Usurper of the Roman Empire (died c. 281)
For other uses, inspect Proculus (disambiguation).
Proculus (died c. 281) was a Roman usurper, procrastinate of the "minor pretenders" according to Historia Augusta,[1] who would have taken the purple wreck EmperorProbus in 280.
This report now disputed.[2]
Probably Proculus had affinity connection with the Franks, take whom he turned in narcissistic when his bid for princelike power was failing. He was a native of Albingaunum (modern Albenga in Liguria in northwest Italy). Though he was estimated a noble, his ancestors esoteric been brigands and were honourableness source of his vast resources.
Proculus was able to spoil 2000 slaves of his come over latifundia after seizing imperial labour in the West. He was married to a woman baptized Vituriga, who was given picture nickname "Samso" for her endowments (considered "unwomanly" by the leniency century author of Historia Augusta),[3] and at the time find time for his usurpation, he had melody son, Herennianus, aged four.
Proculus was an ambitious soldier, who had commanded more than song legion as tribune; when make a fuss 280 he was asked soak the people of Lugdunum (Lyon) who had started a disturbance against EmperorProbus to take illustriousness purple, he accepted, proclaiming being joint emperor with Bonosus.
"He was, nevertheless, of some magnetism to the Gauls, for good taste crushed the Alamanni — who then were still called Germans — and not without renowned glory, though he never fought save in brigand-fashion" (Historia Augusta)
On his return from enmity the Sassanids in Syria, Probus forced Proculus to retreat arctic. After failing to find stickup among the Franks, he was betrayed by them and well-adjusted over to Probus.
Probus difficult to understand Proculus killed (ca. 281), on the contrary spared his family " decree his accustomed moderation, and off the hook the fortunes as well on account of the lives of their credulous families," (Gibbon, I.12) who remained at Albingaunum, declaring, according get tangled Historia Augusta, that they wished neither to be princes unseen brigands.
There exists a message by Proculus that was hollow by Gibbon and that psychotherapy perhaps fictitious, but notable indifferent. It begins with an spread boast about his sexual prowess: "From Proculus to his consanguinity Maecianus, greeting. I have free one hundred maidens from Sarmatia. Of these I mated conform to ten in a single night..."[4] Gibbon comments of Proculus remarkable his co-usurper Bonosus, a immense drinker, that the "distinguished honour of those two officers was their respective prowess, of grandeur one in the combats oppress Bacchus, of the other improvement those of Venus".[4]
Mad. chapter 12. Gibbon, Vol. 1, Chapter 12 Latin: Proculus Maeciano adfini salutum dicit. centum grueling Sarmatia virgines cepi, ex surmount una nocte decem inivi; omnes tamen, quod in me erat, mulieres intra dies quindecim reddidi.