Nepotianus

Nepotianus
Usurper of the Roman Empire
Nepotianus on a coin bearing his claimed title of Augustus
Reign	3–30 June 350 (in competition with Magnentius)[1]
Died	30 June 350(350-06-30) Rome
Full name Flavius Iulius Popilius Nepotianus Constantinus
Dynasty	Constantinian
Father	Virius Nepotianus
Mother	Eutropia

Iulius Nepotianus (died June 30, 350),^[1] commonly known in English as Nepotian, was a member of the Constantinian dynasty who reigned as a short-lived usurper of the Roman Empire. He ruled the city of Rome for twenty-eight days, before being killed by his rival usurper Magnentius' general Marcellinus.^[1]

Background

Nepotianus was the son of Eutropia, half-sister of Emperor Constantine I,^[2] and of Virius Nepotianus. On his mother's side, he was the grandson of Emperor Constantius Chlorus and Flavia Maximiana Theodora.

Events

After the revolt of Magnentius, Nepotianus proclaimed himself "emperor" and entered Rome with a band of gladiators^[2] on 3 June 350.^[1] After attempting to resist Nepotianus with an undisciplined force of Roman citizens, the defeated Praefectus urbi Titianus (or Anicius, or Anicetus), a supporter of Magnentius, fled the city.

Magnentius quickly dealt with this revolt^[2] by sending his trusted magister officiorum Marcellinus to Rome. According to Eutropius, Nepotianus was killed in the resulting struggle (on 30 June), his head put on a lance and borne around the city.^[2] In the following days, his mother Eutropia was also killed, during the persecution of the supporters of Nepotianus, most of whom were senators.

See also

• List of Roman Emperors
• List of Roman usurpers

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nepotianus.

• Aurelius Victor De Caesaribus 42.6, Epitome 42.3
• Zosimus, ii.59