Balista

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search
This article is about Roman general. For the ancient military weapon, see Ballista.

hide

• v

• t

• e
Crisis of the Third Century

Reign of Maximinus Thrax (235–238)

• Death of Alexander Severus (235)

• Usurpation of Magnus (c. 235)

• Usurpation of Quartinus (235)

Year of the Six Emperors (238)

• Gordian Revolt (238)

• Carthage (238)

• Aquileia (238)

• Reign of Pupienus and Balbinus (238)

• Invasion of the Carpi (238–239)

Reign of Gordian III (238–244)

• Sabinianus Revolt (240)

• Fall of Hatra (241)

• Resaena (243)

• Misiche (244)

Reign of Philip the Arab (244–249)

• Invasion of the Carpi (245–247)

• Secular Games of 248 (248)

• Usurpation of Sponsianus (240s)

• Usurpation of Pacatianus (248)

• Usurpation of Jotapianus (249)

• Usurpation of Silbannacus (249 or 253)

• Decius' Rebellion (249)

• Verona (249)

Reign of Decius and Herennius Etruscus (249–251)

• Plague of Cyprian (250–270)

 • Decian persecution (250–251)

• Gothic invasion of Cniva (250–251)

• Carpi invasion of Dacia (250)

• Nicopolis ad Istrum (250)

• Beroe (250)

• Philippopolis (250)

• Usurpation of Titus Julius Priscus (251)

• Abritus (251)

Reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251–253)

• Death of Hostilian (251)

• Mariades' Revolt (252)

• Nisibis (252)

• Barbalissos (253)

• Interamna Nahars (c 253)

• Death of Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus (253)

Reign of Aemilianus (253)

• Antioch (253)

• Assassination of Aemilianus (253)

Reign of Valerian and Gallienus (253–260)

• Thessalonica (254)

• Thermopylae (254)

• Dura-Europos (256)

• Gothic invasion (256–257)

• Invasion of Shapur (258)

• Invasion of the Alemanni (258–260 approx)

• Mediolanum (259)
• Scythian invasion (259–260)

• Edessa (260)

Reign of Gallienus (260–268)

• Caesarea (260)

• Usurpation of Ingenuus (260)

• Usurpation of Regalianus (260)

• Usurpation of Macrianus Major (c. 259–261)

• Gallic Empire (260–274)

• Death of Saloninus (260)
 • Roxolani Invasion of Pannonia (260)

• Campaigns of Odaenathus (260–267)

• Usurpation of Quietus (261)

• Usurpation of Balista (261)

• Usurpation of Valens Thessalonicus (261)

• Usurpation of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi (261)

• Usurpation of Macrianus Minor (261)

• Pannonian Rebellion (261)

• Usurpation of Mussius Aemilianus (261–262)

• Postumus' Campaign against the Franks (262)

• Postumus' Campaign against the Alamanni (263)

• Ctesiphon (263)

• Scythian Invasion (265–266)

• Assassination of Odaenathus (267)

• Usurpation of Maeonius (266–267)

• Scythian Invasion (267–269)

• Heruli Raids (267)

• Athens (267)

• Usurpation of Manius Acilius Aureolus (268)

Reign of Claudius II (268–270)

• Usurpation of Laelianus (269)

• Reign of Marcus Aurelius Marius (269)

• Augustodunum Haeduorum

• Naissus (268/269)

• Lake Benacus (268 or 269)

• Capture of Athens (269)

• Palmyrene Empire (270–273)

• Bostra (270)

• Palmyrene invasion of Egypt (270)

• Vandal Invasion (270)

Reign of Aurelian (270–275)

• Usurpation of Victorinus Junior (271)

• Junthungi Invasion (271)

• Domitianus II (271)

• Tetricus I & Tetricus II (271–274)

• Rebellion of Felicissimus (270s)

• Placentia (271)
 • Fano (271)

• Pavia (271)

• Tyana (272)

• Immae (272)

• Emesa (272)

• Razing of Palmyra (273)

• Usurpation of Faustinus (c. 273)

• Châlons (274)

Balista or Ballista (died c. 261), also known in the sources with the name of
"Callistus",[1] was one of the Thirty Tyrants of the controversial Historia Augusta, and
supported the rebellion of the Macriani against Emperor Gallienus.

Contents

• 1History
• 2In popular culture
• 3Notes
• 4References

History[edit]

Balista from "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum"

Balista was the praetorian prefect under Valerian. After the Persian Empire defeated
and captured that emperor in the Battle of Edessa, a body of Roman troops was
rallied by a fiscal officer, Macrianus, and Balista. Joined, in some accounts,
by Odaenathus, the Lord of Palmyra, they routed the Persian army that was
returning from the ravaging of Cilicia.[1][2] Then Macrianus proclaimed his
sons, Macrianus Minor and Quietus, as emperors.[1]
He stayed with Quietus in the East, while Macrianus and his elder son moved with
the army against the West. In the Balkans, Macrianus were routed by the
commander of Roman cavalry, Aureolus, a general loyal to Gallienus, and killed.
Then, according to some accounts, Gallienus invited Odaenathus to turn against his
former allies, Ballista and Quietus. Neither the time nor manner of Balista's death
can be ascertained with certainty, but it is believed to have happened about
November 261, and to have been contrived by Odaenathus.[3] Another suggestion is
that they were killed by their own men at Emesa.[2]

In popular culture[edit]
Balista, under the name Marcus Clodius Balista is the hero of the Warrior of Rome
Series by Harry Sidebottom.

Notes[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c D.S.Potter (2004), p.256
2. ^ Jump up to:a b D.S.Potter (2004), p.259
3. ^ J. Bray (1997), p.145

References[edit]
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in
the public domain: W. Plate (1870). "Balista". In Smith,
William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and
Mythology. Vol. I. p. 459 .
• Bray, John. Gallienus : A Study in Reformist and Sexual
Politics, Wakefield Press, Kent Town, 1997, ISBN 1-86254-
337-2
• Körner, Christian, "Usurpers in the east: The Macriani and
Ballista", s.v. "Usurpers under Gallienus", De Imperatoribus
Romanis
• Potter, David S. The Roman Empire at Bay AD 180–395,
Routledge, Oxon, 2004. ISBN 0-415-10058-5

Categories:
• Thirty Tyrants (Roman)
• Gallienus usurpers
• 261 deaths
• Praetorian prefects
• Generals of Valerian
Navigation menu
• Not logged in
• Talk
• Contributions
• Create account
• Log in
• Article
• Talk
• Read
• Edit
• View history
Search
Search Go

• Main page
 • Contents
• Current events
• Random article
• About Wikipedia
• Contact us
• Donate
Contribute
• Help
• Learn to edit
• Community portal
• Recent changes
• Upload file
Tools
• What links here
• Related changes
• Special pages
• Permanent link
• Page information
• Cite this page
• Wikidata item
Print/export
• Download as PDF
• Printable version
Languages
• Deutsch
• Español
• Français
• Bahasa Indonesia
• Italiano
• Nederlands
• 日本語
• Português
• Русский
6 more
Edit links
• This page was last edited on 19 October 2021, at 09:53 (UTC).
• Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; additional terms may apply. By
using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of
the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.