Balista or Ballista (died ''c.'' 261), also known in the sources with the name of "Callistus", was one of the Thirty Tyrants of the controversial '' Historia Augusta'', and supported the rebellion of the Macriani against Emperor

Gallienus Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (; c. 218 – September 268) was Roman emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260 and alone from 260 to 268. He ruled during the Crisis of the Third Century that nearly caused the collapse of the empi ...

History

Balista was the praetorian prefect under Valerian. After the Persian Empire defeated and captured that emperor in the

Battle of Edessa The Battle of Edessa took place between the armies of the Roman Empire under the command of Emperor Valerian and Sasanian forces under Shahanshah (King of the Kings) Shapur I in 260. The Roman army was defeated and captured in its entirety ...

, a body of

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

troops was rallied by a fiscal officer, Macrianus, and Balista. Joined, in some accounts, by

Odaenathus Septimius Odaenathus ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; ar, أذينة, translit=Uḏaina; 220 – 267) was the founder king ( ''Mlk'') of the Palmyrene Kingdom who ruled from Palmyra, Syria. He elevated the status of his kingdom from a r ...

, the ''Lord of Palmyra'', they routed the Persian army that was returning from the ravaging of

Cilicia Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...

. Then Macrianus proclaimed his sons,

Macrianus Minor Titus Fulvius Iunius Macrianus (died 261), also known as Macrianus Minor, was a Roman usurper. He was the son of Fulvius Macrianus, also known as Macrianus Major.Jones, pg. 528 Career Although his father was from an equestrian family, Macrian ...

and

Quietus Titus Fulvius Junius Quietus (died 261) was a Roman usurper against Roman Emperor Gallienus. History Quietus was the son of Fulvius Macrianus and a noblewoman, possibly named Junia. According to ''Historia Augusta'', he was a military tribu ...

, as emperors.D.S.Potter (2004), p.256 He stayed with Quietus in the East, while Macrianus and his elder son moved with the army against the West. In the Balkans, Macrianus were routed by the commander of Roman cavalry, Aureolus, a general loyal to Gallienus, and killed. Then, according to some accounts, Gallienus invited Odaenathus to turn against his former allies, Ballista and Quietus. Neither the time nor manner of Balista's death can be ascertained with certainty, but it is believed to have happened about November 261, and to have been contrived by

.J. Bray (1997), p.145 Another suggestion is that they were killed by their own men at Emesa.D.S.Potter (2004), p.259

In popular culture

Balista, under the name Marcus Clodius Balista is the hero of the

Warrior of Rome Series Harry Sidebottom is a British author and historian, best known for his two series of historical novels the ''Warrior of Rome'', and ''Throne of the Caesars''. He is Quondam Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at St. Benet's Hall, Oxford, and l ...

Harry Sidebottom Harry Sidebottom is a British author and historian, best known for his two series of historical novels the ''Warrior of Rome'', and ''Throne of the Caesars''. He is Quondam Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at St. Benet's Hall, Oxford, and l ...

Notes

References

* * Bray, John. ''Gallienus : A Study in Reformist and Sexual Politics'', Wakefield Press, Kent Town, 1997,
Körner, Christian, "Usurpers in the east: The Macriani and Ballista", s.v. "Usurpers under Gallienus", ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''
* Potter, David S. ''The Roman Empire at Bay AD 180–395'', Routledge, Oxon, 2004. {{DEFAULTSORT:Balista Thirty Tyrants (Roman) Gallienus usurpers 261 deaths Praetorian prefects Year of birth unknown Year of death uncertain Romans from unknown gentes Generals of Valerian