The Titles of Roman Emperors and the Idea of Victories over the Parthians and Persians
in the Years 235–284. A Few Remarks About the Testimony of Numismatic, Epigraphic
and Papyrological Sources

Special attention was drawn in the article to the motives which made the Roman emperors in the years 235–284 assume the cognomina ex virtute associated with their real or imaginary successes in the battles with the Sassanid Empire in the East. The author drew attention to the splendor of these victories as well as to the fact that the desire of these victories was so great that no effort was spared to adopt the titles associated with them, even after the slightest political, rather than military successes; sometimes the titles were adopted quite mechanically and, as it were in anticipation, which had a definite significance from the point of view of prestige and propaganda. By adopting suitable titles, the emperors often revealed above all their own aspirations, rather than the successes which were really achieved by them. All emperors who ruled for a longer period of time and who had formed a definite program as regards their external policy, had assumed suitable titles or nicknames.

The Titles of Roman Emperors and the Idea of Victories over the Parthians and Persians
in the Years 235–284. A Few Remarks About the Testimony of Numismatic, Epigraphic
and Papyrological Sources

Special attention was drawn in the article to the motives which made the Roman emperors in the years 235–284 assume the cognomina ex virtute associated with their real or imaginary successes in the battles with the Sassanid Empire in the East. The author drew attention to the splendor of these victories as well as to the fact that the desire of these victories was so great that no effort was spared to adopt the titles associated with them, even after the slightest political, rather than military successes; sometimes the titles were adopted quite mechanically and, as it were in anticipation, which had a definite significance from the point of view of prestige and propaganda. By adopting suitable titles, the emperors often revealed above all their own aspirations, rather than the successes which were really achieved by them. All emperors who ruled for a longer period of time and who had formed a definite program as regards their external policy, had assumed suitable titles or nicknames.