Lucillian

Lucillian ( Latin: Lucillianus ) - a military and statesman of the Roman Empire in the middle of the 4th century A.D. e. He held high posts under Constance II . It was the father-in-law of Emperor Jovian .

In 350, Constantius II, having gone to war with the usurper Magnesius , left Lucillian to defend Nisibis from the attacks of Shapur II . At this time, he was in the position of Dux of Mesopotamia ( Latin dux Mesopotamia ) or, more likely, a military committee ( Latin comes rei militaris ). Under Caesar, Galle was the commander of the guard (the committee of domestics, lat. Comes domesticorum ), accompanying him on his last trip to the West. In 358 , together with Procopius (future usurper) he was sent to negotiate with the Persians (at the same time fulfilling, obviously, the role of scout ^[1] ).

By the time of the rebellion, Julian Lucillian commanded the troops in Illyric as a master of cavalry ( lat. Magister equitum ). When he heard rumors about Julian’s speech, he immediately began to gather troops, but Julian was ahead of him, sending Dagalife with a light detachment to Sirmius — Lucillian’s headquarters. There he was arrested, being taken by surprise in the middle of the night. Ammianus Marcellinus describes these events as follows:

Lucillian was sleeping in bed at that moment. Being awakened by a formidable noise and seeing unfamiliar faces around him, he understood what was the matter, and out of fear of the name of the emperor, he unwittingly obeyed the order. By order of others, he, shortly before that the proud and stern master of the cavalry, was mounted on the first horse he came across and, as the simplest prisoner, was taken to the sovereign, barely able to collect his thoughts from fear. 8. But when he appeared before Julian and noticed that the emperor offered to kiss purple, then, having mastered himself, boldly said to Julian: "Careless, sovereign, and you thoughtlessly entered a strange area with such small forces." Smiling bitterly, Julian answered this: “You will save these wise speeches for Constance. I handed you the distinction of Imperial Majesty, not in order to ask you for advice, but to put an end to your embarrassment. "

- Ammianus Marcellinus . XXI. 9.7-8.

During the reign of Julian, he lived as a private person in Sirmia. After coming to power, Jovian (married to Lucillian's daughter, Harito) was appointed master of cavalry and infantry ( Latin magister equitum et peditum ). In a letter, Jovian ordered his father-in-law to go to Mediolan in order to establish calm there and take measures in case of attempts of a coup d'etat. From Mediolanus Lucillian went to Remy (modern Reims ). There, as Ammian writes,

Assuming ... complete calmness of the population, he lost his orientation, as they say, and began untimely, until everything was still ready, to prosecute the former actuary for the counting part. Knowing behind himself fraud and embezzlement, he fled to the troops and dismissed the fable, as if Julian was still alive and some insignificant man had risen in revolt. This lie caused great unrest in the troops, and the soldiers killed Lucillian ...

- Ammianus Marcellinus. Xxv. 10.7.

Lucigian was probably a Pannonian by birth, as was his son-in-law.