Valens Thessalonicus

Valens Thessalonicus († probably 261) was 261 Roman Gegenkaiser and is not to be confused with Valens, brother and co-emperor Valentinian I.

Valens Thessalonicus was governor of the province of Achaea in modern Greece. Maybe he was also responsible for the province of Macedonia. During the usurpation of Macriani he was the rightful Emperor Gallienus loyal. Therefore Macrianus Maior commissioned Piso, who a little later himself emperor proclaimed himself to fight Valens. The soldiers of Valens met this threat by also brought this to the emperor. Piso was soon killed by the troops of Valens, which, however, eventually turned against their commanders. So this was probably 261 death.

The events surrounding Valens Thessalonicus and Piso remain unclear and the only detailed source, the Historia Augusta is contradictory and is generally considered unreliable. May refer to the Res Gestae of Ammianus Marcellinus in works of other authors suggest that this Valens Thessalonicus also treated, for the books in question, however, are lost.