In our second half of the Aurelian series, we are picking up where we left off. Aurelian has come to the imperial throne in the year 270 A.D. and already his reign is under threat from the previously mentioned usurpers and northern barbarian tribes.
Aurelian's first action was to strengthen his power in Italy, he first moved to fight the Vandals, Sarmatians and the Jugunthi, expelling them all from imperial territory and earning himself the title of 'Germanicus Maximus'. In 271 A.D. the Alamani tribe had begun attacking Italy herself, Aurelian managed to swiftly destroy their armies, and to further secure Rome, he ordered the construction of a vast series of walls which still stand today, the Aurelian walls.
(The Roman empire in 271 A.D https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurelian#/media/File:Map_of_Ancient_Rome_271_AD.svg)
Following his securing of Italy, Aurelian moved to defeat the Gothic hordes in the Danube provinces, destroying their armies and earning the title of 'Gothicus Maximus', His next move was to evacuate the citizens of the Danube to further strengthen Romes northern borders against the barbarians. 272 A.D. saw Aurelian move his eyes east towards Zenobia's Palmyrene empire. by the year 273 A.D. Aurelian had crushed Zenobia and her traitorous armies, bringing the eastern lands back into the light of Rome (Yellow on the above map), earning the further titles of Parthicus Maximus and Restitutor Orientis.
274 A.D. saw Aurelian's final military campaign, against the Gallic empire (Green on the above map), by destroying them and their false emperor Tetricus, Aurelian had finally brought peace and stability to the newly reconquered Roman empire. Upon his final conquest, Aurelian was given the greatest honourific of 'Restitutor Orbis' the restorer of the world.
Shortly after this victory, and after five glorious years of restoring the Roman empire to its former glory, Aurelian was assassinated by the praetorian guard, ending his glorious reign.
There is so much more to talk about this incredible man, it was hard to condense it to such a short amount.
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