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{{hatnote|This article is about the Roman usurper. For the saint, see [[Saint Jovinus]]. For the Frankish duke, see [[Jovinus of Provence]]. For the 4th century Roman consul, see [[Jovinus (consul)]].}}
{{No footnotes|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox Roman emperor
| name            =Jovinus
| full name       =Jovinus
| title           =[[Roman usurper|Usurper]] of the [[Western Roman Empire]]
| image= Siliqua Jovinus-RSC 0004.jpg
| caption         =[[Siliqua]] of Jovinus celebrating the "victories of the emperor"
| reign           =411–412 (alone); <br>412–413 (co-emperor with [[Sebastianus]])
| predecessor     =[[Constantine III (Western Roman emperor)|Constantine III]]
| successor       =[[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]]
|birth_place=[[Roman Gaul|Gaul]]
|death_date=413
|death_place=[[Narbonne]]
||regnal name=Imperator Caesar Jovinus Augustus}}

'''Jovinus''' was a [[Gallo-Roman]] [[Roman Senate|senator]] and claimed to be [[Roman Emperor]] (411–413 AD).

Following the defeat of the [[Roman usurper|usurper]] known as [[Constantine III (Western Roman emperor)|Constantine III]], Jovinus was proclaimed emperor at [[Mainz]] in 411, a puppet supported by [[Gundahar]], king of the [[Burgundians]], and [[Goar]], king of the [[Alans]]. Jovinus kept his position in Gaul for two years, long enough to issue coinage that showed him wearing the imperial [[diadem]]. He was supported by a number of local Gallo-Roman nobles who had survived Constantine's defeat.

Under the pretext of Jovinus' imperial authority, Gundahar and his Burgundians established themselves on the left bank of the Rhine (the Roman side) between the river [[Lauter (Rhine)|Lauter]] and the [[Nahe (Rhine)|Nahe]]. Here they founded a kingdom with the old Romanized Gaulish settlement of Borbetomagus ([[Worms, Germany|Worms]]) as its capital.

Jovinus' end came after the [[Visigoths]] under [[Ataulf]] left Italy (at [[Priscus Attalus]]' advice), ostensibly to join him, carrying with them as hostages the ex-emperor Attalus and [[Galla Placidia]], Honorius' half-sister. Then Ataulf attacked and killed [[Sarus (Goth)|Sarus]], who had also come to support Jovinus. Jovinus, offended at this act, then failed to consult Ataulf when he elevated his brother [[Sebastianus]] as co-emperor. Insulted, Ataulf allied his Visigoths with [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]], and they defeated Jovinus' troops. Sebastianus was executed. Jovinus fled for his life, but was besieged and captured in Valentia ([[Valence, Drôme]]) and taken to Narbo ([[Narbonne]]), where [[Claudius Postumus Dardanus]], the [[praetorian prefect]] (governor) in Gaul, who had remained loyal to Honorius, had him executed. Jovinus' and Sebastianus' heads were afterwards sent to Honorius and mounted on the walls of [[Ravenna]] (before being passed on to [[Carthage]], where they were put on permanent display with the heads of [[Maximus of Hispania]] and three other usurpers).

== References==
* Ralf Scharf: ''[https://archive.today/20121208165318/http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/francia/Blatt_bsb00016297,00011.html Iovinus – Kaiser in Gallien]'', in: ''Francia'' '''20''' (1993), pp.&nbsp;1–13.
* Drinkwater, J. F., "The Usurpers Constantine III (407-411) and Jovinus (411-413)", ''Britannia'', '''29''' (1998), p.&nbsp;269-298

==External links==
*{{Commons-inline}}

{{Roman Emperors}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:413 deaths]]
[[Category:5th-century Roman usurpers]]
[[Category:5th-century murdered monarchs]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:People executed by the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Senators of the Roman Empire]]