Julius Saturninus

Sextus (possibly Gaius) Julius Saturninus (died 280 AD) was a Roman usurper against Emperor Probus.[1]

This article is about the Roman usurper against Emperor Probus. For the usurper against Emperor Gallienus who is mentioned only in the Historia Augusta, see Saturninus (253-268).
Julius Saturninus
Usurper of the Roman Empire
Reign280
BornGaul or Africa
Died280
Palestine
Names
Sextus Julius Saturninus
Regnal name
Imperator Caesar Sextus Julius Saturninus Augustus

Julius Saturninus was a Gaul by birth (others have him as a Moor) and was a friend of Emperor Probus. He was appointed governor of Syria by Probus (c. 279).

After Probus had left Syria for the Rhine in 280, unruly soldiers and the people of Alexandria forced a reluctant Saturninus to accept imperial office. He fled from Alexandria to escape the pressure but changed his mind in Palestine. He proclaimed himself emperor in 280. Conflictingly, the Historia Augusta states that Probus learned of this and sent men to kill him, while according to an account by Zosimus, before Probus could respond to the threat, Saturninus was dead, killed by his own troops.[2]

Notes
  1. Vagi, p. 375
  2. Zosimus, Ch 32-33

References
  • Adkins, Lesley; Roy A. Adkins (2004). "Saturninus, Sextus Julius". Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Updated ed.). New York: Facts On File, Inc. ISBN 0-8160-5026-0.
  • Vagi, David A. (2001). Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 1-57958-316-4.

[1]

  1. Green; Chaplin. "New History". The Tertullian Project. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
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