Capelianus
Encyclopedia
Capelianus was a Roman
governor of the province of Numidia
in the third century, and commander of the army that defeated and killed Gordian II
in 238
, the year of the six emperors
.
Herodian
relates that he had an existing animosity towards Gordian, on account of an unspecified lawsuit. Gordian, on his acclamation as co-emperor with his father Gordian I
(governor of the neighbouring province of Africa), ordered the replacement of Capelianus. The latter refused to go quietly, however, and took an army to Carthage
, where his numerically superior and well-trained forces (Numidia, in contrast to Africa, was well-garrisoned against Berber
raids) easily defeated those of Gordian. He then allowed his soldiers free rein to pillage Africa, hoping to maintain their favour in the event of an opportunity to make a bid for emperor himself. Such an opportunity presumably never arose, as we hear no more about him.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
governor of the province of Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
in the third century, and commander of the army that defeated and killed Gordian II
Gordian II
Gordian II , was Roman Emperor for one month with his father Gordian I in 238, the Year of the Six Emperors. Seeking to overthrow the Emperor Maximinus Thrax, he died in battle outside of Carthage.-Early career:...
in 238
238
Year 238 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pius and Pontianus...
, the year of the six emperors
Crisis of the Third Century
The Crisis of the Third Century was a period in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression...
.
Herodian
Herodian
Herodian or Herodianus of Syria was a minor Roman civil servant who wrote a colourful history in Greek titled History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus in eight books covering the years 180 to 238. His work is not entirely reliable although his relatively unbiased account of Elagabalus is...
relates that he had an existing animosity towards Gordian, on account of an unspecified lawsuit. Gordian, on his acclamation as co-emperor with his father Gordian I
Gordian I
Gordian I , was Roman Emperor for one month with his son Gordian II in 238, the Year of the Six Emperors. Caught up in a rebellion against the Emperor Maximinus Thrax, he was defeated by forces loyal to Maximinus before committing suicide.-Early life:...
(governor of the neighbouring province of Africa), ordered the replacement of Capelianus. The latter refused to go quietly, however, and took an army to Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, where his numerically superior and well-trained forces (Numidia, in contrast to Africa, was well-garrisoned against Berber
Berber
Berber may refer to:*a member of the Berber people**the Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages**Berberism, a political-cultural term supporting a distinct Berber identity**Berber calendar**Berber cuisine...
raids) easily defeated those of Gordian. He then allowed his soldiers free rein to pillage Africa, hoping to maintain their favour in the event of an opportunity to make a bid for emperor himself. Such an opportunity presumably never arose, as we hear no more about him.