AURE'LIA'NUS, Lucius DOMITIUS ( e.212 275 A.D.). One of the most powerful of the later Roman emperors. Ile was of humble origin, his father having been a husbandman. Enlisting early as a common soldier, he rapidly distin guished himself, and held the highest military offices under Valerianns and Claudius II. On the death of Claudius (A.D. 270), Aurelianus was elected Emperor by the army. He began his reign by vigorous opposition to the barbarian 'tabling: and Allemanni, whom he expel: d. Thereafter. he commenced the erection of a now line of fortified walls around Rome. which were not till the reign of Prolms (A.D. 276). Their ruins still mark the boundaries of Rome in the time of Aurelian. Finding that the Province of Dacia (now Transylvania and \Val laehia ) could not he maintained against the as saults of the Goths. he surrendered it, on cer tain conditions, and strengthened the frontier of the Roman Empire by making the Danube its boundary. He next turned his attention to the East. where the renowned Queen of Palmyra. Zenohia (q.v.), had extended her sway from Syria to Asia Minor and Egypt. Aurelianns de
feated her in two battles, and beseiged her in Palmyra, from which she attempted to escape, when she saw defiance would prove unavailing. She wqs, however: taken prisoner. Soon afterward, the city surrendered and was treated leniently. Shortly after Aurelianus had departed, a new in surrection took place. He returned in 273 and gave the splendid city up to destruction. Aurelia pus was again called to the East by a rebellion in Egypt, instigated by Firmus, a merchant of influence, whom lie speedily overthrew. In 274, Tetriens. who had held imperial power in Gaul since before the death of Gallienus, find ing himself unable to wield it, surrendered it to Aurelianus. By restoring good discipline in the army, order in domestic affairs, and political unity to the Roman dominions, Aureliarms merited the title awarded to him by the Senate, "Restorer of the Roman Empire." lie fell as the victim of a conspiracy among his officials during his campaign against the Persians (A.D. 275).