Problems in Reconstructing the Career of Emperor Aurelian

The complex crisis period of the third century was examined. In the context of the intensification of barbarian invasions and the emergence of separatism in the provinces, the Roman army was noted to be remaining the only force capable of protecting the population and the state. The emperors were compelled to spend most of their time on military campaigns, making the opinion of the army decisive for them. Consequently, the military became a highly influential political force, and commanders were potential claimants to the throne. A significant number of diverse sources, both written and material — including epigraphy and numismatics — were analyzed and compared, and the views of contemporary scholars on specific aspects of the issue were considered. The stages of Aurelian’s military career prior to his proclamation as emperor were identified and characterized, filling existing gaps in the historical record. The following conclusions were drawn. First, the career of Emperor Aurelian, based on the totality of available information, represents one of the variants of the rise of a Romanized barbarian and non-citizen within the 3rd-century Roman Empire. Second, all of Aurelian’s actions and appointments were determined by several interrelated factors: the military environment in which he constantly operated and the characteristics of the military mentality facilitated the advancement of military personnel, including into civil positions; additionally, his desire to implement strict discipline and constant control as emperor played a key role. The personal character of Aurelian also had a significant influence, contributing to the complicated relationship with Emperor Gallienus.

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