Laelian

Gallic usurper in 269

Laelian

Laelian on an aureus. Caption: IMP. C. LAELIANVS P. F. AVG.

Gallic usurper
Reign| approximately late February to early June 269 (against Postumus)
Predecessor| Postumus
Successor| Marcus Aurelius Marius

Born| Gaul
Died| 269
| Names

Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus

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Crisis of the Third Century

Reign of Maximinus Thrax (235–238)

* Death of Alexander Severus (235)
* Harzhorn (c. 235)
* Usurpation of Magnus (c. 235)
* Usurpation of Quartinus (235)

Year of the Six Emperors (238)

* Second Mesopotamian campaign of Ardashir I (237-238)
* Revolt of Gordian I & Gordian II (238)
* Battle of Carthage (238)
* Siege of Aquileia (238)
* Reign of Pupienus & Balbinus (238)
* Invasion of the Carpi (238–239)

Reign of Gordian III (238–244)

* Sabinianus Revolt (240)
* Sasanian campaign of Gordian III (242–244)
* Fall of Hatra (241)
* Resaena (243)
* Misiche (244)

Reign of Philip the Arab (244–249)

* Invasion of the Carpi (245–247)
* Secular Games of 248 (248)
* Usurpation of Sponsianus (240s)
* Usurpation of Pacatianus (248)
* Usurpation of Jotapianus (249)
* Usurpation of Silbannacus (249 or 253)
* Decius' Rebellion (249)

Verona and death of Philip & Philip II (249)

Reign of Decius (249–251)

* Plague of Cyprian (250–270)
* Decian persecution (250–251)
* Gothic invasion of Cniva (250–251)
* Carpi invasion of Dacia (250)
* Nicopolis ad Istrum (250)
* Beroe (250)
* Philippopolis (250)
* Usurpation of Julius Priscus (251)
* Abritus and death of Decius and Etruscus (251)

Reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251–253)

* Death of Hostilian (251)
* Mariades' Revolt (252)
* Nisibis (252)
* Barbalissos (253)
* Interamna Nahars (c 253)

Reign of Aemilianus (253)

* Antioch (253)

Reign of Valerian and Gallienus (253–260)

* Thessalonica (254)
* Thermopylae (254)
* Dura-Europos (256)
* Gothic invasion (256–257)
* Invasion of Shapur (258)
* Invasion of the Alemanni (258–260 approx)
* Mediolanum (259)
* Scythian invasion (259–260)
* Edessa (260)

Reign of Gallienus (260–268)

* Caesarea (260)
* Usurpation of Ingenuus (260)
* Usurpation of Regalianus (260)
* Usurpation of Macrianus Major (c. 259–261)
* Gallic Empire (260–274)
* Death of Saloninus (260)
* Roxolani Invasion of Pannonia (260)
* Campaigns of Odaenathus (260–267)
* Usurpation of Quietus (261)
* Usurpation of Balista (261)
* Usurpation of Valens Thessalonicus (261)
* Usurpation of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi (261)
* Usurpation of Macrianus Minor (261)

* Pannonian Rebellion (261)

* Usurpation of Mussius Aemilianus (261–262)
* Postumus' Campaign against the Franks (262)
* Postumus' Campaign against the Alamanni (263)
* Ctesiphon (263)
* Scythian Invasion (265–266)
* Assassination of Odaenathus (267)
* Usurpation of Maeonius (266–267)
* Scythian Invasion (267–269)
* Heruli Raids (267)
* Athens (267)
* Usurpation of Acilius Aureolus (268)

Reign of Claudius Gothicus (268–270)

* Usurpation of Laelianus (269)
* Reign of Marcus Aurelius Marius (269)
* Augustodunum Haeduorum
* Naissus (268/269)
* Lake Benacus (268 or 269)
* Capture of Athens (269)
* Palmyrene Empire (270–273)
* Bostra (270)
* Palmyrene invasion of Egypt (270)
* Vandal Invasion (270)

