331:) into Roman territory and savage civil conflicts which were in large measure a consequence of the failure of the imperial government to control such incursions. The traditional deployment of the army in the pre-emptive defense of the frontiers had largely broken down by the 250s in the face of these threats. The new strategy which relied on ad hoc mobile expeditionary forces brought about a great expansion of the command-opportunities for officers of equestrian as opposed to senatorial rank. These were for the most part professional soldiers who had achieved their equestrian status by rising through the ranks of the legionary centurionate.
354:. This wording indicates that, while his equestrian social status remained the same, Aper was now acting governor of Pannonia Inferior. There is no way of knowing the specific circumstances that had led the Imperial Authorities to give Aper this posting, but the most likely reason was that the local situation required a man with military experience and that no suitable senatorial could be found. As in the case of Aper's earlier appointment in Poetovio, the prevailing disorder made this a problem that increasingly confronted the Imperial government and that, increasingly, the solution was to appoint an equestrian officer
677:
after the fact to justify his crime. A rumour of that sort would certainly have served a purpose useful to
Diocletian in the troubled early months of his principate by demonstrating some sort of metaphysical justification for his action - i.e. that 'It was the Will of Heaven'. However, that would constitute no more than an observation and could not be considered a definitive judgment on the facts of the matter. Such a judgement could not be made given the limitations of the sources now available.
36:
358:. By 283 it had been possible to find a senator able/willing to do the job in Pannonia Inferior. However, the problem of finding suitable senators to govern devastated provinces was still endemic and under Diocletian's regime the process of making the government of provinces a largely equestrian function was carried to its logical conclusion.
1154:
637:. Pannonia Inferior's status as a praetorian province was not to change for some years after Aper's appointment. This is suggested by another epigraph which commemorates a governor of senatorial status, probably shortly before 283. In other words it was some years after Aper's term in this post for by 283 Aper had become
456:, then gave early proof of his capacity for ruthless and decisive action (that was to later distinguish him as Emperor) by pronouncing Aper the murderer and executing him on the spot by plunging his sword into his breast, thus giving him no chance to justify himself—or, perhaps, to implicate Diocles in Numerian's demise.
526:
unit, usually one brigaded within a composite expeditionary forces (such as an imperial field-army), as opposed to one of the regular military formations that made up the forces that traditionally defended the imperial frontiers. For a discussion of the use of the term in the later third century, see
318:
The increasing use of composite formations such as that under Aper was a phenomenon of the mid-third century. Such units were independent of the regular command-structures of the frontier garrisons as traditionally deployed reflecting the strategic reaction of the imperial government to the anarchic
182:
However, as was almost invariably the case with those who rose to the highest levels in the
Imperial Service, the main element that fuelled Aper's rise to the highest levels was his access to powerful military and political patronage. In his case, this derived from his relationship with Carus, which
481:
Historian Pat
Southern described Diocletian's story about Aper's scheming as ridiculous. She argued that although unlikely, it is possible that Aper could have lost his nerve because he feared retribution from suspicious soldiers if Carus had actually died of natural causes, and he claimed that the
676:
concoction, it is still impossible to determine whether the prophesy was indeed delivered before
Diocles murdered Aper and was hailed as emperor by the imperial field- army as a consequence - see below - or whether the incident was wholly fictitious, a piece of propaganda put about by his regime
403:
to have urged Carus to make war on Persia, hoping that Carus and
Numerian would perish and he himself obtain the Purple. It is thus insinuated, but not directly asserted, that he was responsible for the death of both men during and after that campaign. The usual caveats are suggested regarding
247:(i.e. 'Aper') translates into English as 'wild boar'. Again, is not known whether this was a diacritic associated with that branch of the Flavian clan to which Aper is thought to have belonged or whether it was a nickname derived from some personal characteristic of the man himself.
615:
defines an 'equestrian acting in the place of a (senatorial) governor'. It was presumably devised to give legal cover to the appointments of equestrians to senatorial posts while leaving the constitutional principal, i.e. that these were offices reserved for senators,
174:
Aper's career coincided with and benefited from the momentous changes in the structure of the Roman army and the Roman state introduced in the middle years of the third century that brought men such as himself - i.e. members of the
187:. On the death of Carus, an event quickly followed by the demise of Numerian, this essential prop to Aper's position was gone. Almost immediately, bad luck and bad judgement brought him into competition for primacy with
183:
began when they were both serving soldiers and not only survived but even flourished after Carus's accession to the principate, by which time he was already the father-in-law of Carus's son, the future emperor
552:. However, in the early 250s, detachments of those units were sent south of the Danube where it is assumed that they became part of the composite expeditionary force commanded the emperor Gallienus. These
171:- in effect "vice principis" (a term best understood as 'the emperor's deputy'). This rendered him hugely influential in the government of the empire - not excepting in matters of peace and war.
