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Home , Aurelian, Gallic Empire, Gallienus, Postumus, Tetricus I, Victorinus

THE FRACTURE OF IMPERIAL The Rise and Fall of the 260-274 CE A Set of Eight Bronze Coins

Coin type and grade may vary Order code: 8GALLICEMPBOX somewhat from image

Beginning with the reign of Julius in 44 BCE, the enjoyed two full centuries of peace and prosperity. The Romana was unprecedented in both duration and territory—at its height, Rome controlled the entire Mediterranean region: most of Europe, including ; all of North Africa from Gibraltar to ; and a vast swath of the Middle East stretching into and the Caucasus.

Governing that many diverse populations so effectively, and for so long, is a feat unrivaled in the annals of history. To do so, the Romans established the most efficient system of administration the world had ever known. Career bureaucrats—prefects, politicians, tax collectors—maintained the system regardless of who was seated on the throne. During the Pax Romana, Rome also boasted a series of strong, stable . Although there were periods of unrest, these tended to be short. After the death of , three family dynasties provided the Empire with a consistent succession of emperors.

By the third century CE, the empire began to show signs of collapse. A parade of emperors took the throne, mostly from the ranks of the military. Years of civil war and open revolt led to an erosion of territory. In the year 260, in a battle on the Eastern front, the was taken prisoner by the hated Persians. He died in captivity, and his corpse was stuffed and hung on the wall of the palace of the Persian king.

Valerian’s capture threw the already-fractured empire into complete disarray. His son and co-emperor, , did not command the respect of the army, and was unable to quell the unrest. Charismatic generals sought to consolidate their own power, but none was as powerful, or as ambitious, as .

Born in an outpost of the Empire, of common stock, Postumus rose swiftly through the ranks, eventually commanding Roman forces “among the Celts”—a territory that included modern-day , Belgium, Holland, and England. When Gallienus’s son Salonius attempted to force Postumus’s army to cede booty taken from the defeat of a Germanic tribe in the Valley, the soldiers refused the order, proclaiming Postumus emperor, and executing the heir to the throne. Thus was born the so-called Gallic Empire.

Postumus and his successors held the territory for 14 years. The first seven of those years were marked by relative peace and prosperity.

In 269, Postumus was murdered by his own troops, and the Gallic Empire, which depended on the force of his personality, began to crumble. , who assumed control of the breakaway empire late in 269, was a fine milutary leader. He successfully repelled incursions by the new , II, known by his moniker Gothicus. But before Victorinus could expand his territory, he was killed by one of his officers, whose wife he’d seduced. Thus love, and not politics, brought an end to his brief reign.

The slain emperor’s mother, , served as de facto empress after her son was killed, paying vast sums of money in 271 to install a well-bred general, , as emperor. He was joined on the throne by his son, Tetricus II, in 263. By then, the tide had turned. Fickle generals abandonned the Gallic emperors, pledging allegiance to the new Roman Emperor, . The two Gallic co-emperors surrendered to him in 274. After being paraded through Rome as trophies, they were spared death by Aurelian in exchange for their obeisance.

The and in 260-274 is neatly reflected in the coinage minted in the two empires at the time. In the first years of the reign of Postumus, the coins had high silver content, indicative of the prosperity of the region under his command. As he committed more resources to the defense of his breakaway empire, he began to debase his currency. By the end of the Gallic Empire, the coins were all bronze. But they still contained trace amounts of silver, either as a wash, or as part of the metallurgical admixture. On some coins, the silver content is still visible. The of Tetricus was frequently imitated by the Germanic tribes. These 8 coins are all antoniniani, first designed as a silver coin in 213 CE. The obverses of the coins show each emperor’s portrait. The reverses vary. They reflect contemporary political, military, and religious themes.

DATA: Box measures: 7.25” x 5.5” x 1.25”

1.Valerian I 253-260 CE 5. Claudius II 268-270 CE W: 1.9-2.8g; D: 18-23mm W: 2.3-4.5g; D: 17-21mm 2. Gallienus 253-268 CE 6. Tetricus I 271-274 CE W: 2.2-2.8g; D: 17-22mm W: 1.8-3.9g; D: 17-21mm 3. Postumus 259-268 CE 7. Tetricus II 273-274 CE W: 2.7-4g; D: 19-22mm W: 2.1-3.9g; D: 16-20mm 4. Victorinus 269-271 CE 8. Aurelian 270-275 CE W: 2.1-2.9g; D: 19-22mm W: 2.7-4g; D: 21-23mm

All coins in each set are protected in an archival capsule and beautifully displayed in a mahogany-like box. The box set is accompanied with a story card, certificate of authenticity, and a black gift box.