Taurinius
Usurper of the Roman Empire
Reign232 AD–Late summer 232 AD
Elected by legion232 AD
PredecessorSeverus Alexander
SuccessorSeverus Alexander
DiedLate summer 232 AD
Euphrates
Names
Taurinius
Regnal name
Imperator Caesar Taurinius Augustus

Taurinius (also called Taurinus) was a Roman usurper who revolted against Severus Alexander in 232 AD. He was declared emperor by the legions stationed in Roman Mesopotamia when they rebelled, due to the invasion of the Sassanids in 229 AD. His revolt was swiftly crushed by Alexander, in late summer of 232 AD, and he drowned in the Euphrates while attempting to flee to Sassanid territory.

History

In 229 AD, during the reign of Emperor Severus Alexander, the Sassanids invaded Roman Mesopotamia. This led to a rebellion, in 232 AD, by the provincial garrison. During this rebellion, Flavius Heracleo was killed, and the legion proclaimed Taurinius emperor.[1][2][3] In the late summer of 232 AD, Alexander arrived to crush the revolt.[4] Taurinius fled, and drowned while attempting to cross the Euphrates into Sassanid territory.[5]

Historiography

The Epitome de Caesaribus refers to him as Taurinius, and says that he revolted against Emperor Severus Alexander, and was declared augustus. He is said to have thrown himself into the Euphrates on account of fear of Severus Alexander. It is noted that this is the only mention of any event during Alexander's reign made by the Epitome de Caesaribus. Zonaras makes similar mention of him, but refers to him as Taurinus. Taurinius never controlled a mint, so no numismatic evidence of his revolt remains.[6] Although mentioned in the Epitome de Caesaribus, Taurinius is noticeably absent from Aurelius Victor's De Caesaribus, and Eutropius's Breviarium historiae Romanae, and is not found in any other literary or epigraphic evidence.[7]

References

Primary sources

Citations

  1. ↑ McHugh 2017, p. 325.
  2. ↑ Eder, Renger & Henkelman 2007, p. 272.
  3. ↑ Bouchier 1916, p. 105.
  4. ↑ McHugh 2017, p. 326.
  5. ↑ McHugh 2017, p. 184.
  6. ↑ Pearson 2017, p. 53.
  7. ↑ Alföldy & Straub 1970, p. 28.
  8. ↑ Krumbacher 1971, p. 301.

Bibliography

  • Alföldy, Géza; Straub, Johannes (1970). Antiquitas: Beiträge zur Historia-Augusta-Forschung, Volume 7. R. Habelt Verlag. OCLC 1481620.
  • Bouchier, Edmund Spenser (1916). Syria as a Roman province. B. H. Blackwell. OCLC 2182590.
  • Eder, Walter; Renger, Johannes; Henkelman, Wouter (2007). Brill's Chronologies of the Ancient World New Pauly Names, Dates and Dynasties. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004153202.
  • Krumbacher, Karl (1971). Byzantinische Zeitschrift. G.G. Teubner. OCLC 1537961.
  • McHugh, John S. (2017). Emperor Alexander Severus: Rome's Age of Insurrection, AD222-235. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473845848.
  • Pearson, Paul N. (2017). Maximinus Thrax: From Common Soldier to Emperor of Rome. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781510708754.
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