How did Emperor Aurelian reunite the Roman Empire?

During the Crisis of the Third Century, Emperor Aurelian achieved an unprecedented series of military victories that restored the territorial integrity of the Roman Empire. He successfully defeated various invading tribes, reconquered the eastern Palmyrene Empire, and subdued the breakaway Gallic Empire in the west. These triumphs earned him the title Restitutor Orbis, or Restorer of the World.

What we know

• Aurelian ruled as Roman emperor from 270 to 275 during the Crisis of the Third Century. [2]
• He restored the Empire's eastern provinces by conquering the Palmyrene Empire in 273. [2]
• He conquered the breakaway Gallic Empire in the west the following year, reuniting the Roman Empire in its entirety. [2]
• Aurelian defeated the Emperor Tetricus I of the Gallic Empire at the Battle of Châlons in 273 or 274. [5]

Still open

• Sources vary slightly on the exact year of the Battle of Châlons, placing it in either 273 or 274.

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat caused the Crisis of the Third Century?
• what followedHow did the Aurelian Walls protect Rome?
• how it workedHow was the Palmyrene Empire conquered?
• whoWho was Emperor Tetricus I?
• the bigger pictureHow did the Western and Eastern Roman Empires split later?
• an unexpected connectionHow do Roman coins connect to ancient China?While Aurelian was fighting to reunite the fractured Roman Empire, indirect trade routes like the Silk Road were carrying Roman coins and glass all the way to distant Asian territories.

Sources

• [1]Aurelian (Wikidata Q46780) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Aurelian · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Western Roman Empire · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Sino-Roman relations · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Battle of Châlons (274) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

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2. /What is the economic philosophy of Christian socialism?
3. /How did Emperor Aurelian reunite the Roman Empire?