Bonosus (died AD 280) was a late 3rd-century Roman usurper. He was born in

Hispania Hispania was the Ancient Rome, Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two Roman province, provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. During the Principate, Hispania Ulterior was divide ...

(Roman

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

) to a British father and Gallic mother. His father—a rhetorician and "teacher of letters"—died when Bonosus was still young but the boy's mother gave him a decent education. He had a distinguished military career with an excellent service record. He rose successively through the ranks and tribuneships but, while he was stationed in charge of the Rhenish fleet , the

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

managed to set it on fire. Fearful of the consequences, he proclaimed himself Roman emperor at Colonia Agrippina (

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

) jointly with Proculus. After a protracted struggle, he was defeated by Marcus Aurelius Probus and hanged himself rather than face capture. Bonosus left behind a wife and two sons who were treated with honor by Probus.

References

280 deaths 3rd-century Roman usurpers Ancient Roman generals Crisis of the Third Century Ancient Roman military personnel who died by suicide Suicides by hanging in Germany Ancient Roman admirals Suicides in Ancient Rome Romans from Hispania Year of birth unknown Ancient Romans from unknown gentes Generals of Probus {{Europe-mil-bio-stub