Dovahhatty – Unbiased History of Rome XVII: Imperial Wrath

(10) NEPOTIANUS –

USURPER: CONSTANTINIAN (ITALY)

(350 AD: 27 DAYS)

Technically a usurper but like Vetranio in my honorable mentions, he was effectively a counter-usurper, usurping another usurper – indeed in the very same year, 350 AD, against the very same usurper, Magnentius, who had usurped the Constantinian dynasty in the western empire, usurping Constans as western emperor, and facing off the eastern emperor and older brother of Constans, Constantius II. Yes – I know that’s a lot of usurping in that last sentence, but that pretty much sums up the Roman empire at times.

Unlike Vetranio, who did his usurping at the request of Constantine’s daughter – the sister of Constans and Constantius II – to protect her family (and hold the line for Constantius), Nepotianus actually was part of the family in the Constantinian dynasty, being the son of Constantine’s half-sister.

Where Vetranio effectively blocked Magentius from moving eastwards into Illyria, Nepotianus tried to block Magnetius from Rome itself – which is where he asserted his imperial claim for 27 days until Magnentius sent a trusted military subordinate to Rome to crush the revolt, literally parading Nepotianus’ head on a stick (well, lance) around the city after defeating and killing him.

What stops me from ranking Nepotianus similarly to Vetranio as a good usurper for honorable mention is just how brief and ineffectual his attempt to usurp the throne in Rome was – and that unlike Vetranio, Nepotianus’ attempt may have been a genuine bid for the imperial throne, which would make it even more pathetic, not least in that it saw him get killed rather than retire peacefully as Vetranio did.

On the other hand, he gets bonus points – and higher numerical ranking than other dishonorable mentions so far – for doing it by literal gladiatorial coup. I have to admire his sheer ballsiness in that he didn’t even have any soldiers for his attempt, but instead entered Rome with a band of gladiators. Gladiators! And pulled it off enough that Rome’s prefect and loyal supporter of Magnentius had to flee the city. This is what the Gladiator sequel film should have featured!

DID DOVAHHATTY DO RIGHT?

I feel Dovahhatty short-changed Nepotianus by not featuring him in full but only as an icon on the map – a wojak face. Still, I like the humor of his mother pleading with him against his coup attempt, as she was killed after it as well.

RATING: 2 STARS**

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