| Hostilian | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bust of Hostilian | |||||||||
| Roman emperor | |||||||||
| Reign | c. June –c. July 251 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Decius and Herennius Etruscus | ||||||||
| Successor | Trebonianus Gallus andVolusianus | ||||||||
| Co-emperor | Trebonianus Gallus | ||||||||
| Born | 230 Sirmium | ||||||||
| Died | c. July 251 (aged 20-21) | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Father | Decius | ||||||||
| Mother | Herennia Etruscilla | ||||||||
Hostilian (Latin:Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus; diedc. July 251) was brieflyRoman emperor in 251. Hostilian was born toDecius andHerennia Etruscilla at an unknown date and elevated tocaesar in 250 by Decius. After Decius andHerennius Etruscus, Hostilian's brother, were killed at theBattle of Abritus, an ambush by the Goths,Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed emperor by the legions. Almost immediately, he elevated Hostilian to co-emperor and his own son,Volusianus, tocaesar. Hostilian died soon after, either due to plague or being murdered by Trebonianus Gallus.
.png)
Hostilian was born at an unknown date, toDecius, a Roman general who later became Emperor, and his wifeHerennia Etruscilla. He had a brother,Herennius Etruscus, and one sister. His full name based on coinage and inscriptions was Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus, but to this the historianAurelius Victor adds Perpenna or Perperna, a name ofEtruscan origin.[1]
In September 249 the army of Decius declared him emperor, in opposition toPhilip the Arab. He defeated and killed Philip in a battle nearVerona, after which theRoman Senate confirmed Decius's appointment and honoured him with the nameTraianus, a reference to EmperorTrajan.[2][3][4]
In or around September 250,[5][6] Decius appointed both his sonscaesars[7] and in May 251 Herennius Etruscus was elevated to the rank ofaugustus, which made Decius and Etruscus co-emperors, with Hostilian as the heir of either or both of them.[2][7][8] In June 251, Decius and Herennius Etruscus were killed by theGoths at theBattle of Abritus, andTrebonianus Gallus was declared emperor. To placate the public after this abrupt change of rulers, Gallus elevated Hostilian toaugustus.[9][2][10] After a short period as co-emperor, Hostilian died in circumstances which are still disputed.[10] His death is sometimes dated to November,[2] but contemporary sources indicate that he died in or before August, probably in July.[5][6]Aurelius Victor and the author of theEpitome de Caesaribus say that Hostilian died of a plague.Zosimus claims that he was killed by Trebonianus Gallus.[11] Gallus's sonVolusianus became the new co-emperor.[2]
Some historians identify Hostilian as the Roman general depicted in theLudovisi Battle sarcophagus, but this is unlikely given that all of his coins depict him as a beardless young boy.[12] It's possible that both Hostilian and Herennius Etruscus were still children or teenagers at the time of their death.[12]
Theaurei of Hostilian fall into four types bearing the bust of Hostilian on theobverse, with thereverse showing:Mars walking to the right; priestly implements;Mercury standing; andRoma seated, holdingVictoria.[13]
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Roman emperor 251 Served alongside:Trebonianus Gallus | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| People | |
