire. His revolt lasted from approximately late February to early June 269.[2]
| Laelianus | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usurper of the Gallic Empire | |||||||||
.jpg.webp) Laelianus on an aureus. Caption: IMP. C. LAELIANVS P. F. AVG. | |||||||||
| Reign | approximately late February to early June 269 (against Postumus) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Postumus | ||||||||
| Successor | Marcus Aurelius Marius | ||||||||
| Born | Gaul | ||||||||
| Died | 269 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Origins
Little is known about Laelianus. He shares the same nomen as a prominent Hispano-Roman family, the Ulpii, that included Trajan among its members, and may have been a relative.[2] This is supported by the strong allusion to Hispania on an aureus he struck, which featured the design of Hispania reclining with a rabbit to her side. If he indeed was a relative, this may be the reason Hispania allied itself with Claudius II, after the death of Laelianus, seemingly without a struggle.
Rule
Laelianus declared himself emperor at Moguntiacum in February/March 269.[3] after repulsing a Germanic invasion.[4] Although his exact position is unknown, he is believed to have been a senior officer under Postumus,[5] either the legatus of Germania Superior or the commander of Legio XXII Primigenia.[2] Laelianus represented a strong danger to Postumus because of the two legions he commanded (Primigenia in Moguntiacum and VIII Augusta in Argentoratum);[2] Despite this, his rebellion lasted only about two months before he was executed,[6] reputedly by his own soldiers, or by Postumus' troops after a siege of Laelianus' capital.[1] The siege of Moguntiacum was also fatal for Postumus; it is said he was slain when he refused to allow his troops to plunder the city following its capture.[7]
Laelianus (under the name Lollianus) is listed among the Thirty Tyrants in the Historia Augusta.
See also
References
- Martindale, pg. 492
- Polfer, Laelianus
- Polfer, Laelianus; Potter, pg. 265
- Polfer, Laelianus
- Potter, pg. 265
- Polfer, Laelianus
- Southern, pg. 118
Sources
Primary sources
Secondary sources
- Southern, Pat. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine, Routledge, 2001
- Potter, David Stone, The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395, Routledge, 2004
- Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I: AD260-395, Cambridge University Press, 1971
- Michel Polfer, "Laelianus (A.D. 269)", De Imperatoribus Romanis] (1999)
