Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus (died April 270) was a Roman emperor.
He was a brother of Emperor Claudius Gothicus, whom he succeeded after Claudius' death in 270.
Quintillus' claim to be emperor was challenged by Aurelian, who was proclaimed emperor by the legions he commanded.
Quintillus' reign lasted no more than six months – some sources report that it was as short as 17 days – before he died.
Different sources report his cause of death as murder by his own soldiers, in battle with Aurelian, or by suicide.
Early life
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus' exact birthplace is unknown.
An Illyrian, he was likely born in Pannonia Inferior, as is indicated by his coinage.
Originating from a low-born family, Quintillus came to prominence with the accession of his brother Claudius Gothicus to the imperial throne in 268.
Quintillus was possibly made Procurator of Sardinia during his brother's reign.
Reign of Quintillus
Quintillus was declared emperor either by the Senate or by his brother's soldiers upon the latter's death in 270.
Eutropius reports Quintillus to have been elected by soldiers of the Roman army immediately following the death of his brother;Eutropius IX:12 the choice was reportedly approved by the Roman Senate.
Joannes Zonaras reports him elected by the Senate itself.Zonaras, 12:26  Records, however, agree that the legions which had followed Claudius in campaigning along the Danube were either unaware or disapproving of Quintillus' elevation.
They instead elevated their current leader Aurelian as emperor.Gibbon, Ch.
11
The few records of Quintillus' reign are contradictory.
They disagree on the length of his reign, variously reported to have lasted as few as 17 days and as many as 177 days (about six months).Southern, pg.
110  Records also disagree on the cause of his death.
Historia Augusta reports him murdered by his own soldiers in reaction to his strict  military discipline.Historia Augusta, Claudius, 12:5  Jerome reports him killed, presumably in conflict with Aurelian.Jerome, Chronica s.a. 271 John of Antioch and Joannes Zonaras reported Quintillus to have committed suicide by opening his veins and bleeding himself to death; John reports the suicide to have been assisted by a physician.John of Antioch, fr. 154 FHG IV, p. 599 Claudius Salmasius noted that Dexippus recorded the death without stating causes.Historia Augusta, Claudius, 12:6 All records however agree in placing the death at Aquileia.
Quintillus was reportedly survived by his two sons.Historia Augusta, Claudius, 13:9
The Historia Augusta reports Claudius and Quintillus having another brother named Crispus and through him a niece, Claudia, who reportedly married Eutropius and was mother to Constantius Chlorus.Historia Augusta, Claudius, 13:1 Some historians however suspect this account to be a genealogical fabrication to flatter Constantine I.Banchich, www.roman-emperors.org/quintil.htm Legacy
His reign was very short and he never managed to visit Rome as Emperor.
Surviving Roman records considered Quintillus a moderate and capable Emperor.See Eutropius, IX:12  He was seen as a champion of the Senate and thus compared to previous Emperors Galba and Pertinax.
All three were highly regarded by Senatorial sources despite their failure to survive a full year of reign.
In his reign the priestly offices held by the Emperor were separated and the image of the emperor as the highest priest was abandoned.
See also
List of Roman emperors
References
Sources
Primary sources
Aurelius Victor, Epitome de Caesaribus
Eutropius, Breviarium ab urbe condita
Historia Augusta, Life of Claudius
Joannes Zonaras, Compendium of History extract: Zonaras: Alexander Severus to Diocletian: 222–284
Zosimus, Historia Nova
Secondary sources
Banchich, Thomas, "Quintillus (270 A.D)", De Imperatoribus Romanis
Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I: AD260-395, Cambridge University Press, 1971
Southern, Pat.
The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine, Routledge, 2001
