Julius Saturninus

This article is about the Roman usurper against Emperor Probus. For the usurper against Emperor Gallienus who is mentioned only in the Historia Augusta, see Saturninus (253-268).

Julius Saturninus
Usurper of the Roman Empire
Reign	280
Born	Gaul or Africa
Died	280 Palestine
Names Sextus Julius Saturninus Regnal name Imperator Caesar Sextus Julius Saturninus Augustus

Sextus (possibly Gaius) Julius Saturninus (died 280 AD) was a Roman usurper against Emperor Probus.[1]

Julius Saturninus was a Gaul by birth (others have him as a Moor) and was a friend of Probus, who appointed him governor of Syria around 279.

After Probus had left Syria for the Rhine in 280, unruly soldiers and the people of Alexandria pressured a reluctant Saturninus to accept imperial office. Having fled from Egypt, he changed his mind in Palestine and proclaimed himself emperor. Ancient sources conflict on what happened next: the Historia Augusta states that Probus sent men to kill the usurper, while according to an account by Zosimus, before Probus could respond to the threat, Saturninus was dead, killed by his own troops.[2]

Notes

1. Vagi, p. 375
2. Zosimus, Ch 32-33

References

• Adkins, Lesley; Roy A. Adkins (2004). "Saturninus, Sextus Julius". Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Updated ed.). New York: Facts On File, Inc. ISBN 0-8160-5026-0.
• Vagi, David A. (2001). Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 1-57958-316-4.

[1]

1. Green; Chaplin. "New History". The Tertullian Project. Retrieved 8 August 2021.