Trebonianus Gallus Trebonianus Gallus ( ; 206 – August 253 ) , also known as Gallus , was Roman Emperor from 251 to 253 , in a joint rule with his son Volusianus . Early life . Gallus was born in Italy , in a family with respected ancestry of Etruscan senatorial background . He had two children in his marriage with Afinia Gemina Baebiana : Gaius Vibius Volusianus , later Emperor , and a daughter , Vibia Galla . His early career was a typical " cursus honorum " , with several appointments , both political and military . He was suffect consul and in 250 was nominated governor of the Roman province of Moesia Superior , an appointment that showed the confidence of Emperor Trajan Decius in him . In Moesia , Gallus was a key figure in repelling the frequent invasion attacks by the Gothic tribes of the Danube and became popular with the army , catered to during his brief Imperial rule by his official File : military haircut , gladiatorial physique , intimidating stance ( " illustration , left " ) . Rise to power . In June 251 , Decius and his co - emperor and son Herennius Etruscus died in the Battle of Abrittus at the hands of the Goths they were supposed to punish for raids into the empire . According to rumours supported by Dexippus ( a contemporary Greek historian ) and the Thirteenth Sibylline Oracle , Decius ' failure was largely owing to Gallus , who had conspired with the invaders . In any case , when the army heard the news , the soldiers proclaimed Gallus emperor , despite Hostilian , Decius ' surviving son , ascending the imperial throne in Rome . This action of the army , and the fact that Gallus seems to have been on good terms with Decius ' family , makes Dexippus ' allegation improbable . Gallus did not back down from his intention to become emperor , but accepted Hostilian as co - emperor , perhaps to avoid the damage of another civil war . Anxious to secure his position at Rome and stabilize the situation on the Danube frontier , Gallus made peace with the Goths . Peace terms allowed the Goths to leave the Roman territory while keeping their captives and plunder . In addition , it was agreed that they would be paid an annual subsidy . Reaching Rome , Gallus ' proclamation was formally confirmed by the Senate , with his son Volusianus being appointed Caesar . On June 24 , 251 , Decius was deified , but by July 15 Hostilian disappears from history — he may have died in an outbreak of plague . Eager to show himself competent and gain popularity with the citizens , Gallus swiftly dealt with the epidemic , providing burial for the victims . Gallus may have also ordered a localized and uncoordinated persecution of Christians , but the only solid evidence of this allegation is the imprisonment of Pope Cornelius in 252 . Like his predecessors , Gallus did not have an easy reign . In the East , an Antiochene nobleman , Mariades , revolted and began ravaging Syria and Cappadocia , then fled to the Persians . Gallus ordered his troops to attack the Persians , but Persian Emperor Shapur I invaded Armenia and destroyed a large Roman army , taking it by surprise at Barbalissos in 253 . Shapur I then invaded the defenseless Syrian provinces , captured all of its legionary posts and ravaged its cities , including Antioch , without any response . Persian invasions were repeated in the following year , but now Uranius Antoninus ( a priest originally called Sampsiceramus ) , a descendant of the royal house of Emesa , confronted Shapur and forced him to retreat . He proclaimed himself emperor , however , and minted coins with his image upon them . On the Danube , Scythian tribes were once again on the loose , despite the peace treaty signed in 251 . They invaded Asia Minor by sea , burned the great Temple of Artemis at Ephesus , and returned home with plunder . Lower Moesia was also invaded in early 253 . Aemilianus , governor of Moesia Superior and Pannonia , took the initiative of battle and defeated the invaders . Death . Since the army was not long pleased with the Emperor , the soldiers proclaimed Aemilianus emperor . With a usurper threatening the throne , Gallus prepared for a fight . He recalled several legions and ordered reinforcements to return to Rome from Gaul under the command of the future emperor Publius Licinius Valerianus . Despite these dispositions , Aemilianus marched onto Italy ready to fight for his claim and caught Gallus at Interamna ( modern Terni ) before the arrival of Valerianus . What exactly happened there is not clear . Later sources claim that after an initial defeat , Gallus and Volusianus were murdered by their own troops ; or Gallus did not have the chance to face Aemilianus at all because his army went over to the usurper . In any case , both Gallus and Volusianus were killed in August 253 .