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<p>[QUOTE="Clavdivs, post: 3366753, member: 93702"]If I was a super rich Hollywood producer the movie I would make would make would feature Valerian .. the only Roman Emperor to be captured as a prisoner of war.</p><p><br /></p><p>Emperor <span style="color: #000000">from 22 October 253 AD to spring 260 AD. He was taken captive by the Persian Emperor, Shapur I</span> after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the first Roman Emperor to be captured as a prisoner of war, causing shock and instability throughout the empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>I just find it such an amazing story - so shocking and unbelievable.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Image and description from Wikipedia:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]893064[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #000000">A bas relief of Emperor Valerian standing at the background and held captive by Shapur I found at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naqsh-e_Rustam" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naqsh-e_Rustam" rel="nofollow">Naqsh-e Rustam</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiraz" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiraz" rel="nofollow">Shiraz</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran" rel="nofollow">Iran</a>. The kneeling man is probably Philip the Arab.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropius_(historian)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropius_(historian)" rel="nofollow">Eutropius</a>, writing between 364 and 378 AD, stated that Valerian "was overthrown by Shapur king of Persia, and being soon after made prisoner, grew old in ignominious slavery among the Parthians." An early Christian source, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactantius" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactantius" rel="nofollow">Lactantius</a>, thought to be virulently anti-Persian, thanks to the occasional persecution of Christians by some Sasanian monarchs, maintained that, for some time prior to his death, Valerian was subjected to the greatest insults by his captors, such as being used as a human footstool by Shapur when mounting his horse. According to this version of events, after a long period of such treatment, Valerian offered Shapur a huge ransom for his release. In reply, according to one version, Shapur was said to have forced Valerian to swallow molten gold (the other version of his death is almost the same but it says that Valerian was killed by being flayed alive) and then had Valerian skinned and his skin stuffed with straw and preserved as a trophy in the main Persian temple. It was further alleged that it was only after a later Persian defeat against Rome that his skin was given a cremation and burial. The captivity and death of Valerian has been frequently debated by historians without any definitive conclusion.</p><p>---------------</p><p>I posted a question relating to historical sources on Valerian's capture on <a href="http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I hope that Victor is Ok with me posting his excellent response here - seeing that I linked to the site I think it should be alright... if not I will remove.</p><p><br /></p><p>----- Written by Victor <a href="http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,1603.0.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,1603.0.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,1603.0.html</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I think that there is not much info about Valerian, primarily, because he was captured. Romans liked winners and having your Emperor taken prisoner must have been extremely embarrassing for many Romans. Secondly, Valerian initiated a persecution against Christians. With Constantine, the Christians came out on top and history is written by the winners; and later writers, especially Church historians, would not have been inclined to write much about Valerian.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a few primary sources that write about him, but not much. In De Caesaribus, Aurelius Victor only has a few sentences, ending with “For when his father was engaged in an indecisive and prolonged war in Mesopotamia, he was captured through the treachery of the Persian king, whose name was Sapor, cruelly mutilated and died in the sixth year of his reign while still a robust old man.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Eutropius in Brevarium says that “Valerian, while waging war in Mesopotamia, was overcome by Sapor, the king of the Persians, was subsequently captured, and grew old in ignominious servitude among the Persians.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Zosimus, as a pagan, in New History seems more sympathetic to Valerian and writes “He was popular and anxious to be a sound administrator…” He also says that “a plague struck Valerian’s troops, carrying off the majority.” After this he wanted to make terms with Sapor and set out with a small retinue and was then taken prisoner.</p><p><br /></p><p>Wikipedia has several other primary sources, but in all, there is not more than a few pages in total written about Valerian. That is not uncommon, as many Emperors have even less.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are some articles on Valerian on JSTOR, mainly about his persecution of Christians, but the first one re-examines the claim of Lactantius that Sapor dyed the skin of Valerian red before placing it on display in a temple.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lactantius, Valerian, and Halophilic Bacteria</p><p>David Woods</p><p>Mnemosyne</p><p>Fourth Series, Vol. 61, Fasc. 3 (2008), pp. 479-481</p><p><br /></p><p>VALERIAN'S "CONSECRATIO"</p><p>Charles Oman</p><p>The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society</p><p>Fifth Series, Vol. 12, No. 45 (1932), pp. 58-62</p><p><br /></p><p>Imperial Religious Policy and Valerian's Persecution of the Church, A.D. 257-260</p><p>Christopher J. Haas</p><p>Church History</p><p>Vol. 52, No. 2 (Jun., 1983), pp. 133-144</p><p><br /></p><p>Two Edicts of the Emperor Valerian</p><p>Paul Keresztes</p><p>Vigiliae Christianae</p><p>Vol. 29, No. 2 (Jun., 1975), pp. 81-95</p><p><br /></p><p>The Persecution of Valerian and the Peace of Gallienus</p><p>MICHAEL M. SAGE</p><p>Wiener Studien</p><p>Vol. 96 (1983), pp. 137-159</p><p><br /></p><p>Why Did Decius and Valerian Proscribe Christianity?</p><p>George Thomas Oborn</p><p>Church History</p><p>Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun., 1933), pp. 67-77</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Emperors in the Sassanian Reliefs</p><p>B. C. Macdermot</p><p>The Journal of Roman Studies</p><p>Vol. 44 (1954), pp. 76-80</p><p>------------</p><p>I picked up a modest coin of Valerian late last year - I just had to have something in my collection to represent this incredible story and seminal moment in Roman history.