Publius Licinius Valerianus, 253 - 260

Valerian was ordered by the emperor Gallus to put down the rebellion of Aemilian. Gallus was, however, killed by his own troops. When the soldiers of Aemilian heard that Valerian was advancing on them, they killed their own emperor and proclaimed Valerian emperor. Valerian immediately appointed his son, Gallienus, as co-Augustus and together they faced many incursions across the empire's borders. In 260, whilst undertaking an otherwise successful campaign against the Persians in Mesopotamia, Valerian was captured and lived the rest of his life (length unknown) in captivity. The Persian king, it is said, used the Emperor of the Romans as a footstool. When he died, he was skinned and stuffed.