Marius Valerianus was a governor of Britannia Inferior, a province of Roman Britain between 221 and 223. He is known through three inscriptions he left at Chesters, Netherby and South Shields. These inscriptions illustrate the fact that the praetorian governor of the Lower province was responsible for the whole of the northern frontier of Roman Britain, from the North Sea to the western outpost north of Carlisle.
He may be the same man attested as a centurion in the Praetorian Guard, at some point not earlier than the reign of Septimus Severus.
Epigraphic Evidence of Marius Valerianus being Governor of Britannia Inferior
C ASTRA E XPLORATORVM (Netherby, Cumbria; RIB 978; dated: 222AD) – IMP CAES M AVRELIO SEVERO ALEXANDRO PIO FEL AVG PONT MAXIMO TRIB POT COS P P COH I AEL HISPANORVM M EQ DEVOTA NVMINI MAIESTATIQVE EIVS BASELICAM EQVESTREM EXERCITATORIVM IAM PRIDEM A SOLO COEPTAM AEDIFICAVIT CONSVMMAVITQVE SVB CVRA MARI VALERIANI LEG AVG PR PR INSTANTE AVRELIO SALVIO TRIB COH IMP D N SEVERO ALEXANDRO PIO FEL AVG COS “For Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, High Priest, holder of tribunician power, consular, Father of his Country, the First Cohort of Aelian Spaniards one-thousand strong, part-mounted, in devotion to his majestic spirit, now, as previously, the Basilica Equestris Exercitatorius was begun from its foundations, built, and completed during the administration of Marius Valerianus, the pro-praetorian legate of the emperor, in the presence of Aurelius Salvius, cohort tribune of the emperor our Lord Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, [sole] consul.”.
A RBEIA (South Shields, Tyne & Wear; RIB 1060; dated: 222AD) – IMP CAES DIVI SEVERI NEPOS DIVI MAGNI ANTONINII FIL M AVREL SEVERVS ALEXANDER PIVS FELIX AVG PONTIF MAX TRIB POT PP COS AQVAM VSIBVS MIL COH V GALL INDVXIT CVRANTE MARIO VALERIANO LEG EIVS PR PR “The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus [Alexander] Pius Felix Augustus, grandson of the deified Severus, son of the deified Antoninus the Great, Supreme Pontiff, with tribunician power, Father of his Country, Consul, brought this water supply for the use of the soldiers of the Fifth Cohort of Gauls, under the direction of Marius Valerianus, his Legate with pro-praetorian power”.
C ILVRNVM (Chesters, Northumberland; RIB 1465; dated: 30th October 221AD) – IMP CAESAR M AVREL ANTONINVS P F AVG [SACERDOS AMPLISS DEI INVICTI SOLIS ELEGABALI P M] TRIB P IIII COS III P P DIVI ANTON F DIVI SEVER NEP ET M AVREL ALEXANDER NOBILISS CAESAR IMPERI ET SACERDOTI CONSORS ALAE II ASTVR [ANTON] VETSVTATE DILAPSVM RESTITVERVNT PER MARIVM VALERIANVM LEG AVGG PR PR INSTANTE SEPTIMIO NILO PRAEF EQVITVM DEDICATVM III KAL NOVEM GRATO ET SELEVCO COS “The emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus, most glorious priest of the Unconquered Sun-god Elagabalus, High Priest, in the fourth year of his holding Tribunician Power, three times Consul, Father of his Country, son of the deified Antoninus, grandson of the deified Severus, and Marcus Aurelius Alexander, most noble Caesar, his partner in empire, … restored (this building) which had collapsed through age for the Second Wing of Asturians, Antoninus’ own, through the agency of Marius Valerianus, Pro-Praetorian Legate of the Augusti under the supervision of the Prefect of Cavalry, Septimius Nilus. Dedicated on the thirtieth day of October in the consulship of Gratus and Seleucus”.