Taurinius
{{About|the Roman usurper|the saint of this name|Saint Taurinus|the mathematician|Franz Taurinus}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Taurinius
| title = Usurper of the Roman Empire
| titletext =
| reign = 232{{nbsp}}AD–Late summer 232{{nbsp}}AD
| reign-type =
| coronation = 232{{nbsp}}AD
| cor-type = Elected by legion
| predecessor = Severus Alexander
| pre-type =
|successor=Severus Alexander| death_date = Late summer 232{{nbsp}}AD
| death_place = Euphrates
|full name=Taurinius| regnal name = Imperator Caesar Taurinius Augustus
}}
Taurinius (also called Taurinus) was a Roman usurper who revolted against Severus Alexander in 232{{nbsp}}AD. He was declared emperor by the legions stationed in Roman Mesopotamia when they rebelled, due to the invasion of the Sassanids in 229{{nbsp}}AD. His revolt was swiftly crushed by Alexander, in late summer of 232{{nbsp}}AD, and he drowned in the Euphrates while attempting to flee to Sassanid territory.
History
In 229{{nbsp}}AD, during the reign of Emperor Severus Alexander, the Sassanids invaded Roman Mesopotamia. This led to a rebellion, in 232{{nbsp}}AD, by the provincial garrison. During this rebellion, Flavius Heracleo was killed, and the legion proclaimed Taurinius emperor.{{sfn|McHugh|2017|p=325}}{{sfn|Eder|Renger|Henkelman|2007|p=272}}{{sfn|Bouchier|1916|p=105}} In the late summer of 232{{nbsp}}AD, Alexander arrived to crush the revolt.{{sfn|McHugh|2017|p=326}} Taurinius fled, and drowned while attempting to cross the Euphrates into Sassanid territory.{{sfn|McHugh|2017|p=184}}
Historiography
The Epitome de Caesaribus refers to him as Taurinius, and says that he revolted against Emperor Severus Alexander, and was declared augustus. He is said to have thrown himself into the Euphrates on account of fear of Severus Alexander. It is noted that this is the only mention of any event during Alexander's reign made by the Epitome de Caesaribus. Zonaras makes similar mention of him, but refers to him as Taurinus. Taurinius never controlled a mint, so no numismatic evidence of his revolt remains.{{sfn|Pearson|2017|p=53}} Although mentioned in the Epitome de Caesaribus, Taurinius is noticeably absent from Aurelius Victor{{'}}s De Caesaribus, and Eutropius{{'}}s Breviarium historiae Romanae, and is not found in any other literary or epigraphic evidence.{{sfn|Alföldy|Straub|1970|p=28}}
References
=Primary sources=
=Citations=
{{reflist|20em}}
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book|last1=Alföldy|first1=Géza|last2=Straub|first2=Johannes|title=Antiquitas: Beiträge zur Historia-Augusta-Forschung, Volume 7|date=1970|publisher=R. Habelt Verlag|oclc=1481620}}
- {{cite book|last1=Bouchier|first1=Edmund Spenser|title=Syria as a Roman province|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924028520728|date=1916|publisher=B. H. Blackwell|oclc=2182590}}
- {{cite book|last1=Eder|first1=Walter|last2=Renger|first2=Johannes|last3=Henkelman|first3=Wouter|title=Brill's Chronologies of the Ancient World New Pauly Names, Dates and Dynasties|date=2007|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=9789004153202}}
- {{cite book|last1=Krumbacher|first1=Karl|title=Byzantinische Zeitschrift|date=1971|publisher=G.G. Teubner|oclc=1537961}}
- {{cite book|last1=McHugh|first1=John S.|title=Emperor Alexander Severus: Rome's Age of Insurrection, AD222-235|date=2017|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781473845848}}
- {{cite book|last1=Pearson|first1=Paul N.|title=Maximinus Thrax: From Common Soldier to Emperor of Rome|date=2017|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.|isbn=9781510708754}}
Category:Crisis of the Third Century
Category:3rd-century Roman usurpers
Category:Year of birth unknown