Aurelian

Aurelian
Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
Reign	September, 270–September or October 275
Predecessor	Quintillus
Successor	Tacitus
Born	Lucius Domitius Aurelianus 9 September 214 the lands later known as Dacia Ripensis, or possibly at Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)
Died	275 (aged 60) Caenophrurium, Thracia
Wife	Ulpia Severina
Posthumous name Divus Aurelianus

Aurelian (214–275 AD) was Roman emperor from 270 to 275.

Aurelian (Latin: Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) came from the Balkans, part of the Roman Empire. He was a soldier in the Roman army when the emperor Claudius Gothicus promoted him to high rank. When Claudius died, his army chose Aurelian as the next emperor. Aurelian overcame a number of rebellions. His armies overcame the armies of the Gallic Empire and the Palmyrene Empire (two Roman states that formed during the Crisis of the Third Century). Aurelian joined the Roman Empire into one state again, and this was the beginning of the end of the Crisis of the Third Century.

While he was emperor, Aurelian overcame the armies of several groups of barbarians – the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian increased the importance the god Sol Invictus in Roman religion and he built a temple for the god in the city of Rome. For the first time in many centuries, Rome needed a defensive wall to keep out enemies who might attack it. Aurelian's government started to build the Aurelian Walls around Rome. Aurelian's wife, Ulpia Severina, was his augusta (empress) after summer 274. Aurelian was murdered by some of his soldiers in autumn 275.