Chapters
| Names | Gaius Messius Decius |
|---|---|
| Ruled as | Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Decius Traianus Augustus |
| Reign | September 249 – June 251 CE |
| Born | c. 200 CE |
| Died | June 251 CE |
Gaius Messius Decius was born around 200 CE and reigned as Roman Emperor from September 249 to June 251 CE. He ruled until his death as Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Decius Traianus Augustus. He came from a wealthy Roman family residing near Sirmium in Illyria, thus becoming the first Illyrian emperor in Roman history.
Raise to power
He was raised in an environment deeply attached to ancient Roman traditions. Gradually, he climbed the ladder of his career. He served in the Roman Senate and governed the province several times, most likely Lower Moesia and Tarraconensis in Spain. His wife, Etruscilla, came from a wealthy family with ancient Etruscan traditions. With her, he had two sons: the elder Herennius and the younger Hostilian. He rose to prominence in Roman politics in 248 CE when Emperor Philip the Arab sought help from senators amid numerous usurpations. Decius was tasked with reassuring the emperor and dissuading him from abdicating. As a reward, he likely received command over the legions along the Danube. His mission was to defeat the invading Goths and address the rebels who supported the usurper Claudius Pacatianus. He proved highly effective, earning great respect from soldiers, who allegedly proclaimed him emperor against his will.
When he became a usurper, he corresponded with Emperor Philip, promising to abdicate the imperial title upon arriving in Rome, in exchange for a guarantee of safety. Philip the Arab refused and blocked the path of Decius’s advancing army. In September 249 CE, the Battle of Verona took place, where Philip lost his life. After the defeat of the legitimate emperor, the Praetorian Guard murdered his twelve-year-old son, Philip II (who held the title of Augustus). Decius’s authority was immediately legitimised by the Senate.
Soon after beginning his rule, Decius adopted the cognomen Traianus for propagandistic purposes, inspired by the history of Rome at the end of the 1st century CE, when the great and victorious Trajan returned to Rome from the Danube regions—much like Decius later did. This was also a programmatic declaration, signalling his hope for good cooperation with the Roman Senate, akin to Trajan’s era.
Persecutions
In 249 CE, Decius arrived in Rome, where the atmosphere was positive due to several favorable events. First, traditional games and gifts were distributed upon the ruler’s arrival in the capital. Herennius and Hostilian (the emperor’s sons) were elevated to the rank of Caesars. One of the eastern usurpers, Marcus Iotapianus, was defeated. Despite minor unrest in Gaul, the situation was very favorable, and it was even decided to discharge some veteran soldiers.
In these circumstances, Decius turned his attention to internal affairs, targeting Christianity. He saw the strong independence of Christian communities from Roman authorities. Christian sources suggest that Decius initiated persecutions to emphasize his opposition to the policies of his predecessor, Philip (who was even rumored to be the first Christian emperor).
At the turn of 249 and 250 CE, an imperial edict was issued, ordering citizens to demonstrate their faith in traditional deities and loyalty to state authorities by making sacrifices. This obligation did not apply to Jews, as Roman belief held that religious duties should be performed according to ancestral traditions. Thus, while Jews had long functioned in harmony with this belief, Christians—often converts from traditional Roman cults—were seen as a major threat to Pax Deorum. Notably, although Decius’s edict clearly aimed to destroy Christianity, it did not explicitly mention Christians. Sacrifices were to be made under the supervision of specially appointed commissions.
To the Commission selected to oversee the sacrifice. From Aurelia Ammonous, daughter of Mystus, from the district of Moeris, priestess of the god Petesuchos, the great, powerful, and immortal, and priestess of the gods in the district of Moeris.