Reign of Aurelian (270–275)

* Usurpation of Victorinus Junior (271)
* Junthungi Invasion (271)
* Domitian II (271)
* Tetricus I & Tetricus II (271–274)
* Rebellion of Felicissimus (270s)
* Placentia (271)
* Fano (271)
* Pavia (271)
* Tyana (272)
* Immae (272)
* Emesa (272)
* Razing of Palmyra (273)
* Usurpation of Faustinus (c. 273)
* Châlons (274)

Reign of Tacitus (275-276)

* Gothic Invasion (276-277)

Reign of Probus (276-282)

* Vandal Invasion (276-278)
* Sarmatian Invasion (278)
* Usurpation of Bonosus & Proculus (280)
* Usurpation of Julius Saturninus (280)

Reign of Carus (282-283)

* Carus' Sasanian Campaign (283)

Reign of Carinus (283-285)

* Usurpation of Julian of Pannonia (284-285)
* Margum (285)

Laelian (/leɪliən/; Latin: 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]

## Origins

[edit]

Little is known about Laelian. 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 Laelian, seemingly without a struggle.[citation needed]

## Rule

[edit]

Laelian declared himself emperor at Moguntiacum (modern-day Mainz in Germany) 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] Laelian 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 Laelian's 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]

Laelian (under the Latin name Lollianus) is listed among the Thirty Tyrants in the Historia Augusta.

## See also

[edit]

* Ulpia gens
* List of Roman usurpers

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Martindale, pg. 492
2. ^ a b c d e Polfer, Laelianus
3. ^ Polfer, Laelianus; Potter, pg. 265
4. ^ Polfer, Laelianus
5. ^ Potter, pg. 265
6. ^ Polfer, Laelianus
7. ^ Southern, pg. 118

## Sources

[edit]

### Primary sources

[edit]

* Aurelius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus
* Eutropius, Brevarium, Book 9
* Historia Augusta, The Thirty Tyrants

### Secondary sources

[edit]

* 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)

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Laelianus at Wikimedia Commons

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Roman and Byzantine emperors and empresses regnant

Principate
27 BC – AD 235|

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Crisis
235–284|

* Maximinus I
* Gordian I
* Gordian II
* Pupienus
* Balbinus
* Gordian III
* Philip I (w. Philip II)
* Decius (w. Herennius Etruscus)
* Trebonianus Gallus (w. Hostilian & Volusianus)
* Aemilianus
* Silbannacus (?)
* Valerian
* Gallienus (w. Saloninus)
* Claudius II
* Quintillus
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* Numerian

Later Roman Empire
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* Diocletian
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* Constantine I
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* Eugenius

| Western Empire
395–476|

* Honorius
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* Priscus Attalus
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* Joannes
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* Petronius Maximus
* Avitus
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* Anthemius
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* Julius Nepos
* Romulus Augustulus

|

Eastern Empire
395–641|

* Arcadius
* Theodosius II
* Marcian
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* Phocas
* Heraclius

Eastern/
Byzantine Empire
641–1453|

* Constantine III
* Heraclonas (w. Tiberius)
* Constans II
* Constantine IV (w. Heraclius & Tiberius)
* Justinian II
* Leontius
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* Philippicus
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* Isaac I Komnenos
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* Eudokia Makrembolitissa
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* Michael VII Doukas (w. Andronikos, Konstantios & Constantine Doukas)
* Nikephoros III Botaneiates
* Alexios I Komnenos (w. Constantine Doukas)
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* Andronikos IV Palaiologos
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* Manuel II Palaiologos
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* Constantine XI Palaiologos

See also|

* Gallic emperors (260–274)
* Palmyrene emperors (271–273)
* Britannic emperors (286–296)
* Trapezuntine emperors (1204–1461)
* Thessalonian emperors (1224–1242)
* Empresses
* Augustae
* Usurpers
* Classical
* Eastern

Italics indicates a junior co-emperor, underlining indicates an emperor variously regarded as either legitimate or a usurper

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