v31_0511 - PROBUS Aurelianus

PROBUS

(06-07/276-09/282)

Probus was born on August 19, 232 in Sirmium. He led a brilliant military career during the reigns between Valerian I and Tacitus. Commander of the army of the East on the death of Tacitus, he was immediately proclaimed emperor and easily triumphed over Florian, who was assassinated. The situation is serious. The Rhine-Danubian limes gave way under the pressure of the Germanic invasions. Probus restores peace in Gaul, in Germania then in Rhaetia where he inflicts a severe defeat on the Germanic peoples, in Thrace where he crushes the Sarmatians and the Scythians, in Asia Minor which he cleans of looters and Pamphylian pirates, finally in Africa where he ends the incursions of the Blemmyes. In 280, he signed peace with Vahram II, Sassanid monarch. He must face the usurpations of Saturnin, Bonose and Proculus. Probus, having triumphed over all his adversaries, returned to Rome in 281 and celebrated his victories. Before preparing a new expedition against the Sassanids, he fell under the blows of his own soldiers at Sirmium in 282.