Trebonianus Gallus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trebonianus Gallus |
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| Roman emperor | |||||||||
| Reign | June 251 – August 253 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Decius and Herennius Etruscus | ||||||||
| Successor | Aemilianus | ||||||||
| Co-emperors | Hostilianus (251) Volusianus (251–253) |
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| Born | 206 Italy |
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| Died | August 253 (aged 47) Interamna |
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| Spouse | Afinia Gemina Baebiana | ||||||||
| Issue | Volusianus and Vibia Galla | ||||||||
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Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus was a Roman emperor who ruled from June 251 to August 253. He shared his power with his son, Volusianus.
Early Life and Family
Trebonianus Gallus was born in Italy around the year 206. His family had a respected background in the ancient Etruscan region. He was married to Afinia Gemina Baebiana. They had two children: a son named Gaius Vibius Volusianus, who later became emperor, and a daughter named Vibia Galla.
Gallus had a typical career path for a Roman leader. This path, called a cursus honorum, involved several important jobs in both politics and the military. In 250, he became the governor of a Roman area called Moesia Superior. This showed that Emperor Decius trusted him a lot.
Becoming Emperor
In June 251, Emperor Decius and his son, Herennius Etruscus, were killed in a battle against the Goths. Some rumors at the time suggested that Gallus might have worked with the Goths. However, this seems unlikely because Gallus was on good terms with Decius's family.
After Decius's death, the Roman army quickly declared Gallus as the new emperor. This happened even though Decius's other son, Hostilianus, was already in Rome and was supposed to become emperor. To avoid a civil war, Gallus agreed to share power with Hostilian.
Gallus wanted to make his position strong in Rome. He also needed to calm things down on the border with the Goths. So, he made a peace deal with them. The Goths were allowed to leave Roman land with their prisoners and anything they had taken. They were also promised money each year.
When Gallus arrived in Rome, the Senate officially confirmed him as emperor. His son, Volusian, was also given the title of Caesar, which meant he was next in line to rule. Decius was honored as a god. Sadly, Hostilian died later that year, possibly from a serious illness like the plague.
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Gallus's rule was not easy. He faced many challenges, just like the emperors before him. In the East, a nobleman named Mariades started a rebellion. He attacked Roman areas like Syria and Cappadocia. Then, he ran away to the Persians.
Gallus ordered his soldiers to attack the Persians. But the Persian Emperor Shapur I invaded Armenia and surprised a large Roman army, defeating them in 253. Shapur then attacked the Roman provinces in Syria, taking over their military bases and destroying cities, including Antioch. The Romans did not respond.
The Persians invaded again the next year. This time, a local leader named Uranius Antoninus fought back and made Shapur retreat. Uranius then declared himself emperor and even made his own coins.
On the Danube River, Scythian tribes started causing trouble again, even though there was a peace treaty. They sailed to Asia Minor, burned the famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and returned home with stolen goods. Another part of the Roman Empire, Lower Moesia, was also invaded in early 253. Aemilian, a Roman governor, took action and defeated these invaders.
The End of His Reign
The Roman army was not happy with Emperor Gallus. Because of this, the soldiers declared Aemilian, the governor who had defeated the invaders, as the new emperor.
With Aemilian threatening his rule, Gallus prepared for a fight. He called back several legions (large groups of soldiers) and ordered more troops to come from Gaul (modern France). These reinforcements were led by Publius Licinius Valerianus, who would later become emperor himself.
However, Aemilian marched quickly into Italy. He reached Gallus at a place called Interamna (modern Terni) before Valerian's troops arrived. What exactly happened next is not fully clear. Some historical accounts say that after an early defeat, Gallus and his son Volusian were killed by their own soldiers. Other accounts suggest that Gallus's army simply joined Aemilian, and Gallus didn't even get a chance to fight. In any case, both Gallus and Volusian were killed in August 253.
See also
Images for kids
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A gold coin (Aureus) from the time of Emperor Gallus.
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A statue of Trebonianus Gallus.
