Felicissimus (died 271?) was a public officer in
Ancient Rome
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
, during the reign of Emperor
Aurelian. He is famous because he led an uprising of mint workers against the Emperor, but was defeated and killed, possibly in 274, but more probably in 271.
Mint workers revolt
Felicissimus was a ''
rationalis
A ''rationalis'' was a high-ranking fiscal officer in the Roman Empire. Until replaced by the ''comes sacrarum largitionum'' by Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century, the ''rationalis summarum'' – comparable to a modern-day finance minist ...
'', the chief of the state treasury. One of the responsibilities of the rationalis was to administer the imperial mints. The workers of the mint in Rome had been engaged in adulterating the coinage for their own profit.
This involved the Divus Claudius coin, which was issued during Aurelian's early reign to establish his right to be the successor of
Claudius.
Felicissimus was held responsible and when he was challenged by Aurelian, he incited the mint workers to revolt.
In the uprising that followed, it is reported that the workers were massacred while 7,000 soldiers were killed during this revolt (Aurelius Victor xxxv 6; ''Historia Augusta'', ''Aurelianus'', xxxviii 2–4). The battle took place on the
Caelian Hill
The Caelian Hill (; la, Collis Caelius; it, Celio ) is one of the famous seven hills of Rome.
Geography
The Caelian Hill is a sort of long promontory about long, to wide, and tall in the park near the Temple of Claudius. The hill ov ...
.
It is possible that this uprising was somehow connected with the senatorial and equestrian classes, as Aurelian executed several senators.
The fact that the mint of Rome was inactive for a short time before the monetary reform of 274 could be a consequence of this revolt, and the poor quality of the coinage at the beginning of Aurelian's reign supports the suggestion that the workers at the mint were adulterating the coinage. Aurelian chose
Gaius Valerius Sabinus as Felicissimus' successor and the mint at Rome was transferred to
Mediolanum
Mediolanum, the ancient city where Milan now stands, was originally an Insubrian city, but afterwards became an important Roman city in northern Italy. The city was settled by the Insubres around 600 BC, conquered by the Romans in 222 BC, and ...
.
References
* "Felicissimus", s.v
"Aurelian" ''De Imperatoribus Romanis'' site.
*
Cyprian
Cyprian (; la, Thaschus Caecilius Cyprianus; 210 – 14 September 258 AD''The Liturgy of the Hours according to the Roman Rite: Vol. IV.'' New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1975. p. 1406.) was a bishop of Carthage and an early Christ ...
Discusses how Felicissimus presented a challenge to Cyprian's position of bishop in the church at
Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the cla ...
{{citation needed, date=May 2014
Sources
*
Aurelius Victor
Sextus Aurelius Victor (c. 320 – c. 390) was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire. Victor was the author of a short history of imperial Rome, entitled ''De Caesaribus'' and covering the period from Augustus to Constantius II. The work ...
, ''De Caesaribus'', 35,6;
*
Eutropius, ''Breviarium historiae Romanae'', ix,14;
*
Historia Augusta, ''Aurelianus'', 38.2;
Political office-holders in ancient Rome
3rd-century Roman usurpers