448:, Turkey). The suspicion of murder evidently arose because Aper had attempted to conceal the fact of Numerian's death, perhaps while he prepared the ground for his own accession to the Purple.
435:, told everyone that the emperor was irritated by the dust and light during the retreat, and issued orders in the emperor's name until the scent of the rotting corpse exposed his scheme.
477:
A charge supported by such decisive proof was admitted without contradiction and the legions with repeated acclamations acknowledged the justice and authority of the
Emperor Diocletian.
664:
anecdote alert'(!) - that, when the future emperor
Diocletian was still known as Diocles and making his way as a professional soldier serving in Gaul, tavern-woman who was also a
1176:
1210:
1245:
1132:
1235:
301:
It cannot be determined whether Aper commanded the fortress garrison or whether he answered to a superior officer who would probably have been styled as a
163:
citizen of the third century AD. First known to history as a professional soldier, he went on to serve as an acting provincial governor and finally became
522:. a 'man-put-before', a commander of soldiers - represents a command-function rather than a specific military rank. It was denoted a man men commanding
53:
45:
1205:
179:
with a strong military background - to the fore in the public administration. Almost certainly he would have been a man of considerable ability.
1230:
224:
with which Aper is associated (i.e. 'Lucius' and 'Flavius' respectively) are known only from an epigraph commemorating a man named Aper from
134:
Serving as
Praetorian prefect under Emperor Carus, Vice principis, Involvement in the military and governmental reforms of the Roman Empire
230:- see below. The epigraph honorand is generally held by modern historians to be identified with the Aper here considered. If the latter's
1225:
709:
855:
838:
829:
557:
425:
What is incontestable is that when
Numerian (who was by that time the Emperor following the death of his father) died as the Imperial
723:
1240:
795:
For a discussion of the significance of the equestrian officials with military backgrounds in the third century, see B. Dobson,
382:
also says that he was the father of
Numerian's wife. It is probable that this Aper was the same man as the one already noted as
1200:
851:
834:
825:
1171:
1163:
396:
initiated by Numerian's father, Carus and he had probably been given that office at the outset of Carus's reign in 282.
320:
625:
At this time Pannonia Inferior was still a praetorian province (i.e. one normally requiring a senatorial governor, a
602:
as the title used for the office of provincial governor. It was used for equestrians and senatorials indifferently.
581:. However, the force at his disposal had been larger than that led by Aper at the end of the decade consisting of
1093:
220:
431:
returned from its victorious campaign in Persia. The traditional story is that Aper hid the body in a closed
574:
1250:
176:
761:
786:
For the identification of Aper with the subject of the Poetovio inscription see Malcus, p. 221.
201:. This was to have rapid and fatal consequences, not only for Aper's career, but for his very life.
1195:
462:
relates that Diocletian did this to fulfill a prophecy which had been delivered to him by a female
235:
1141:
1118:
1110:
639:
375:
164:
1078:
Malcus, Bengt (1969). "Notes sur la révolution du système administratif Romain au III Siècle".
311:) of the legions mentioned rather than the legions themselves. There is no known instance of a
719:
339:
289:
265:
1102:
1005:
668:
prophesied that he would accede to the empire '... once he had killed his boar ...' - i.e.
657:
459:
432:
406:
1062:
The significance of the Centurion and the Primipilaris in the Roman Army and Administration
260:
Aper is identified with the Aper who was commemorated on the epigraph dated 267-8 found at
1215:
419:
328:
1091:
Petersen, Hans (1955). "Senatorial and equestrian governors in the third century A.D.".
1220:
1167:
505:(i.e. 'Chosen Man') shows that Aper was at that time an equestrian of the third grade.
1189:
1158:
1122:
470:
234:
was indeed 'Flavius', it may be remarked that he shared it with the future emperor,
705:
427:
411:
285:
238:. However, no familial relationship between the two men has ever been established.
160:
334:
Aper is also identified with the officer commemorated on an undated epigraph from
324:
298:
1064:. Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt II. Vol. 1. pp. 392–434.
660:, his grandfather once told him - ('entertaining but quite possibly mendacious
327:) caused by incessant incursions by northern barbarians (and the forces of the
209:
Nothing is known of Aper's origins or the date and circumstances of his birth.
