Valerian (emperor)

• 1. Origins And Rise To Power

  ›

  Valerian entered the Senate before AD 238 as a Suffectus consul. He later served as Ordinarius consul in that same year, marking his early ascent within Roman political circles. Gordian I negotiated through Valerian for senatorial acknowledgement of his claim to imperial power during the Crisis of the Third Century. When Emperor Decius revived the censorship with extensive legislative powers in 251 AD, the Senate chose Valerian for the post. He declined to accept the role but remained a key figure in Rome's governance. During Decius' ill-fated campaign in Illyricum, Valerian was left in charge of affairs in the capital city. Under Trebonianus Gallus, he commanded an army drawn from German garrisons intended for war against Persia. In 253 AD, when Aemilianus rebelled against Gallus, Valerian marched south to assist. Gallus was killed by his own troops before Valerian arrived. Raetian soldiers then proclaimed Valerian emperor and continued their march toward Rome. Upon arrival in September, Aemilianus's legions defected and killed him. The Senate quickly acknowledged Valerian as the new ruler of the empire.

  135

• 2. The Battle Of Edessa

  ›

  Valerian divided the empire's problems between himself and his son Gallienus. Gallienus took command of the West while Valerian headed East to face the Persian threat. By 257, Valerian had recovered Antioch and returned Syria to Roman control. The following year, Goths ravaged Asia Minor, adding pressure to the eastern frontiers. In 259, Valerian moved on to Edessa where an outbreak of plague killed critical numbers of legionaries. The town was besieged by Persian forces under Shapur I. In June 260, Valerian was decisively defeated at the Battle of Edessa. He became the first Roman emperor captured alive by a foreign enemy. This unprecedented event caused shock and instability throughout the entire Roman Empire. Rumors of his humiliation generated various reactions and new narratives about imperial power. The bas relief at Naqsh-e Rustam shows Valerian standing behind Shapur I, held captive after the battle. Some interpretations suggest the kneeling figure represents Philip the Arab rather than Valerian himself. The defeat marked the beginning of Valerian's captivity for the remainder of his life.

  7812

• 3. Persecution Of Christians

  ›

  While fighting Persians in 257, Valerian sent letters to the Senate ordering firm steps against Christians. The first letter commanded Christian clergy to perform sacrifices to Roman gods or face banishment. A second decree issued the following year ordered execution of Christian leaders. It required Christian senators and equites to worship Roman gods or lose titles and property. Those who refused continued worship faced execution. Roman matrons refusing apostasy lost their property and were banished. Civil servants and Imperial household members not worshipping Roman gods were reduced to slavery. They worked on Imperial estates if they persisted in refusal. These measures indicated Christians were well-established in high positions within society. Saint Prudent was executed at Narbonne in 257. Pope Sixtus II died on the 6th of August 258 during these persecutions. Saint Romanus Ostiarius followed on the 9th of August that same year. Saint Lawrence was executed on the 10th of August 258. Other martyrs included Denis in Paris, Pontius in Cimiez, Cyprian in Carthage, and Eugenia in Rome. Saint Patroclus died at Troyes in 259 while Saint Fructuosus perished at Tarragona. When Gallienus became emperor in 260, the persecution decrees were rescinded.

  1113

• 4. Death In Captivity

  ›

  Eutropius wrote between 364 and 378 AD that Valerian grew old in ignominious slavery among Parthians. Lactantius claimed Valerian suffered greatest insults from his captors before death. One version describes Shapur using Valerian as a human footstool when mounting his horse. Another account states Shapur forced Valerian to swallow molten gold before killing him. Some versions say Valerian was flayed alive with skin stuffed with straw as a temple trophy. These stories appeared centuries after events and lack definitive historical confirmation. Modern scholar Touraj Daryaee suggests Shapur sent Valerian to Bishapur or Gundishapur where they lived relatively well. Shapur used remaining soldiers for engineering projects like Band-e Kaisar near ancient Susa. Stone carvings on Naghshe-Rostam show Valerian holding hands with Shapur I as a sign of submission. Early Persian Muslim scholar Abu Hanifa Dinawari stated Shapur released Valerian after construction completion. The joint rule of Valerian and Gallienus faced multiple usurper threats despite these challenges. Gallienus held the throne until his assassination in 268 AD.

  41015

• 5. Legacy And Cultural Depictions

  ›

  Valerian appears in Joseph of Anchieta's 1587 play Auto de São Lourenço as a main character. In Act III, he is killed for responsibility regarding Saint Lawrence's death in 258 AD. Anthony Hecht included Valerian in his poem Behold the Lilies of the Field from The Hard Hours collection. Harry Sidebottom featured him in Warrior of Rome historical fiction series novels. A genus of plants named Valeriana honors the emperor's memory. Historians have frequently debated the captivity and death accounts without reaching definitive conclusions. The unprecedented capture generated diverse reactions and new narratives about Roman imperial power across different contexts. Ancient sources like Aurelius Victor, Eutropius, Historia Augusta, Joannes Zonaras, and Zosimus provide varying perspectives on events. Modern scholarship continues examining how Valerian's fate shaped perceptions of imperial authority during Crisis of Third Century. His story remains central to understanding Roman-Persian relations and religious conflicts of the era.

  916