Lydius (rebel)

Lydius († 279 in Kremna ) was an Isaurian rebel who rose against the Roman emperor Probus .

As the historian Zosimos reports, in 278 the “robber” Lydius led an armed uprising that extended to the entire province of Lycia and Pamphylia . Probus sent a force, possibly the Legio II Parthica , into the unrest region, which forced the rebels to retreat to the heavily fortified Kremna in Pisidia . Despite an extensive siege , the Romans allegedly could only take the city through treason. Lydius was fatally hit by an arrow shot by a defector, whereupon his followers surrendered.

In the Vita Probi of the Late Antique Historia Augusta , a "powerful bandit" (potentissimus latro) named Palfuerius is mentioned, who also appeared in Isauria and was only eliminated around 280 by a large-scale military "pacification operation". Whether Lydius and Palfuerius are one and the same person is disputed in research, as is the question of whether the Isaurian rebels pursued political goals that went beyond mere banditry. In order to prevent future surveys, Probus is said to have built forts and settled " veterans ".

swell

Historia Augusta , Probus , 16 .
Zosimos , New History 1, 69-70 .

literature

Karl field: barbarian citizens. The Isaurians and the Roman Empire (= Millennium Studies on Culture and History of the First Millennium AD . Vol. 8). De Gruyter, Berlin et al. 2005, ISBN 3-11-018899-6 (also: Berlin, Freie Universität, dissertation, 2004), pp. 128-137 and 191 ( limited preview in Google book search).
Thomas Grünewald : Bandits in the Roman Empire: Myth and Reality. Routledge, London 2004, ISBN 0-415-32744-X , pp. 86-89 ( limited preview in Google book search).
Gerald Kreucher: The emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus and his time (= Historia individual writings. Vol. 174). Steiner, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-515-08382-0 , pp. 150–155 ( limited preview in the Google book search).
Stephen Mitchell: Cremna in Pisidia. An ancient city in peace and war. Duckworth, London 1995, ISBN 0-7156-2696-5 .

Remarks

↑ Zosimos' detailed report on the siege of Kremna was confirmed by research by the British archaeologist Stephen Mitchell in the years 1985-1987.
↑ The derogatory term latro became synonymous with usurper during the imperial crisis of the 3rd century , similar to tyrannus in late antiquity ; see. Grünewald, Bandits , pp. 80-86.

↑ In favor of an identity, e.g. B. Feld, Barbarische Bürger , p. 128, while z. B. Grünewald, Bandits , p. 88 f. is based on two different figures; undecided Kreucher, Der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius Probus , p. 151.

personal data
SURNAME	Lydius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Palfuerius (?)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Isaurian rebel
DATE OF BIRTH	3rd century
DATE OF DEATH	279
Place of death	Kremna

[1] Zosimos' detailed report on the siege of Kremna was confirmed by research by the British archaeologist Stephen Mitchell in the years 1985-1987.

[2] The derogatory term latro became synonymous with usurper during the imperial crisis of the 3rd century , similar to tyrannus in late antiquity ; see. Grünewald, Bandits , pp. 80-86.

[3] In favor of an identity, e.g. B. Feld, Barbarische Bürger , p. 128, while z. B. Grünewald, Bandits , p. 88 f. is based on two different figures; undecided Kreucher, Der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius Probus , p. 151.