The Roman Empire Was Going to Hell in a Hand Basket

The more salacious version is that the no good, wicked persian king took every opportunity to humiliate the captured valerian. Then when valerian finally died, his body was flayed and stuffed and posted in the persian court as a trophy for all the east to mock and gloat over. Once again, it is easy to see why the romans would prefer to paint the sasonid king in the worst possible light. But barring a time machine, will never know the true fate of Valerian. We do know that he died in persian custody, and that, for a variety of reasons, no attempt was ever made to rescue him or pay a ransom