Macria'nus
and MACRIA'NUS,JUNIOR, rank among the thirty tyrants enumerated by Trebellius Pollio. When Valerian undertook the Persian war, he committed the chief command to Macrianus, whose valour had been proved as a boy in Italy, as a youth in Thrace, as a man in Africa, and when stricken in years in Illyria and Dalmatia.
In consequence, it is said, of his incapacity or treachery, the campaign terminated in the capture of the emperor, after which, Macrianus and Balista having collected the scattered remnants of the Roman army, it was determined in solemn conference, that, neglecting the claim of the effeminate Gallienus, the former should assume the purple. Having assigned the management of affairs in the East to one of his sons, Quietus, he set out with the other for Italy. They were encountered by Aureolus on the confines of Thrace and Illyria, defeated and slain, A. D. 262.
MACRIANUS, JUNIOR, the son of the preceding, shared the power and the fate of his father. Indeed it seems probable that the chief authority was vested in his person, for all the coins hitherto discovered, bearing the name of these pretenders, exhibit the effigy of a young man, while it is certain that the general of Valerian was far advanced in life at the time of his appointment.
But as there is one coin which represents Macrianus with a beard, while in all the others he has no beard, it has been conjectured that this coin refers to the elder Macrianus. Moreover, a difficulty arises with regard to the medals of Alexandria, some of which present the names
Τ.
Φ.
ΙΟΥΝ.
ΜΑΚΡΙΑΝΟΣ (Titus Fulvius Junius Macrianus), while others have M. or MA.
ΦΟΣ.
ΜΑΚΡΙΑΝΟΣ (Marcus Fulvius Macrianus), as if they represented different individuals. The MSS. of the Augustan historians vary much between
Macrianus and
Acrinus. Zonaras (
12.24) uniformly distinguishes the father by the latter, and the son by the former appellation. (Trebell. Poll.
Trig. Tyrann. Vit. Macrian. ct Gallien. 1, 2, 3. See Tillemont on the alleged magical power of Macrianus.)
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W.R]
