Aemilianus Aemilianus ( ; c . 207 / 213 – 253 ) , also known as Aemilian , was Roman Emperor for three months in 253 . Commander of the Moesian troops , he obtained an important victory against the invading Goths and was , for this reason , acclaimed Emperor by his army . He then moved quickly to Italy , where he defeated Emperor Trebonianus Gallus , only to be killed by his own men when another general , Valerian , proclaimed himself Emperor and moved against Aemilian with a larger army . Biography . Origins and military career . Aemilian was born in the Roman province of Africa . According to the 4th century source " Epitome de Caesaribus " , he was born at " Girba " ( modern Djerba , an island off the coast of Tunisia ) and was a Moor ; a reference in the same source hints that he was born around 207 . The 12th century historian Joannes Zonaras , who calls him a Libyan ( that is , coming from western Egypt - eastern Libya ) rather than a Moor , and another chronicle of the 13th century hold that he was forty at the time of his death in 253 . Regarding his lineage , there are two versions , both exaggerated : while Eutropius and his translator Paeanius probably defame a failed usurper when they say that he was from an insignificant family , John of Antioch may refer to Aemilian ' s propaganda when he says that the usurper used his ancestry to take power . Aemilian married Cornelia Supera , a woman of African origin ; the year of their marriage is unknown , but since both were from the same place , it is possible they married before Aemilian left Africa . During the reign of Trebonianus Gallus and his son Volusianus ( 251 – 253 ) , Aemilian was sent to the Balkans to command an army . His primary responsibility was to assure peace along the Danube frontier , which had been subject to several attacks by the Goths led by king Cniva . Gallus secured the throne after the death of emperor Decius at the hands of Cniva in the Battle of Abrittus ( 251 ) , and later had to manage an outbreak of plague that devastated Rome . He was not popular with the army , mainly due to humiliating treaties signed in 251 with the Goths and King Shapur I of Persia who attacked Syria . According to John of Antioch , upon his appointment to the Moesian command , Aemilian was already envious of Gallus and plotted treachery against him . He was also an opponent of the Roman Senate , and his seditious plans are confirmed by Jerome and Jordanes . Victory against the Goths , overthrow of Gallus , short rule and death of Aemilian . In 253 , the Goths , led by king Cniva , claimed they had not received the tribute due from the Romans according to the treaty of 251 . They crossed the border and attacked Cappadocia , Pessinus , and Ephesus . Modern historians believe that this missing payment was not a change in Roman policy , and the Goths were more likely trying to capitalize on their military prowess . Aemilian had command of the army assigned to defend the area , but the recent defeat at the Battle of Abrittus put his troops on edge . Aemilian exhorted them , reminding them of Roman honour ( according to Zosimus ) and promising tribute from the Goths ( according to Zonaras ) . The Romans took the Goths by surprise , killing most of them , followed by an invasion of Goth territory resulting in booty and the liberation of prisoners . The Roman soldiers , gathered by Aemilian , acclaimed him Emperor . Jordanes claims , however , that Aemilian ' s troops plundered Roman territory , rather than keep the tribute of the Goths . With his few men , Aemilian left his province unguarded and moved quickly towards Rome to meet the legitimate emperor Gallus before the latter could receive reinforcements . While Aemilian descended upon Rome along the Flaminian Way , Gallus and Volusianus had him proclaimed " enemy of the State " by the Roman senate , then exited Rome to meet the usurper . This strategy suggests that Aemilian ' s army was smaller than theirs , as they probably did not expect reinforcements to come in time but trusted their larger army to win the clash . The two armies met at Interamna Nahars ( modern Terni ) , at the southern end of the eastern branch of the Flaminia , and Aemilian won the battle ; Gallus and Volusianus fled to the north with a few followers , probably as a delay tactic before the arrival of reinforcements , but at " Forum Flaminii " ( modern San Giovanni Profiamma ) , on the western branch of Flaminia , they were killed by some of their own guards , who thought that their betrayal could earn them a reward . Aemilian continued towards Rome . The Roman senate , after a short opposition , decided to recognize him as emperor . According to some sources , Aemilian then wrote to the Senate , promising to fight for the Empire in Thrace and against Persia , and to relinquish his power to the Senate , of which he considered himself a general . Aemilian received the titles of " Pius " , " Felix " and " Pater Patriae " , the " tribunicia potestas " , and was elevated to the rank of " pontifex maximus " ; he was not , however , elevated to consulate ( possibly a hint of his non - senatorial birth ) . His coinage shows that his propaganda focused on his capability as a military commander — he defeated the Goths when nobody thought this possible , and thus he was the right man for the job of restoring the power of the Roman Empire . However , Valerian , governor of the Rhine provinces , was on his way south with an army which , according to Zosimus , had been called in as a reinforcement by Gallus . But modern historians believe this army , possibly mobilized for an incumbent campaign in the East , moved only after Gallus ' death to support Valerian ' s bid for power . Emperor Aemilian ' s men , fearful of a civil war and Valerian ' s larger force , mutinied . They killed Aemilian at Spoletium or at the " Sanguinarium " bridge , between " Oriculum " and " Narni a " ( half way between Spoletium and Rome ) , and recognised Valerian as the new emperor . After Aemilian ' s death , which happened between late July and mid - September , a " damnatio memoriae " against him was declared . It is possible that the usurper Silbannacus was an officer left by Aemilian in Rome before moving against Valerian , who later tried to become emperor but then was killed . The troubled administration of emperor Aemilian was perhaps best summed up by Eutropius :