Julius Saturninus

Julius Saturninus († 281) was a Roman usurper in the 3rd century. His life story is largely based on his Life in Late Antiquity (and often notoriously unreliable ) Historia Augusta, so the following presentation is to be treated with caution.

The Vita in the Historia Augusta to Gaul he was born; according to Zosimus (1.66 ) it should be, however, been Maure. Emperor Probus appointed him (probably ) 279 to the governor of the province of Syria, which probably raised him in the year 281 his own troops to the emperor. Before Probus could react to the threat, Saturninus, who had allegedly resorted reluctant to purple, had been assassinated by his own troops.