Father Virius Nepotianus Mother Eutropia Name Nepotianus Nepotianus | ||
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Parents Virius Nepotianus, Eutropia Grandparents Constantius Chlorus, Flavia Maximiana Theodora Uncles Constantine the Great, Flavius Dalmatius Cousins Constantius II, Constans, Crispus, Hannibalianus, Constantine II Similar People Constantine the Great, Constantius II, Constans, Constantius Chlorus, Hannibalianus | ||
Nepotianus
Julius Nepotianus (died June 30, 350), sometimes known in English as Nepotian, was a member of the Constantinian dynasty who reigned as a short-lived usurper of the Roman Empire. He ruled the city of Rome for twenty-eight days, before being killed by his rival usurper Magnentius' general Marcellinus.
Contents
Background
Nepotianus was the son of Eutropia, half-sister of Emperor Constantine I, and of Virius Nepotianus. On his mother's side, he was the grandson of Emperor Constantius Chlorus and Flavia Maximiana Theodora.
Events
After the revolt of Magnentius, Nepotianus proclaimed himself "emperor" and entered Rome with a band of gladiators on 3 June 350. After attempting to resist Nepotianus with an undisciplined force of Roman citizens, the defeated Praefectus urbi Titianus (or Anicius, or Anicetus), a supporter of Magnentius, fled the city.
Magnentius quickly dealt with this revolt by sending his trusted magister officiorum Marcellinus to Rome. According to Eutropius, Nepotianus was killed in the resulting struggle (on 30 June), his head put on a lance and borne around the city. In the following days, his mother Eutropia was also killed, during the persecution of the supporters of Nepotianus, most of whom were senators.