Years of service 218–219 Allegiance Roman Empire Died 222 AD, Rome, Italy | Name Publius Comazon Rank Praetorian prefect | |
Other work Consul of the Roman Empire in 220
City prefect of Rome in 220, 221 and 222 Commands held Legio III Gallica, Praetorian Guard | ||
Publius Valerius Comazon (died after 222) was a Roman general and ally of emperor Elagabalus. Comazon began his career as an ordinary army recruit under the Emperor Commodus, whom he served as a soldier in the province of Thrace. While there he suffered a demotion from the provincial government under Tiberius Claudius Attalus Paterculianus. However, this incident did not hinder his later promotion and he went on to have a military career.
In the year 218 he commanded a legion Legio II Parthica prefect, who was then temporarily stationed in Apamea in Syria. Upon the accession of Macrinus as emperor in 217, Comazon orchestrated a revolt among the Third Legion to help secure the throne for Elagabalus, who was tied to the Severan dynasty. Comazon was later rewarded with various important offices in the Empire, including prefect of Elagabalus' bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard, consul in 220 and an unprecedented three terms as City prefect in 220, 221 and 222.
Elagabalus proved to be a highly unpopular ruler, and after barely four years in office, he was murdered by members of the Praetorian Guard who proclaimed his cousin Alexander Severus emperor in his place. However Comazon survived the overthrow and under the new Emperor Alexander Severus again assumed the office of city prefect. It can be concluded that he retired after serving the needs of the camp of the new emperor. His death date is not known.