The Illyrian emperors () were a group of Roman emperors during the Crisis of the Third Century who hailed from the region of Illyria (, in the Western Balkans),Stanislav Doležal, The Reign of Constantine, 306–337. Continuity and Change in the Late Roman Empire. Palgrave Macmillan Cham, 2022; pp. 2–3: "In a sense, this book is dedicated to the "Illyrian Emperors", i.e. those emperors who were born in the Western Balkans and saved, stabilised, and reformed the empire. This line begins with Claudius II (268— 270) and then moves on to Quintillus (270), Aurelian (270—275), and Probus (276—282).3 After a brief interruption by the reigns of Carus and his two sons (282—284), whose birthplace we do not know, the Illyr-ians continued their run with Diocletian (284—305) and three of his colleagues: Maximian (285—305), Constantius (293—306), and Galerius (293—311). A 4th-century historian said of them: "Illyricum was actually the native land of all of them: so although they were deficient in culture, they had nevertheless been sufficiently schooled by the hardships of the countryside and of military service to be the best men for the state". 4 This is not the end of the Illyrian Emperors: Severus (305—307), Maximinus Daia (305—313), Licinius (308—324), and Constantine himself (306—337) can also be counted among them." and were raised chiefly from the ranks of the Roman army (whence they are ranked among the so-called "barracks emperors").The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes, 1996, pp. 261–263 In the empire the Illyrian generals had established a powerful military caste.
In the 3rd and 4th centuries, the Illyricum, which included the provinces on the Lower Danube (Dacia, Raetia, Pannonia, Moesia), held the largest concentration of Roman forces (12 legions, up to a third of the total army), and were a major recruiting ground. The advance of these low-born provincials was facilitated by a major shift in imperial policy from the time of Gallienus (253–268) on, when higher military appointments ceased to be exclusively filled by senators. Instead, professional soldiers of humble origin who had risen through the ranks to the post of primus pilus (which also entailed admission to the equestrian order) were placed as heads of the legions and filled the army's command structure.
Decius was born in Illyricum, but he hailed from a senatorial background, for this reason the historical period of the Illyrian emperors proper begins with Claudius Gothicus in 268 and continues in 284 with the rise of Diocletian and the institution of the Tetrarchy.The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes, 1996, p. 262-264 This period was very important in the history of the Empire, since it represents the recovery from the Crisis of the Third Century, a long period of usurpations and military difficulties.
The later Valentinians (AD 364–392 and 425–455) also hailed from the Pannonia region.
List The following emperors are counted as Illyriciani:
Claudius II, ruled AD 268–270 Quintillus, ruled AD 270 Aurelian, ruled AD 270–275 Probus, ruled AD 276–282 Diocletian, ruled AD 284–305 Maximian, ruled AD 286–305 Constantius I, ruled AD 305–306 Severus II, ruled AD 306–307 Constantine I, ruled AD 306–337 Constantius II, ruled AD 337–361 Jovian, ruled AD 363–364 Valentinian I, ruled AD 364–375 Valens, ruled AD 364–378 Gratian, ruled AD 375–383 Valentinian II, ruled AD 375–392 Constantius III, ruled AD 421 Valentinian III, ruled AD 425–455 Anastasius I, ruled AD 491–518 Justin I, ruled AD 518–527 Justinian I, ruled AD 527–565
See also List of Roman emperors for more details.
See also Thraco-Roman Illyro-Roman
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