Firmus (general Moor)

Biography

Born in current the Kabylie, he is the son of a regulus Moor and Christian donatist, Nubel, brother of Gildon and Sammaque. After having assassinated this last, he revolted against Valentinien II in 370. The count Romanus condemns it and the right denies to him to defend oneself in front of the Emperor. Firmus raises all then the Maurétanie Césarienne and receives the support of many tribes like that of the donatists of the area of Rusicade, qualified Firmiani . After some successes, like the catch of Caesarea de Maurétanie, it was forced to give death in 372 or 375 after having been demolishes by Théodose Old the, father of Théodose Ier. Théodose had formed a composite, African and Gallic army, taken again in hand and had resoldered the soldiers, while associating in defense, provincial and army. These events were followed by the “gesture” of Gidlon into 397-8.

Interpretations of the revolt

On the reasons and the motivations for this revolt, we are confronted with a certain number of problems. Is it about the rebellion of a local leader who acts daN a primarily indigenous framework or of a business who has appearances of an attempt at usurpation?

From the start the question of the support Mauritanian arises. Its family is divided. Moreover, against him Firmus finds Gildon, his/her own brother. The event is registered in a more general way in a clannish quarrel. In addition, it is possible that tax aspects can give a character of more general revolt against the Roman domination.

The sources give on this point of contrasted information. Ammien presents it like a latro (brigand) used term for revolted, other sources evoke a rebellio barbarica and thus a foreign movement with the imperial claims. But the debate - usurpation or rebellion - is started again by two passages of Ammien Marcellin. Firmus received a torques (a collar) honorary mark and gratification, as a diadema , royal stringcourse and by distinguished extension imperial. In a second passage, the coat of Firmus is described as puniceus which indicates the red color whose manufactoring process had been worked out by the Phéniciens (see Pourpre of Tyr).

Firmus would have used of these attributes to legitimate its action near the soldiers Moors and of the elements of the Roman people which he wanted to stick. But one cannot distinguish here a will to seize the entirety worsens. Among the partisans of Firmus, heterogeneity reigns. It has the support of populations Moors but behind this term individuals of social origins are contrasted: indigenous tribes, elements of the army, and more complex, of the members of tribes implied in the army. But perhaps also of the traitors and the deserters, Europeans or Moors. It also profits from the support of the civil population, rural, certain townsmen, and finally the elements donatists. In short, a coalition of the whole of dissatisfied, in the context of an increasing tax pressure, from the point of view of the combat to come in Persian or against the Germanic populations.

Partial sources

Ammien Marcellin, Roman History , XXIX.

See too

External bonds

Firmus, Walter E. Roberts (Emory University)

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