The Roman Empire
Domitian


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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC MS Strike: 5/5 Surface: 5/5
Grade Comment: silvering
Owner: Kohaku
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Roman Empire
Slot Name: Domitian
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Gallienus (c. 215 – 268) son of Valerian became co-Emperor a month after his father’s ascension in 253 AD. They divided Rome’s defenses: Gallienus was responsible for the western provinces, while his father focused on the east. Even with this distribution of power, it was the midst of the Crises of the Third Century, and the Empire contended with one calamity after another. In the late 250s, Rome herself was attacked by the Alemanni and Juthungi. It took a Senate-improvised army to repel the attackers, who were finished off by Gallienus as they retreated. Meanwhile, the Franks were attacking across the Rhine into Gaul, even raiding cities across the Mediterranean coast. In 260 AD, Valerian was captured by the Sassanids, and slain. Gallienus was now sole Emperor, although many others tried claiming power: Ingenuus, Macrianus, and Quietus, just to name a few. These rebellions were eventually quelled, in one fashion or another. Meanwhile, general Postumus proclaimed himself Emperor after killing Gallienus’ son and (extremely short-lived) co-Emperor, Saloninus. In the mid 260s, Gallienus laid siege to Postumus in Gaul. Gallenius was wounded, forcing him to leave the campaign, which remained stalemated until his death; Postumus’ Gallic Empire remained autonomous for a decade. To make matters worse, in the late 260s, a large Gothic invasion rampaged across Thrace, Macedonia, and Moesia, sacking many ancient cities such as Athens. The legions were mustered once more, and proceeded in killing most of the enemy — tens of thousands of them — in the bloodiest battle of the 3rd century. Gallienus could not relax after routing of the Goths, it seemed like there was always a usurper, and Gallienus returned to Italy to deal with the next one. One night during the confrontation, Gallienus was lured - unprotected - out of his tent, roused by a false alarm that his adversary was launching a counteroffensive. He was met by murderers in waiting, the exact identity of whom are still debated; probably his successor, Claudius Gothicus, played a role. For all these trials and tribulations, Gallienus left behind a rich variety of coinage. He minted coins following victories, honoring each legion involved. He produced a numismatic series invoking protection of various deities and depicting numerous animals. To keep up with coinage demands, he doubled Rome’s mint workshops, and opened new mints in locations close to his troops, such as in Trier, Sicia, and Cyzicus. On his coinage, Gallienus wanted to be portrayed as a god, as evidenced on this double denarius. It was produced in Antioch sometime after the mint re-opened in early to mid 260s AD (it closed years earlier due to the Sassanid’s sacking). The obverse portrait is draped and cuirassed, with a particularly prominent radiate crown. On the verso, Virtus, donning helmet, armor, shield and spear, represents manly strengths such as valor, courage, and character. The epithet VIRTVS AVG is intended to associate Augustus Gallienus directly with Virtus. The analogy is not completely inaccurate, considering Gallienus managed to hold power for 15 years of constant crisis, and avoid the complete collapse of the Roman Empire. Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Gallienus, AD 253-268, Billon Double-Denarius (4.22 g), Antioch mint, struck 266-267 AD, NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind, GALLIENVS AVG, Virtus standing left, helmeted and wearing military garb, resting right on shield set on ground, spear with point up in left, star in field, VIRTVS AVG, References: Göbl MIR 1617i; RIC V 668; SRCV III 10402; RSC IV 1237b cor; AHG 485.

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