Balista

Ballista († 261 ) was the praetorian prefect of the Roman Emperor Valerian, when it was captured by the Sassanids and put to death later. He then served in the same position under Macrianus Minor.

About Ballista are not many details are known. In a manuscript in the world history of Georgios Synkellos he is called Kallistos; some researchers consider this to be his real name, but this must remain uncertain. After the capture of Valerian it was Ballista managed to beat a Persian force and to relieve the besieged Pompeiopolis. Even the harem of the Persian king Shapur I. was captured by Ballista.

The confusion following Valerian's capture used in the east of the empire now a number of people out to Gallienus, who was in the West, to make the rule dispute. Ballista favored this Macrianus Maior, the annonae as procurator arcae et praepositus control of Valerian's treasury had, because of his age and his health but refrained. However, he managed to raise his two sons leave Macrianus Minor and Quietus emperors.

Quietus remained with Ballista in the east and resided in Emesa, while his brother and his father with their army marched westward to gain control of the rest of the Roman Empire. Macrianus Maior and Minor Macrianus but were defeated in Thrace by Gallienus ' general Aureolus. Macrianus and his son Macrianus Minor were killed. This means that the usurpation in the East was in fact failed. Quietus was soon afterwards killed in Emesa of the population, while Ballista could still save temporarily. After the late antique Historia Augusta Ballista was allegedly now proclaimed himself emperor, but this is not credible; the Kaiser survey of the Ballista is therefore considered by the old historical research than fiction. Ballista itself was already killed shortly thereafter by Septimius Odaenathus of Palmyra.

Swell

• Historia Augusta, Thirty Tyrants 12.1; 12.3; 12.7; 12.9; 14.1; 15.4; 18
• Historia Augusta, Gallienus 1.2; 3.2; 3.4
• Historia Augusta, Valerian 4.4
• Zonaras 12.23 to 24
• Georgios Synkellos [p 466 in the edition Moss hammer ]