2 – The Death of Emperor Valerian
Valerian was the Emperor of Rome from 253-260 AD who suffered the indignity of being captured by his enemies. When the Romans were defeated by the Sassanids at the Battle of Edessa in 260 AD, Valerian was captured and held prisoner. If he thought things were bad, the nightmare was only beginning as the former emperor was subjected to the ultimate humiliation during his period in captivity.
The Sassanid leader, Shapur I, reputedly used Valerian as a footstool to help him mount his horse. It is not known how long the ex-emperor suffered this treatment but eventually, he offered his captor a huge ransom in exchange for his freedom. There are differing accounts as to what happened next and indeed, the date of Valerian’s death. Some sources suggest he was executed soon after Edessa while others assert that he lived until 264 AD.
In one version of the story, Shapur used Valerian as his personal slave and would parade him in front of his army; the Roman was shackled hand and foot and treated like an animal. When Valerian offered money for his freedom, Shapur mocked the measly offering and poured molten gold down his enemy’s throat. Shapur then had the former Roman Emperor skinned and stuffed with straw with his dead body placed on display in a Persian temple.
The entire story of Valerian’s demise was written by Lactantius, and it is possible that he embellished or even lied about what happened. Perhaps the Romans used the story as propaganda to depict the Persians as savages. Modern historians dispute Lactantius’ version of events, and some suggest that Valerian was treated well by his captors and was allowed to live in a small Persian city for the rest of his life.