Successianus
Encyclopedia
Successianus was a Roman general of the Third Century AD of whom very little is known for certain. He appears to have distinguished himself at a lower rank, but, when promoted to Praetorian Prefect by Valerian
he failed to save his Emperor from defeat and capture by the Persians.
and the information is teased out by Prof. A. Alfoldi and by L.L. Howe. This article is based on their accounts.
means that onomastic analysis cannot be applied.
in modern Georgia
. This region did not lie within the Roman imperial frontier, but it is known that Rome was in a treaty relationship with the local communities and supplied garrisons at key points. During Successianus's watch Pityus came under attack by the Borani, one of the peoples who lived in the steppes north of the Crimea
known generally as the Scythae The Borani raid on Pityus was one of the first of the sea-born expeditions by the Scythae which were to reach their crescendo in the 260s. Thanks to Sucessianus's inspired leadership the city held out and the raiders were forced to retreat after suffering considerable losses.
This rare success by one of his commanders inspired the Emperor Valerian
who had recently arrived in Syria to take charge of the war against the Persians to call Successianus to his headquarters in Antioch
where he is said to have assisted the Emperor in rebuilding the city which had been reduced to ruins by King Shapur. He is then supposed to have been made Praetorian Prefect
although Zozimus nowhere says this. If he was thus promoted his authority is likely to have been confined to those provinces under Valerian's direct control - i.e. Asia, Mesopotamia and Syria - while Silvanus
may have acted for Gallienus
in an equivalent office.
and Syria
and the Scythae in Asia Minor, was generally ineffective. Unable to battle the deadly combination of military defeat and plague military morale seems to have collapsed. It is supposed that Successianus was with Valerian, still serving him as Praetorian Prefect when Shapur defeated him and took him captive near Edessa
in June(?) 260. It is supposed that, like his Emperor, he died in Persian captivity.
It is impossible to determine whether in Successianus we see a promising young man promoted beyond his capabilities or a soldier of some competence who was not allowed to exercise his talents or some combination of the two. It was Rome's tragedy that there was to be no removal of Valerian to make way for a competent soldier as occurred in the case of his son Gallienus
when, arguably, the need was so much less pressing.
Valerian (emperor)
Valerian , also known as Valerian the Elder, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260. He was taken captive by Persian king Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman Emperor who was captured as a prisoner of war, resulting in wide-ranging instability across the Empire.-Origins and rise...
he failed to save his Emperor from defeat and capture by the Persians.
Sources
What little is known of Successianius comes from the Historia Nova of ZozimusZozimus
Michael J. Moran , popularly known as Zozimus, was an Irish street rhymer. He was a resident of Dublin and also known as the "Blind Bard of the Liberties" and the "Last of the Gleemen".-Biography:...
and the information is teased out by Prof. A. Alfoldi and by L.L. Howe. This article is based on their accounts.
Origins
Nothing is known of Successianus's origins or his date of birth. The absence of any evidence as to his nomenRoman naming conventions
By the Republican era and throughout the Imperial era, a name in ancient Rome for a male citizen consisted of three parts : praenomen , nomen and cognomen...
means that onomastic analysis cannot be applied.
Career
Successianus is first encountered in as commander of the garrison of Pityus on the eastern coast of the Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
in modern Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. This region did not lie within the Roman imperial frontier, but it is known that Rome was in a treaty relationship with the local communities and supplied garrisons at key points. During Successianus's watch Pityus came under attack by the Borani, one of the peoples who lived in the steppes north of the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
known generally as the Scythae The Borani raid on Pityus was one of the first of the sea-born expeditions by the Scythae which were to reach their crescendo in the 260s. Thanks to Sucessianus's inspired leadership the city held out and the raiders were forced to retreat after suffering considerable losses.
This rare success by one of his commanders inspired the Emperor Valerian
Valerian (emperor)
Valerian , also known as Valerian the Elder, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260. He was taken captive by Persian king Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman Emperor who was captured as a prisoner of war, resulting in wide-ranging instability across the Empire.-Origins and rise...
who had recently arrived in Syria to take charge of the war against the Persians to call Successianus to his headquarters in Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
where he is said to have assisted the Emperor in rebuilding the city which had been reduced to ruins by King Shapur. He is then supposed to have been made Praetorian Prefect
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
although Zozimus nowhere says this. If he was thus promoted his authority is likely to have been confined to those provinces under Valerian's direct control - i.e. Asia, Mesopotamia and Syria - while Silvanus
Silvanus
- People :*Marcus Plautius Silvanus , Roman consul in 2 BC*Tiberius Plautius Silvanus Aelianus, a Roman patrician serving twice as consul *Marcus Caeionius Silvanus - People :*Marcus Plautius Silvanus (1st-century BC–1st-century AD), Roman consul in 2 BC*Tiberius Plautius Silvanus Aelianus, a Roman...
may have acted for Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
in an equivalent office.
End
Unfortunately, the qualities that had made Successianus an excellent garrison commander in Pityus were not those he needed as Chief-of-General Staff at Valerian's shambolic headquarters: the Roman defence of the East, torn between the need to fend off Shapur in MesopotamiaMesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and the Scythae in Asia Minor, was generally ineffective. Unable to battle the deadly combination of military defeat and plague military morale seems to have collapsed. It is supposed that Successianus was with Valerian, still serving him as Praetorian Prefect when Shapur defeated him and took him captive near Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
in June(?) 260. It is supposed that, like his Emperor, he died in Persian captivity.
It is impossible to determine whether in Successianus we see a promising young man promoted beyond his capabilities or a soldier of some competence who was not allowed to exercise his talents or some combination of the two. It was Rome's tragedy that there was to be no removal of Valerian to make way for a competent soldier as occurred in the case of his son Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
when, arguably, the need was so much less pressing.