Aurelian was born in 214 to modest origins; Aurelian's father was a colonus, sworn to a Senator who was called Aurelius. Aurelian likely joined the Roman Army in 235 AD, when he was twenty. From there, he earned a reputation for competence, and by the reign of Gallienus he was a member of the Emperor's entourage. Aurelian, however, possibly supported and aided the assassination plot, and subsequently Claudius for Emperor - avoiding being executed by the Emperor for the plot, if he did take part. Claudius in fact promoted Aurelian to dux equitum, commander of the cavalry and second to the Emperor in the army. When Claudius became ill in the campaign against the Goths, command was given to Aurelian, who was successful in breaking up and defeating them. When Claudius died, the army named Aurelian emperor, while the Senate name Claudius' brotheer Quintillus, who was subsequently defeated by Aurelian. Becoming Emperor in 270, Aurelian swiftly took control of the Imperial Mint at Sisica, to ensure his troops were paid and therefore happy. Finishing off the campaign against the Juthungi and Vandals, Aurelian then returned to Rome to enforce his authority, quelling a revolt at the Imperial Mint there. In 271, Aurelian managed to force back further attacks from the Juthungi, Alamanni, and Marcomanni in Italy, as well as building a wall around Rome, and pulling back the Roman border in Dacia to the Danube after defeating the Goths yet again in the region, resettling Romans in safer territory. With Rome secured, at least for the time being, Aurelian turned his eyes to the rebels.

Aurelian turned to Palmyra first in 272, meeting little resistance as he marched into Asia Minor. When Tyana accepted his offer of mercy in exchange for surrender, and it was kept, other cities of the breakaway empire surrendered as well. Aurelian defeated Zenobia twice in battle, and within six months was at the gate of Palmyra, which surrendered. Zenobia tried to flee with her son to Persia, but they were captured and taken back to Rome, with Aurelian defeating the Capri as they came across the Danube on the way. Palmyra rebelled soon after, but was sacked by Aurelian in 273. Aurelian then moved on to the Gallic Empire, where he met Tetricus in battle at Châlons, defeating his army. Tetricus surrendered, and was granted mercy - both he and Zenobia marched in Aurelian's triumph to celebrate the reunifcation.
The Emperor was also famed for establishing the cult of Sol Invictus as a major Roman god, an attempt to give the Empire a god that everyone could worship, promoting religious unity.
Aurelian was assiassinated in 275 AD, while moving to campaign against the Persians due to their weakened state after the death of Shapur I. A list of major officials to be executed, forged by one of his secretaries, pushed the Praetorian Guard to murder the Emperor while the army was waiting to cross into Asia Minor at Caenophrurium, near Byzantium.

59 Related Objects