ALTHOUGH we have already indicated the fate of Aurelian, we have not yet referred to the woman who shared his Imperial title and his great renown¹. Her personality is, in fact, entirely² unknown; even her name is preserved for us only on the coinage. We may fairly conjecture³ that she disliked the plebeian⁴ ways of her husband, and discharged the duties of a consort⁵ without enthusiasm. Daughter of a wealthy and prominent noble, Ulpius Crinitus, she had conferred a useful distinction on the ambitious peasant at a time when he was making his way in the Imperial service, and it is conjectured⁶, on somewhat slender grounds, that she accompanied him on his campaigns. But his life at the palace was short and inglorious. He disliked its pomp and luxury, and found his chief delight in pitting his comedians⁷ against each other in eating-contests. He pampered⁸ the common citizens by increasing their free ration⁹ of bread, and adding pork to it. When he went on to meditate¹⁰ a free distribution of wine, one of his ministers sarcastically¹¹ suggested that he might add geese and chickens. When the Empress, Ulpia Severina, thought it fitting that she should wear silk mantles¹³, her husband forbade her to indulge in that rare and

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