449:
399:
Aper is considered likely to have been the unnamed prefect who is said in the
198:
188:
390:
of Pannonia. However, he is thought to have been prefect during the war with
752:
715:
440:
214:
193:
759:
13.1): thought to refer to a close-security unit of the palace guard - see
17:
665:
367:
343:
335:
273:
261:
243:
226:
184:
1157: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
1145:
482:
late emperor's son had also died in the same manner shortly afterwards.
347:
1114:
307:
The force under Aper's command would have consisted of elements (i.e.
392:
672:;. Even if this account is not dismissed out of hand as yet another
1106:
1130:
Smith, R.E. (1979). Smallwood, Mary E. (ed.). "Dux, Praepositus".
549:
463:
445:
415:
294:
168:
269:
438:
Aper was accused of his murder by the army and put on trial at
1071:
The Pretorian Prefect from Commodus to Diocletian (AD 180-305)
319:
situation in the Danube provinces (and also, incidentally, in
303:
29:
126:
Professional soldier, Provincial governor, Praetorian prefect
903:, 38.6; Zonar., XII. 31, p 613; cf. 30, p. 611; Syncell.,
414:, points to Aper's scheming as the most likely reason for
315:
commanding a full legionary establishment, let alone two.
556:
of the Dacian legions had been at that time commanded by
370:(284) a man named Aper (perhaps Arrius Aper) was already
57:
1177:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
297:
which controlled the approaches to Italy through the
1043:
History of the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire
138:
130:
122:
114:
106:
94:
86:
79:
418:'s unexpected death while campaigning against the
755:' was the term used in the later fourth century (
386:of a detached force and as the former equestrian
585:of the four legions of the Pannonian provinces.
8:
711:The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine
577:had commanded the garrison of Poetovio as a
293:. Poetovio was an important fortress on the
773:Arch. Ertesito (AE), 1936, Nos. 53, 54, 57
1133:Zeitschrift fĂĽr Papyrologie und Epigraphik
366:At the outset of the reign of the Emperor
76:
466:, "Imperator eris, cum Aprum occideris."
1073:. Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
690:
494:
276:). The inscription describes Aper as a
1211:Equestrian commanders of vexillationes
485:Aper's death is placed in autumn 284.
560:. Volusianus, too, had had the title
7:
700:
698:
696:
694:
159:, date of birth unknown -284) was a
58:move details into the article's body
1236:People executed by the Roman Empire
970:; Eutrop IX. 18; 20; Zonar XII. 30
670:Diocletiani manu esset Aper occisus
558:Lucius Petronius Taurus Volusianus
352:vir egregius agens vices praesidis
25:
1246:People of the Roman–Sasanian Wars
613:vir egregius agens vice praesidis
1152:
118:Lucius Flavius Aper, Arrius Aper
101:Nicomedia (modern Izmit, Turkey)
34:
1206:3rd-century praetorian prefects
1:
1231:Executed ancient Roman people
473:was to say of this episode:
1180:. Vol. 1. p. 224.
1069:Howe, Laurence Lee (1942).
742:, p. 81 Append. I, item 57.
1267:
1226:People charged with murder
594:By the late-260s the term
350:). There he is shown as a
880:See Malcus and Petersen,
656:, i.e. the author of the
404:information based on the
1094:Journal of Roman Studies
540:In the 260s the legions
27:Ancient Roman politician
1241:Deaths by blade weapons
575:Publius Aelius Aelianus
1201:Ancient Roman generals
598:had largely displaced
479:
177:Roman equestrian order
899:, 13.2; 15.4; Vict.,
475:
799:and also B. Malcus,
627:legatus pro praetore
573:Earlier in the 260s
548:were still based in
167:, under the Emperor
974:, p 611; Syncell.,
811:Again, see Malcus,
762:Protectores Augusti
452:, commander of the
362:Apogée and downfall
236:Constantius Chlorus
197:and future Emperor
191:, commander of the
153:Lucius Flavius Aper
1003:Flavius Vopiscus,
982:; Oros. VII, 24.4.
