Ingenuus

This article is about the Roman commander named Ingenuus. For the Roman legal term for a freeborn man, see ingenui.

Ingenuus was a Roman military commander who held a senior military command in Pannonia. He had been charged with the military education of Caesar Cornelius Licinius Valerianus, the young son of Emperor Gallienus, but after the boy's death in 258, his position became perilous.

Ingenuus saw a chance to become the Roman Emperor when Valerian was captured and killed by Shapur I of the Sassanid Empire, so he revolted against Gallienus, and proclaimed himself Roman Emperor c. 260 (according to some sources in 258), after the death of Emperor Valerian and was declared by Gallienus (d. 260) a Roman usurper.

Gallienus acted quickly by recalling troops from Gaul and after a rapid march he met Ingenuus on the battlefield at Mursa. The troops of Ingenuus were defeated, as Gallienus' general, Aureolus, adequately used the advantage given by the mobility of an improved cavalry component of the army, which was the remarkable military innovation wanted by the emperor.

Ingenuus was killed in battle, or took his own life to avoid capture.

References

• Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
• Leadbetter, William, "Ingenuus (260 A.D.)", De Imperatoribus Romanis, 1998