en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aemilianus
2 corrections found
According to the 4th century source Epitome de Caesaribus, he was a Moor born at Girba (modern Djerba, an island off the coast of Tunisia)
This misreads the Epitome de Caesaribus. In that text, the Girba/Meninx birthplace clause refers to Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus, while Aemilian is described separately only as "a Moor by origin."
Full reasoning
The cited source does not say that Aemilian was born at Girba.
In Epitome de Caesaribus 31, the text first discusses Gallus and Volusianus: "contra quem ambo profecti ... creati in insula Meninge, quae nunc Girba dicitur" — i.e. "both [Gallus and Volusianus] ... elected on the island Meninx, now called Girba." Only after that does it turn to Aemilian separately: "Aemilianus vero ... Fuit autem Maurus genere" — "Aemilian, however ... was a Moor by origin."
So the article has conflated two different parts of the passage: the Girba/Meninx clause belongs to Gallus/Volusianus in the source, not to Aemilian. The source does describe Aemilian as a Moor, but not as born at Girba in that sentence.
A recent scholarly discussion explicitly notes this point, stating that the Epitome "erroneously refers to Aemilian’s predecessor, Trebonianus Gallus ... as originating from the island of Girba ... when in fact it was Aemilian who was born in the province of Africa Proconsularis." That means the Wikipedia sentence is wrong specifically in saying that the Epitome de Caesaribus is the source for Aemilian's Girba birthplace.
3 sources
- Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome de Caesaribus, Cap.31-40
"Sub his etiam Aemilianus in Moesia imperator effectus est; contra quem ambo profecti ... creati in insula Meninge, quae nunc Girba dicitur; Aemilianus vero ... Fuit autem Maurus genere" — the Girba clause appears with Gallus and Volusianus ('ambo'), while Aemilian is separately described as 'Maurus genere'.
- Épitomé de Caesaribus - Wikisource
"Le père de Volusien était âgé d’environ quarante-sept ans : on les avait élus dans l’île de Méninge, appelée Girba de nos jours. D’une autre part, Émilien ... Maure d’origine..." The translation likewise attaches Girba to Volusian's father (Gallus), then treats Aemilian separately.
- Accompanied by the Gods: Diana and Hercules on the Imperial Coinage of Aemilian (253)
"the Epitome of Caesaribus erroneously refers to Aemilian’s predecessor, Trebonianus Gallus (251-253), as originating from the island of Girba ... when in fact it was Aemilian who was born in the province of Africa Proconsularis."
Valerian, governor of the Rhine provinces, was on his way south with an army
Valerian is usually placed in Raetia and Noricum at this point, not as governor of the Rhine provinces. Ancient and modern sources describe him as operating in Raetia/Noricum and bringing troops from Gaul and Germany.
Full reasoning
This description gets Valerian's position wrong.
A primary source, Eutropius, says that when Aemilian rose, Valerian was "employed in Rhaetia and Noricum". A modern scholarly synthesis in De Imperatoribus Romanis likewise states that in 253 Valerian was apparently commanding in Raetia and Noricum, and that Gallus sent him to bring legions from Gaul and Germany to Italy.
That is different from calling him "governor of the Rhine provinces". The sources place Valerian in Raetia and Noricum; they only add that he was to collect forces from Gaul and Germany. So the article overstates or misstates his office/location by relocating him to the Rhine provinces themselves.
3 sources
- Abridgement of Roman History/Book IX - Wikisource, the free online library
"LICINIUS VALERIAN, who was then employed in Rhaetia and Noricum, was next made general by the army, and soon after emperor."
- Roman Emperors - DIR valerian and gallienus
"In 253 Valerian was apparently commanding in Raetia and Noricum when Trebonianus Gallus sent him to bring legions from Gaul and Germany to Italy for the struggle with the forces of Aemilianus."
- Licinius Valerianus, Publius, Roman emperor Valerian | Oxford Classical Dictionary
"An elderly (in his 60s) noble senator of great experience, he was sent to Raetia to gather troops to help Trebonianus Gallus against Aemilius Aemilianus."