Herennius Etruscus

Reece Period attributed: Period 12

Member of the Third Century Emperors dynasty.

Coins for this issuer were issued from 250 until 251.

Herennius Etruscus was the elder son of Decius. He became Caesar in 250 and Augustus in 251, but perished with his father in the battle against the Goths.

Latest examples recorded with images

We have recorded 7 examples.

Other resources about Herennius Etruscus

• Dbpedia: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Herennius_Etruscus
• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herennius_Etruscus

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Herennius Etruscus.

Information from Wikipedia

• Preferred label: Herennius Etruscus
• Full names:
  • Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius (from birth to accession)
  • Herennius Etruscus
  • Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius Augustus (as emperor)
• Title: Consul of the Roman Empire
• Predecessor: Philip the Arab
• Successor: Hostilian, Trebonianus Gallus
• Definition: Herennius Etruscus (Latin: Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius Augustus; ca. 227 – June 251), was Roman emperor in 251, in a joint rule with his father Decius. Emperor Hostilian was his younger brother. Herennius was born in or near Sirmium in Pannonia (now Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia), during one of his father's military postings. His mother was Herennia Cupressenia Etruscilla, a Roman lady of an important senatorial family. Herennius was very close to his father and accompanied him in 248, as a military tribune, when Decius was appointed by Philip the Arab to deal with the revolt of Pacatianus in the Danube frontier. Decius was successful in defeating this usurper and felt confident to begin a rebellion of his own in the following year. Acclaimed emperor by his own troops, Decius marched into Italy and defeated Philip near modern Verona. In Rome, Herennius was declared heir to the throne and received the title of princeps iuventutis (prince of youth). From the beginning of Herennius' accession, Gothic tribes raided across the Danube frontier and the provinces of Moesia and Dacia. At the beginning of 251, Decius elevated Herennius to the title of Augustus making him his co-emperor. Moreover, Herennius was chosen to be one of the year's consuls. The father and son, now joint rulers, then embarked in an expedition against king Cniva of the Goths to punish the invaders for the raids. Hostilian remained in Rome and the empress Herennia Etruscilla was named regent. Cniva and his men were returning to their lands with the booty, when the Roman army encountered them. Showing a very sophisticated military tactic, Cniva divided his army in smaller, more manageable groups and started to push back the Romans into a marshy swamp. Sometime during the first two weeks of June, both armies engaged in the battle of Abrittus. Herennius died in battle, struck by an enemy arrow. Decius survived the initial confrontation, only to be slain with the rest of the army before the end of the day. Herennius and Decius were the first two emperors to be killed by a foreign army in battle. With the news of the death of the emperors, the army proclaimed Trebonianus Gallus emperor, but in Rome they were succeeded by Hostilian, who would die shortly afterwards in an outbreak of plague.
• Parents:
  • Father:
  • Mother: Herennia Etruscilla
• Birth place:
• Death place:
• Spouse:
• Other title(s):
  • Consul of the Roman Empire
  • List of Roman Emperors
• Came After:
• Came before:
• Subjects on wikipedia:
  • 227 births
  • Deaths by arrow wounds
  • 3rd-century Roman emperors
  • 251 deaths
  • Imperial Roman consuls
  • Deified Roman emperors
  • Herennii
  • Crisis of the Third Century
  • Messii
  • Roman emperors killed in battle