Lucius Julius Vehilius Gratus Julianus

Lucius Julius Vehilius Gratus Julianus was a soldier and an eques who held a number of military and civilian appointments during the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus.

Julianus began his military career as prefect or commander of cohort III Augusta Thracum which was stationed in Syria; Karol Kłodziński dates his tenure there between 157 and 160.

Once Rufus had assumed his duties, Marcus Aurelius with his imperial colleague Lucius Verus left Rome for the Danubian provinces, making his base at Carnuntum, headquarters of Legio XIV Gemina, and set about organizing a new command, the praetentura Italiae et Alpium ("the Italian and Alpine front");[5] the role of Julius Julianus was to be commander of the ala Tampiana, stationed in Noricum, securing the left of Marcus Aurelius.

We lack the details of this campaign, which Valerie Maxfield dates to 170, but we know that for his actions he received his second award of military honors from both Marcus and his son Commodus.

[7] The Rome inscription mentions a fourth commission Julianus received, to lead yet another vexillatio combined with the Black Sea fleet against an unnamed enemy.

[9] Although Ulpius Marcellus is given credit for suppressing this invasion and bringing order to the province, he could not manage it alone and gladly accepted the help of an experienced officer like Julianus.

But it proved difficult to stay long in the good graces of a master like Commodus: the latter had him thrown fully clothed into a swimming pool,[17] subjected Julianus to various outrages of absurd and humiliating whims, and at last had him put to death at a date after 190 on some excuse.