Roman Emperors Dirl Domitius Domitianus And Aurelius Achilleus

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L. Domitius Domitianus and Aurelius Achilleus (ca.296/297-ca.297/298)

Michael DiMaio, Jr.

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Domitianus

Although papyrological and numismatic evidence indicates that L. Domitus Domitianus, in Egypt revolted against Diocletian in June/July 297(296?), literary evidence attributes the revolt to Aurelius Achilleus who seems to have been Domitianus' corrector. In any case, Diocletian went to Egypt and probably put the revolt down in March 298. There may not be any contradiction betwe en the literary and papyrological sources. Domitianus seems to have died in December 297 and Achilleus, who was in charge of the defense of Alexandria, may well have succeeded him. Although Diocletian seems to have regained control of Egypt by the end of December 297, Alexandria did not fall until March 298.

The chronology of the this chain of events is extremely vexed; Nixon and Rodgers remains the best introduction to the chronological problems. The chronology used here is that of Dietmar Kienast.

Bibliography

Barnes, T.D., Constantine and Eusebius, (Cambridge, 1981), 17.

________. New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine, (Cambridge, 1982), 11-12.

Jones, A.H.M., J.R. Martindale, and J. Morris. "Aurelius Achilleus 1." The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, (Cambridge, 1971), 1.9.

________. J.R. Martindale, and J. Morris. "Lucius Domitius Domitianus 6." The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, (Cambridge, 1971), 1.263.

Kienast, Dietmar. Römische Kaisertabelle: Grundzüge einer römischen Kaiserchronologie, (Darmstadt, 1990) 265-266.

Nixon, C.E.V. and Barbara S. Rodgers (edd.), In Praise of the Later Roman Emperors: The Panegyrici Latini, (Berkeley, 1994), 114-116, n 16, 172-174, n. 81-82.

Seeck, O. "Achilleus (7)." RE 1.1: col. 245.

________. "Domitianus (5)." RE 5.1: col. 1312.