Lucius Domitius Domitianus or, rarely, Domitian III, was a

Roman usurper Roman usurpers were individuals or groups of individuals who obtained or tried to obtain power by force and without legitimate legal authority. Usurpation was endemic during the Roman imperial era, especially from the crisis of the third century ...

against

Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...

, who seized power for a short time in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

History

Nothing is known of the background and family of Domitianus. He may have served as prefect of Egypt before he proclaimed himself emperor, though no known document makes his previous position clear. Domitianus revolted against Diocletian in 297 AD; it is possible that the rebellion was sparked by a new tax edict, but this is uncertain. Numismatic and papyrological evidence support Domitianus' claim to the purple. Domitianus died in December of the same year, when Diocletian went to Aegyptus to quell with the revolt. Domitianus' ''

corrector A corrector (English plural ''correctors'', Latin plural ''correctores'') is a person or object practicing correction, usually by removing or rectifying errors. The word is originally a Roman title, ''corrector'', derived from the Latin verb ''c ...

'',

Aurelius Achilleus Aurelius Achilleus ( 297–298 AD) was a rebel against the Roman emperor Diocletian in Egypt in 297 AD. All literary sources name Achilleus as an imperial pretender and the leader of the rebellion, but numismatic and papyrological evidence attrib ...

, who was responsible for the defense of

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

, appears to have succeeded to Domitianus' claim to the empire; in fact, it was only in March 298 that Diocletian succeeded in re-conquering the city.

References

Sources

DiMaio, Michael, "L. Domitius Domitianus and Aurelius Achilleus (ca.296/297-ca.297/298)", ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Domitianus, Domitius 297 deaths 3rd-century Roman usurpers 3rd-century Egyptian people Domitii Tetrarchy Year of birth unknown