Aemilian, Roman Emperor, July or August - October 253 A.D.

M. Aemilius Aemilianus was born in Mauretania and rose to become governor of Moesia during the reign of Trebonianus Gallus. Aemilian bribed his troops to declare him emperor, using money intended for the Goths to maintain peace. When he invaded Italy, the troops of Gallus and Volusian switched sides and murdered the two co-emperors. However, when the forces of the future emperor Valerian entered Italy, Aemilian suffered the same fate as his predecessors. He was murdered after a reign of about 88 days.

Also see ERIC - Aemilian

References

Banti, A. & L. Simonetti. Corpus Nummorum Romanorum. (Florence, 1972-1979).
Calicó, X. The Roman Avrei, Vol. Two: From Didius Julianus to Constantius I, 193 AD - 335 AD. (Barcelona, 2003).
Cohen, H. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Vol. 5: Gordian I to Valerian II. (Paris, 1885).
Mattingly, H., E. Sydenham & C. Sutherland. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol IV, From Pertinax to Uranius Antoninus. (London, 1986).
Robinson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow, Vol. III. Pertinax to Aemilian. (Oxford, 1977).
Seaby, H. & D. Sear. Roman Silver Coins, Volume IV, Gordian III to Postumus. (London, 1982).
Sear, D. Roman Coins and Their Values III, The Accession of Maximinus I to the Death of Carinus AD 235 - AD 285. (London, 2005).
Vagi, D. Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. (Sidney, 1999).

Obverse Legends

IMPAEMILIANVSPFAVG
IMPAEMILIANVSPIVSFELAVG
IMPCAESAEMILIANVSPFAVG
IMPMAEMILAEMILIANVSPFAVG

Moneta Historical Reference

MARCVS AEMILIVS AEMILIANVS was born in Mauretania about 208.  He married Cornelia Supera (q.v.), of whom virtually nothing is known.  He became the Governor of Moesia in 252, and in the following spring he refused the Gothic request for an increase in tribute.  He then promised his legions that the normal tribute money would be divided amongst themselves if they fought the Goths with success.  Accordingly, his troops not only expelled the Goths from the south side of the Danube, but pursued them across the Danube deep into their own territory.  The vigor and success of Aemilian contrasted sharply with the indolence of Trebonianus Gallus (q.v.), and Aemilian's troops soon hailed him as Augustus, probably in June, 253.  He immediately stopped the pursuit of the Goths and marched toward Rome.  Gallus and his son Volusian (q.v.) waited in Rome, hoping that Publius Licinius Valerianus (see VALERIAN I) with his German legions would intercept Aemilian.  Aemilian moved much too quickly, however, and Gallus and Volusian finally ventured to meet him at Interamna (Terni), about 50 miles north of Rome, in July, 253.  After considering the size of Aemilian's army, the horrors of civil war, and the unworthiness of their Emperors, the legions of Gallus and Volusian declared for Aemilian and murdered Gallus and his son.

Aemilian moved on to Rome where he was confirmed by the Senate.  However, he had little time to rest because in Raetia the legions of Valerianus, upon hearing of the deaths of Gallus and Volusian, declared Valerianus to be their candidate for the throne.  Valerianus continued into Italy, and Aemilian emerged from Rome to meet him in September, 253.  The climactic battle was to have been fought just a few miles from Interamna, at Narnia (Narni) on the Via Flaminia, but Aemilian's men, presumably containing many of the former soldiers of Gallus and Volusian, chose to murder their master rather than battle the legions of Valerianus.  Thus Aemilian perished after a reign of about three months.

Dictionary of Roman Coins

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AEMILIANVS (Marcus or Caius Julius Aemilius), was born in Mauretania, of an obscure family, about the year of the Christian era 208. A good soldier, and of an enterprising character, he arrived at the highest dignities, and was honored with the consulate. Appointed governor of Moesia and Pannonia, he repulsed with great slaughter an invasion of the Goths, whom he also drove out of Illyria and Thrace. In admiration of his valor and firmness, as contrasted with the timid and yielding policy of Trebonius Gallus, The Moesian and Pannonian legions proclaimed him Emperor, A.D. 253, he being then forty-six years of age. Advancing, after his election, into Italy, he defeated Gallus and Volusianus in a pitched battle; and those two princes having been slain by their own troops, Aemilianus was acknowledged by the Senate, who confirmed him in all the imperial titles A.D. 254. Shortly after, being compelled to march against Valerianus, who had been elected Emperor by the legions of Rhetia and Noricum, he was killed by his own soldiers, near Spoletum, in Umbria, on a bridge afterwards called "the bloody bridge," in August of the same year. On his coins (which are of the highest rarity in gold, rare in silver, and very rare in 1st and 2nd brass), he is styled IMP M AEM AEMILIANVS AVG - IMP CAES C IVL AEMILIANVS PIVS FEL AVG.
The above engraving is from a large brass coin, of the legends and types on which the following is descriptive: -

Obv.  IMP AEMILIANVS PIVS FEL AVG - (Imperator, Aemilianus, Pius, Felix, Augustus) - Laureate head of Aemilian.

Rev. PACI AVG (To the Peace of the Emperor.) - Peace holding the olive branch and the hasta and leaning on a cippus, or short column.