Publius Valerius Comazon
Publius Valerius Comazon ( † after 222) was a Roman praetorian prefect.
Comazon was originally mime and dancer. Later his cognomen Comazon should refer. Under Emperor Commodus, he served as a soldier in the province of Thrace. There he was demoted from the provincial governor Tiberius Claudius Attalus Paterculianus of an offense to the fleet. Later, however, he could make a military career. In the year 218 he commanded a legion Legio II Parthica prefect, who was then temporarily stationed in Apamea in Syria.
At that time reigned Emperor Macrinus, who had 217 organized the assassination of his predecessor, Caracalla, and thus the Severan dynasty time being disempowered. In the army Macrinus was however unpopular, and Julia Maesa, a native of Syria aunt Caracalla campaigned against him. She was living in her hometown of Emesa and tried from there her grandson Elagabalus to gain the imperial dignity. First, their partisans were Legio III Gallica move in May 218, stationed nearby to revolt; the first fourteen years of Elagabalus was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers. Later, the commander of Comazon Legion joined the uprising. The change of front Comazons and his troops was one of the main factors for the success of the survey. Soon after Macrinus was defeated in June 218, whereupon the Roman Empire Elagabalus could assume power.
Comazons key role in the uprising Elagabal gave him a steep climb. Although he had never been procurator, the young emperor appointed him praetorian prefect and awarded him the honorary ornamenta Consularia ( rank insignia of a Konsulars ). Now Comazon could take revenge on Claudius Attalus for the once suffered punishment by induced the emperor to put to death the former governor of Thrace.
Comazon was included in the Senate. In the year 220 he was full consul together with Elagabalus. Repeats the most prestigious office of city prefect, he was assigned.
As was the hated in many circles Elagabalus in March 222 overthrown and murdered by followers of his cousin Alexander Severus, the fury of his opponents discharged even against well-known representatives of the old regime. However Comazon survived the overthrow of healing and could even under the new Emperor Alexander Severus again assume the office of city prefect. It can be concluded that he was in turn replaced in good time to the camp of the future winner. About his fate is unknown.
The historian Cassius Dio, who detested Elagabalus and its surroundings, stressed that Comazon have possessed no qualifications for the offices he became.