Trebonianus Gallus

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Trebonianus Gallus
Hostilianus (251)
Volusianus (251–253)
Bornc. 206
Italy
Diedc. August 253 (aged ~47)
Interamna
SpouseAfinia Gemina Baebiana
IssueVolusianus and Vibia Galla
Names
Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus
Regnal name
Imperator Caesar Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus Augustus

Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus[3] (c. 206 – August 253)[2] was Roman emperor from June 251 to August 253, in a joint rule with his son Volusianus.

Early life

Gallus was born in Italy, in a respected

senatorial family with Etruscan ancestry. He had two children in his marriage with Afinia Gemina Baebiana: Gaius Vibius Volusianus, later emperor, and a daughter, Vibia Galla. His early career was a typical cursus honorum, with several appointments, both political and military. He was suffect consul and in 250 was made governor of the Roman province of Moesia Superior, an appointment that showed the confidence of Emperor Decius
in him.

Rise to power

In June 251, Decius and his co-emperor and son

Hostilianus, Decius' surviving son, ascending the imperial throne in Rome. This action of the army, and the fact that Gallus seems to have been on good terms with Decius' family, makes Dexippus' allegation improbable.[4]
Gallus did not back down from his intention to become emperor, but accepted Hostilian as co-emperor, perhaps to avoid the damage of another civil war.

Statue traditionally identified as Gallus, the only near-complete, full-size Roman bronze to survive from the 3rd century (Metropolitan Museum)[5][6]

Anxious to secure his position at Rome and stabilize the situation on the Danube frontier, Gallus made peace with the Goths. Peace terms allowed the Goths to leave Roman territory while keeping their captives and plunder. In addition, it was agreed that they would be paid an annual subsidy.

Volusian being appointed Caesar. On 24 June 251, Decius was deified, but by November Hostilian disappears from history—he may have died in an outbreak of plague.[8]

Gallus may have also ordered a localized and uncoordinated persecution of Christians.[9] However, only two incidents are known to us: the exile of Pope Cornelius to Centumcellae, where he died in 253, and the exile of his successor, Pope Lucius, right after his election. The latter was recalled to Rome during the reign of Valerian.[10]

Aureus of Gallus. Legend: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG

Like his predecessors, Gallus did not have an easy reign. In the East, an Antiochene nobleman,

Aemilian
, governor of Moesia Superior and Pannonia, took the initiative and defeated the invaders.

Death

Trebonianus Gallus. Legend: ΑΥΤΟΚ. Κ. ΓΟ. VIB. TΡΕΒ. ΓΑΛΛΟ. CEB. / ΔΗΜΑΡΧ. ΕΞΟΥCIAC YΠΑΤ. Α, S C, Γ. Greek inscription for IMP C VIB TREB GALLO AVG / MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY CONSUL I, Senatus Consulto, III

Since the army was no longer pleased with the Emperor, the soldiers proclaimed Aemilian emperor. With a

Volusian were murdered by their own troops;[13] or Gallus did not have the chance to face Aemilian at all because his army went over to the usurper.[15] In any case, both Gallus and Volusian were killed in August 253.[14]

Notes

  1. ^ J. Lenaghan (2012). "Portrait bust of man in armour made from disparate elements. Antioch on the Orontes (Syria). Late third to early fourth century." Last Statues of Antiquity. LSA-254.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-3-534-26724-8
    .
  3. ISBN 978-0-521-84026-2
    .
  4. ^ Potter 2004, pp. 247–248.
  5. ^ "Bronze statue of the emperor Trebonianus Gallus". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  6. ISBN 978-1-58839-599-3
    . None of the identifications of specific emperors proposed to date are truly convincing... The highly divergent coinage of the emperors of this period lends credibility to the possibility that the subject is in fact Trebonianus Gallus.
  7. ^ Bowman, Garnsey & Cameron 2005, pp. 39–40.
  8. ^ Potter 2004, p. 248.
  9. ^ a b Bowman, Garnsey & Cameron 2005, p. 40.
  10. ^ Bowman, Garnsey & Cameron 2005, p. 636.
  11. ^ Potter 2004, pp. 248–249.
  12. ^ Potter 2004, pp. 249–250.
  13. ^ a b Potter 2004, p. 252.
  14. ^ a b Bray 1997, p. 38.
  15. ^ Bowman, Garnsey & Cameron 2005, p. 41.

References

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Regnal titles
Preceded by
Volusian
(251–253) 		Succeeded by
Aemilian
Political offices
Preceded by Roman consul
252
with Volusianus 		Succeeded by
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