706:Southern, Patricia
640:Praetorian Prefect
376:Praetorian Prefect
256:Early appointments
165:Praetorian prefect
142:Praetorian Prefect
340:Pannonia Inferior
266:Pannonia Superior
146:
145:
75:
74:
54:length guidelines
16:(Redirected from
1258:
1181:
1156:
1155:
1149:
1126:
1087:
1074:
1065:
1046:
1039:
1033:
1032:Eutrop. 9.12, 13
1030:
1024:
1023:38, 39, Epit. 38
1017:
1011:
1006:Augustan History
1001:
995:
989:
983:
962:, 12-13; Vict.,
957:
951:
942:
936:
930:
924:
918:
912:
894:
888:
878:
872:
865:
859:
848:
842:
822:
816:
809:
803:
793:
787:
784:
778:
771:
765:
749:
743:
736:
730:
729:
708:(May 15, 2015).
702:
678:
658:Augustan History
650:
644:
629:- see Petersen,
623:
617:
609:
603:
592:
586:
571:
565:
538:
532:
512:
506:
499:
460:Flavius Vopiscus
407:Augustan History
115:Other names
77:
70:
67:
61:
52:Please read the
38:
37:
30:
21:
1266:
1265:
1261:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1256:
1255:
1186:
1185:
1184:
1162:
1153:
1129:
1090:
1080:Opuscula Romana
1077:
1068:
1059:
1055:
1050:
1049:
1040:
1036:
1031:
1027:
1018:
1014:
1002:
998:
990:
986:
958:
954:
943:
939:
931:
927:
919:
915:
895:
891:
879:
875:
866:
862:
849:
845:
823:
819:
810:
806:
794:
790:
785:
781:
772:
768:
750:
746:
737:
733:
726:
718:. p. 193.
704:
703:
692:
687:
682:
681:
651:
647:
624:
620:
610:
606:
593:
589:
572:
568:
539:
535:
513:
509:
500:
496:
491:
420:Sasanian Empire
364:
258:
253:
207:
151:(also known as
102:
99:
82:
71:
65:
62:
51:
48:may be too long
43:This article's
39:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1264:
1262:
1254:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1188:
1187:
1183:
1182:
1172:Smith, William
1168:"Aper, Arrius"
1164:Smith, William
1150:
1127:
1107:10.2307/298743
1101:(1–2): 47–57.
1088:
1075:
1066:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1034:
1025:
1021:Vict. de Caes.
1012:
996:
984:
952:
937:
925:
913:
889:
873:
867:See Petersen,
860:
843:
817:
804:
788:
779:
766:
757:SHA :Vita Cari
744:
731:
724:
689:
688:
686:
683:
680:
679:
645:
618:
604:
587:
566:
533:
507:
501:The honorific
493:
492:
490:
487:
469:The historian
363:
360:
329:Persian Empire
257:
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252:
249:
206:
203:
144:
143:
140:
136:
135:
132:
131:Known for
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42:
40:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1263:
1252:
1251:Caran dynasty
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1169:
1165:
1160:
1159:public domain
1151:
1147:
1143:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1128:
1124:
1120:
1116:
1112:
1108:
1104:
1100:
1096:
1095:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1076:
1072:
1067:
1063:
1058:
1057:
1052:
1044:
1038:
1035:
1029:
1026:
1022:
1016:
1013:
1009:
1007:
1000:
997:
993:
992:SHA Vita Cari
988:
985:
981:
977:
973:
969:
965:
961:
956:
953:
950:
947:, 8.2; Howe,
946:
941:
938:
935:
929:
926:
923:
917:
914:
910:
906:
902:
898:
893:
890:
886:
883:
877:
874:
871:, p. 51n
870:
864:
861:
857:
854:
853:
847:
844:
840:
837:
836:
831:
828:
827:
821:
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808:
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802:
798:
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789:
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770:
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764:
763:
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754:
748:
745:
741:
735:
732:
727:
725:9781317496946
721:
717:
713:
712:
707:
701:
699:
697:
695:
691:
684:
675:
671:
667:
663:
659:
655:
652:According to
649:
646:
642:
641:
636:
632:
628:
622:
619:
616:unchallenged.
614:
608:
605:
601:
597:
591:
588:
584:
583:vexillationes
580:
576:
570:
567:
563:
559:
555:
554:vexillationes
551:
547:
543:
537:
534:
530:
525:
521:
517:
511:
508:
504:
498:
495:
488:
486:
483:
478:
474:
472:
471:Edward Gibbon
467:
465:
461:
457:
455:
451:
447:
443:
442:
436:
434:
430:
429:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
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397:
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394:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
361:
359:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
332:
330:
326:
322:
316:
314:
310:
309:vexillationes
306:
305:
300:
296:
292:
291:
287:
286:V Macedonicae
282:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
255:
250:
248:
246:
245:
239:
237:
233:
229:
228:
223:
222:
217:
216:
210:
204:
202:
200:
196:
195:
190:
186:
180:
178:
172:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
123:Occupation(s)
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
97:
93:
89:
85:
78:
69:
59:
55:
49:
47:
41:
32:
31:
19:
1175:
1137:
1131:
1098:
1092:
1083:
1079:
1070:
1061:
1042:
1037:
1028:
1020:
1015:
1004:
999:
991:
987:
979:
975:
971:
967:
963:
959:
955:
948:
944:
940:
933:
928:
921:
916:
909:Chron. Pasch
908:
904:
900:
896:
892:
884:
881:
876:
868:
863:
850:
846:
833:
824:
820:
812:
807:
800:
796:
791:
782:
774:
769:
760:
756:
747:
739:
734:
710:
673:
669:
661:
653:
648:
643:- see below.
