Julius Valens Licinianus, known as Licinian, was a

Roman usurper Roman usurpers were individuals or groups of individuals who obtained or tried to obtain power by force and without legitimate legal authority. Usurpation was endemic during the Roman imperial era, especially from the crisis of the third centu ...

in 250. Apparently, Licinian, who was a senator, had the support of the

Roman Senate The Roman Senate () was the highest and constituting assembly of ancient Rome and its aristocracy. With different powers throughout its existence it lasted from the first days of the city of Rome (traditionally founded in 753 BC) as the Sena ...

and parts of the population when he initiated an uprising against

Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius ( 201June 251), known as Trajan Decius or simply Decius (), was Roman emperor from 249 to 251. A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was proclaimed emperor by his troops a ...

, who was fighting the Goths. However, Valerian, who had been left in charge in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, had little trouble in suppressing the rebellion. It is possible that Licinian was the same Valens Senior, who usurped the purple in

during the absence of the Emperor

in the war against the Goths (250), and who was quickly executed.

Aurelius Victor Sextus Aurelius Victor ( 320 – 390) was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire. Victor was the author of a now-lost monumental history of imperial Rome covering the period from Augustus to Constantius II. Under the emperor Julian (361 ...

, ''Liber de Caesaribus'', 29.3; ''

Epitome de Caesaribus The ''Epitome de Caesaribus'' is a 5th-century Latin historical work based on the '' Liber de Caesaribus'' (also known as ''Historiae abbreviatae'') by Aurelius Victor. It is a brief account of the reigns of the Roman emperors from Augustus ...

'', 29.5

Sources

References

Nathan, Geoffrey, and Robin McMahon, "Trajan Decius (249-251 A.D.) and Usurpers During His Reign", ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''
{{refend Crisis of the Third Century 3rd-century Roman usurpers Senators of the Roman Empire Licinianus