The Roman Empire
Domitian


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC XF Strike: 3/5 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

Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerians (242-260 AD) was the second son of Gallienus and Salonina. In 256 AD, Augustus Gallienus proclaimed his eldest son, Valerian II, as Caesar, and subsequently the father-and-son duo fought together at the Danubian front. When Valerian II died in 258 AD, Gallienus elevated the sixteen-year-old Saloninus as his new Caesar, and dispatched him to oversee the western provinces. The Empire's mints produced coins proclaiming Saloninus' position as Caesar, for example this Antioch antoninianus struck between 258-260 AD). The obverse portrays the Caesar's youthful bust, radiated and draped, with an overall similarity (in design if not physiognomy) to coinage depicting other members of his imperial clan. On the coin’s reverse, contrapposto Jupiter, the king of the Gods, holds a large staff (or perhaps a hasta, i.e., Roman spear) and presents Victory to a figure presumed to represent the teenage Caesar. The epithet, DII NVTRITORES, invokes the fostering, rearing or education afforded by the gods. This motif advertises Caesar Saloninus’ divine destiny to command and secure successes for the Roman Empire on behalf of his Valerian dynasty. At the time, the Valerian clan was clearly on the wane. Soon after Valerian II’s death, the elder Valerian was captured and slain by the Sassanids II. Fearing his tenuous situation, Gallienus saw to it that his praetorian prefect, Silvanus, and his prominent general, Postumus, accompany his young new Caesar to provide their advice and support during such troubled times. However, things did not turn out favorably for Saloninus, who had his hands full dealing with Germanic incursions into Gaul and Spain. In 260 AD, Postumus managed a victory against the Juthungi, and he wished to improve the morale of his war-weary troops by distributing among them the battle’s spoils. Saloninus, following Silvanus’ advice, demanded instead that the troops transfer the booty to his imperial residence at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. The troops favored Postumus’ plan to the point they declared him as Augustus, and proceeded to siege Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. In an attempt to remotely aid to the trapped Caesar, Galienus announced Saloninus’ promotion to co-Augustus. Unfortunately (but expectedly), the announcement had absolutely no impact on Postumus’ rapacious troops, who murdered the new co-Augustus and claimed their hard-earned plunder. Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Saloninus, As Caesar, AD 258-260, Antoninianus (20mm, 3.26 g, 6h), Antioch mint, 5th emission, AD 257-260,NGC Grade: XF, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Radiate and draped bust right, P COR SAL VALERIANVS CAES, Reverse: Jupiter standing left, holding scepter and presenting a small Victory to Saloninus standing right, DII NVTRITORES, References: RIC V 35; MIR 36, 1606e; RSC 21.

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