Sebastianus (fl. 411–413), a brother of
Jovinus, was an aristocrat of southern
Gaul
Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
. After Jovinus usurped the throne of the western
Roman Emperor Honorius
Honorius (; 9 September 384 – 15 August 423) was Roman emperor from 393 to 423. He was the younger son of emperor Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla. After the death of Theodosius in 395, Honorius, under the regency of Stilicho ...
in Gaul in 411, he named Sebastianus as Augustus (co-emperor) in 412. Coins bearing Sebastianus' image were then minted at
Arles
Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...
and
Trier
Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
.
Due to broken relations between Jovinus and King
Ataulf of the
Visigoths
The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian military group unite ...
, however, Ataulf captured Sebastianus in 413 and turned him over to Dardanus, Honorius' praetorian governor in Gaul. Dardanus then executed Sebastianus and sent his head to Honorius' court at
Ravenna
Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
.
External links
De Imperatoribus Romanis: Hugh Elton, "Western Roman Emperors of the First Quarter of the Fifth Century"
5th-century Roman emperors
413 deaths
5th-century Roman usurpers
5th-century murdered monarchs
Year of birth unknown
People executed by the Roman Empire
Executed Roman emperors
{{AncientRome-bio-stub