Quintillus

Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus

AD270

Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus was brother of emperor Claudius II and upon the death of Claudius, Quintillus became emperor himself. There are several accounts of how he rose to power. The first reports that he was chosen by the soldiers of the Roman army and this was then approved by the senate, another report states that he was elected by the senate itself.

 

Unfortunately the legions supporting Claudius through his campaign along the Danube were reluctant to have Quintillus as their emperor and chose to elevate their existing leader Aurelian to the rank of Augustus.

Historians disagree on the length of his reign, which could have been between 7 days and six months, and also the cause of Quintillus’ death. He was either murdered by his own soldiers in response to the amount of discipline he forced on them, killed while battling Aurelian for the throne or lastly by committing suicide.


 
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