The event of the Frankish piracy occurred around 280 A.D., under the reign of Probus, has been described as an act of incredibilis audacia (Panegyric on Constantius Chlorus) that “shocked the whole Greece” (Zosimus). As reveals the depth analysis of some passages of the Historia Augusta and of archaeological sources too, it was not a “shocking” fact, but one of the many riots burst in strategic areas of the Empire, such as Danube or Asia Minor (here piracy coexisted and cooperated with brigandage), and against which the Emperor, in person or through his generals, had to fight: taking advantage of the climate of insecurity, some of the Franks, allocated by Probus himself on the Black Sea, seized the naves (probably actuariae) and “turned” into pirates. Even if the coins issued during his reign define Probus restitutor orbis, the Illyrian emperor can be described rather as pacator orbis, adaptable leader who continuously fought against the numerous phenomena of disintegration of the enormous imperial structure.
L’episodio della pirateria franca verificatosi intorno al 280 d.C., durante il regno di Probo, è descritto come un gesto di incredibilis audacia (Panegirico per Costanzo Cloro) che “sconvolse tutta quanta la Grecia” (Zosimo). Come rivela invece l’analisi approfondita di alcuni passi della Historia Augusta e anche delle fonti archeologiche, non si trattò di un fatto “inaudito”, ma di una delle tante rivolte scoppiate in aree strategiche dell’Impero, come il Danubio o l’Asia Minore (qui la pirateria coesisteva e cooperava col brigantaggio), e contro le quali l’imperatore, in prima persona o attraverso i propri generali, dovette mettere in campo un’imponente controffensiva: così, approfittando del clima d’insicurezza, alcuni dei Franchi, stanziati dallo stesso Probo sul Mar Nero, si impadronirono di naves (verosimilmente actuariae) “trasformandosi” in pirati. Anche se i nominali emessi durante il suo regno lo definiscono restitutor orbis, all’imperatore illirico sembra tuttavia più confacente il ruolo di pacator orbis, adattabile leader costretto a rintuzzare continuamente i molteplici fenomeni di disgregazione dell’immensa compagine imperiale.
Sul mare e in terraferma. L’Impero “sotto scacco” e il pacator Probo
ARENA, Gaetano Maria
2018-01-01
Abstract
The event of the Frankish piracy occurred around 280 A.D., under the reign of Probus, has been described as an act of incredibilis audacia (Panegyric on Constantius Chlorus) that “shocked the whole Greece” (Zosimus). As reveals the depth analysis of some passages of the Historia Augusta and of archaeological sources too, it was not a “shocking” fact, but one of the many riots burst in strategic areas of the Empire, such as Danube or Asia Minor (here piracy coexisted and cooperated with brigandage), and against which the Emperor, in person or through his generals, had to fight: taking advantage of the climate of insecurity, some of the Franks, allocated by Probus himself on the Black Sea, seized the naves (probably actuariae) and “turned” into pirates. Even if the coins issued during his reign define Probus restitutor orbis, the Illyrian emperor can be described rather as pacator orbis, adaptable leader who continuously fought against the numerous phenomena of disintegration of the enormous imperial structure.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.