</p><p>While the coin has its obvious problems I really do like the portrait.. he looks like an older fella you meet 'round the pub... (actually I think I am slowly morphing into a Valerian lookalike)..</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]893068[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Sestertius of Valerianus I. (Senior), 253-260 AD., Rome mint.</p><p><br /></p><p>OBV: cuir. bust with laur. head right</p><p>REV: Victory standing left (perhaps Victory wasn't the best choice by the mint?)</p><p><br /></p><p>Please share your coins of Valerian[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Clavdivs, post: 3366753, member: 93702"]If I was a super rich Hollywood producer the movie I would make would make would feature Valerian .. the only Roman Emperor to be captured as a prisoner of war. Emperor [COLOR=#000000]from 22 October 253 AD to spring 260 AD. He was taken captive by the Persian Emperor, Shapur I[/COLOR] after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the first Roman Emperor to be captured as a prisoner of war, causing shock and instability throughout the empire. I just find it such an amazing story - so shocking and unbelievable. Image and description from Wikipedia: [ATTACH=full]893064[/ATTACH] [COLOR=#000000]A bas relief of Emperor Valerian standing at the background and held captive by Shapur I found at [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naqsh-e_Rustam']Naqsh-e Rustam[/URL], [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiraz']Shiraz[/URL], [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran']Iran[/URL]. The kneeling man is probably Philip the Arab.[/COLOR] [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropius_(historian)']Eutropius[/URL], writing between 364 and 378 AD, stated that Valerian "was overthrown by Shapur king of Persia, and being soon after made prisoner, grew old in ignominious slavery among the Parthians." An early Christian source, [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactantius']Lactantius[/URL], thought to be virulently anti-Persian, thanks to the occasional persecution of Christians by some Sasanian monarchs, maintained that, for some time prior to his death, Valerian was subjected to the greatest insults by his captors, such as being used as a human footstool by Shapur when mounting his horse. According to this version of events, after a long period of such treatment, Valerian offered Shapur a huge ransom for his release. In reply, according to one version, Shapur was said to have forced Valerian to swallow molten gold (the other version of his death is almost the same but it says that Valerian was killed by being flayed alive) and then had Valerian skinned and his skin stuffed with straw and preserved as a trophy in the main Persian temple. It was further alleged that it was only after a later Persian defeat against Rome that his skin was given a cremation and burial. The captivity and death of Valerian has been frequently debated by historians without any definitive conclusion. --------------- I posted a question relating to historical sources on Valerian's capture on [url]http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com[/url] I hope that Victor is Ok with me posting his excellent response here - seeing that I linked to the site I think it should be alright... if not I will remove. ----- Written by Victor [url]http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,1603.0.html[/url] I think that there is not much info about Valerian, primarily, because he was captured. Romans liked winners and having your Emperor taken prisoner must have been extremely embarrassing for many Romans. Secondly, Valerian initiated a persecution against Christians. With Constantine, the Christians came out on top and history is written by the winners; and later writers, especially Church historians, would not have been inclined to write much about Valerian. There are a few primary sources that write about him, but not much. In De Caesaribus, Aurelius Victor only has a few sentences, ending with “For when his father was engaged in an indecisive and prolonged war in Mesopotamia, he was captured through the treachery of the Persian king, whose name was Sapor, cruelly mutilated and died in the sixth year of his reign while still a robust old man.” Eutropius in Brevarium says that “Valerian, while waging war in Mesopotamia, was overcome by Sapor, the king of the Persians, was subsequently captured, and grew old in ignominious servitude among the Persians.” Zosimus, as a pagan, in New History seems more sympathetic to Valerian and writes “He was popular and anxious to be a sound administrator…” He also says that “a plague struck Valerian’s troops, carrying off the majority.” After this he wanted to make terms with Sapor and set out with a small retinue and was then taken prisoner. Wikipedia has several other primary sources, but in all, there is not more than a few pages in total written about Valerian. That is not uncommon, as many Emperors have even less. There are some articles on Valerian on JSTOR, mainly about his persecution of Christians, but the first one re-examines the claim of Lactantius that Sapor dyed the skin of Valerian red before placing it on display in a temple. Lactantius, Valerian, and Halophilic Bacteria David Woods Mnemosyne Fourth Series, Vol. 61, Fasc. 3 (2008), pp. 479-481 VALERIAN'S "CONSECRATIO" Charles Oman The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society Fifth Series, Vol. 12, No. 45 (1932), pp. 58-62 Imperial Religious Policy and Valerian's Persecution of the Church, A.D. 257-260 Christopher J. Haas Church History Vol. 52, No. 2 (Jun., 1983), pp. 133-144 Two Edicts of the Emperor Valerian Paul Keresztes Vigiliae Christianae Vol. 29, No. 2 (Jun., 1975), pp. 81-95 The Persecution of Valerian and the Peace of Gallienus MICHAEL M. SAGE Wiener Studien Vol. 96 (1983), pp. 137-159 Why Did Decius and Valerian Proscribe Christianity? George Thomas Oborn Church History Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun., 1933), pp. 67-77 Roman Emperors in the Sassanian Reliefs B. C. Macdermot The Journal of Roman Studies Vol. 44 (1954), pp. 76-80 ------------ I picked up a modest coin of Valerian late last year - I just had to have something in my collection to represent this incredible story and seminal moment in Roman history. While the coin has its obvious problems I really do like the portrait.. he looks like an older fella you meet 'round the pub... (actually I think I am slowly morphing into a Valerian lookalike).. [ATTACH=full]893068[/ATTACH] Sestertius of Valerianus I. (Senior), 253-260 AD., Rome mint. OBV: cuir. bust with laur. head right REV: Victory standing left (perhaps Victory wasn't the best choice by the mint?) Please share your coins of Valerian[/QUOTE]
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Valerian - an epic story mostly lost to history
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