638:
634:
630:
626:
621:
612:
611:The formula
607:
599:
595:
590:
582:
578:
569:
561:
553:
545:
542:V Macedonica
541:
536:
528:
527:R.E. Smith,
523:
519:
515:
510:
503:vir egregius
502:
497:
484:
480:
476:
468:
458:
453:
439:
437:
426:
424:
412:Pat Southern
410:. Historian
405:
400:
398:
391:
388:vice praeses
387:
383:
379:
371:
365:
355:
351:
333:
317:
312:
308:
302:
290:XIII Geminae
283:
280:
278:vir egregius
277:
259:
242:
240:
231:
225:
219:
213:
211:
208:
192:
181:
173:
156:
152:
148:
147:
63:
46:lead section
44:
1140:: 263–278.
1060:Dobson, B.
562:praepositus
546:XIII Gemina
516:praepositus
384:praepositus
321:Mesopotamia
313:praepositus
299:Julian Alps
295:River Drava
281:praepositus
157:Arrius Aper
107:Nationality
18:Arrius Aper
1196:284 deaths
1190:Categories
1086:: 213–237.
1008:, Numerian
907:, p. 724;
858:, Aquincum
839:III, 10424
685:References
205:Background
199:Diocletian
1123:164189976
960:Vita Car.
945:Vita Cari
897:Vita Cari
856:III, 3418
841:Aquincum.
830:III, 3424
753:Domestici
716:Routledge
514:The term
454:Domestici
441:Nicomedia
428:comitatus
401:Vita Cari
380:Vita Cari
284:legionum
215:praenomen
194:Domestici
66:July 2023
56:and help
1166:(1870).
1146:20185810
1041:Gibbon:
978:, p 724
949:op. cit.
934:Op. Cit.
911:, p 510)
882:op. cit.
869:op. cit.
813:op. cit.
797:op. cit.
775:Poetovio
666:druidess
631:op. cit.
372:en poste
368:Numerian
356:pro temp
344:Budapest
342:(modern
336:Aquincum
274:Slovenia
262:Poetovio
244:cognomen
227:Poetovio
185:Numerian
1174:(ed.).
1161::
1053:Sources
1019:Aurel.
922:Op. Cit
801:passim.
740:Op. Cit
600:legatus
596:praeses
450:Diocles
348:Hungary
241:Aper's
189:Diocles
90:Unknown
1216:Flavii
1144:
1121:
1115:298743
1113:
1045:, CXII
976:Chron.
932:Howe,
920:Howe.
905:Chron.
885:passim
722:
635:passim
529:passim
524:ad hoc
433:litter
393:Persia
378:. The
288:atque
251:Career
1221:Arrii
1170:. In
1142:JSTOR
1119:S2CID
1111:JSTOR
1010:12-14
994:14.3.
966:38.4
738:Howe
550:Dacia
489:Notes
464:druid
446:Izmit
416:Carus
325:Syria
268:(now
264:, in
232:nomen
221:nomen
169:Carus
161:Roman
139:Title
110:Roman
964:Caes
901:Caes
720:ISBN
544:and
323:and
270:Ptuj
218:and
212:The
155:and
149:Aper
95:Died
87:Born
81:Aper
1103:doi
852:CIL
835:CIL
826:CIL
674:SHA
662:SHA
654:SHA
579:dux
520:lit
374:as
338:in
304:dux
98:284
1192::
1138:36
1136:.
1117:.
1109:.
1099:45
1097:.
1082:.
832:,
714:.
693:^
633:,
518:-
422:.
346:,
272:,
1148:.
1125:.
1105::
1084:7
980:f
972:f
968:f
887:.
815:.
777:.
751:'
728:.
564:.
531:.
444:(
68:)
64:(
60:.
50:.
20:)
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