Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XIII 23 March 2017
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Gallienus AV Aureus. Rome, AD 260-268. GALLIENVS AVG, head left, crowned with reeds / FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing facing, head left, holding two standards. RIC 38 var. (rev. legend); Calicó 3494-5 var. (same). 3.66g, 20mm, 1h.
Mint State. A handsome portrait of Gallienus in fine style. Extremely Rare.
Gallienus was named Caesar at the same time his father Valerian became emperor in AD 253. Within a month, he was promoted to the rank of Augustus and joint ruler. The responsibility for the western provinces was handed to him the following year as Valerian marched east to campaign against the Persian army. Gallienus proceeded to take military action to secure the Rhine and Danube frontiers from German attacks. His efforts were successful and he earned the title 'Germanicus Maximus' five times between 255 and 258, though he lost his eldest son during a campaign in the Danube early in 258. This loss was the beginning of a series of unfortunate events to befall the western emperor.
Valerian was captured by the Persian king Shapur I in 260, significantly weakening Gallienus' position and leaving a power vacuum in the east. The first to take advantage was Ingenuus, governor of Pannonia and Moesia, who was proclaimed emperor at Sirmium by the troops under his command but defeated soon after by Gallienus' general Aureolus. Rebellion also broke out on the Danube frontier when Regalianus proclaimed himself emperor, requiring prompt and successful action from Gallienus. A further uprising occurred in 260, when Macrianus and Quietus were proclaimed joint emperors, making Antioch their capital with widespread support in the Eastern provinces. Macrianus marched against Gallienus but was killed by Aureolus in 261, while Quietus was murdered in Emesa where he was taking refuge. The following year saw Aureolus revolt, although he was swiftly convinced to make peace. Whilst the uprisings in the east had been successfully quelled, it had cost Gallienus dearly in the West. By the end of 261, Postumus had taken control of Gaul, Britain and Spain and assumed the title of Augustus, establishing an independent empire which would survive for almost 15 years.
Unable to successfully challenge the Gallic Empire led by Postumus, Gallienus spent the following years dealing with minor invasions and rebellions until the Goths and the Heruli launched a large scale invasion of the Balkans in 268. Leaving Aureolus in charge at Milan, Gallienus advanced to counter the invasion, although he was unable to prevent the sacking of Athens before defeating the invaders at Naissus. Taking advantage of the Gothic War, Aureolus defected to Postumus, prompting Gallienus to return to Italy in September 268, where he defeated Aureolus at Pontirolo and laid siege to him at Milan. Gallienus was unable to bring matters to a decisive conclusion for he was murdered in his camp by the commander of his Dalmatian cavalry.
The reverse legend of this beautiful aureus ironically bears the legend 'loyalty of the soldiers' and depicts Fides, the Roman goddess of trust and loyalty. Many reverse types depicting Fides were minted after 260 and Mark Hebblewhite (The Emperor and the Army in the Later Roman Empire, AD 235–395, 2016) has suggested this was in response to the uprisings of 260, reflecting Gallienus' desire to show the army that he trusted in their continued support. Indeed, Gallienus had barred senators from taking military office after some had shown disloyalty in their support of the usurpers, and increasingly relied on the support of his existing officers.
Mint State. A handsome portrait of Gallienus in fine style. Extremely Rare.
Gallienus was named Caesar at the same time his father Valerian became emperor in AD 253. Within a month, he was promoted to the rank of Augustus and joint ruler. The responsibility for the western provinces was handed to him the following year as Valerian marched east to campaign against the Persian army. Gallienus proceeded to take military action to secure the Rhine and Danube frontiers from German attacks. His efforts were successful and he earned the title 'Germanicus Maximus' five times between 255 and 258, though he lost his eldest son during a campaign in the Danube early in 258. This loss was the beginning of a series of unfortunate events to befall the western emperor.
Valerian was captured by the Persian king Shapur I in 260, significantly weakening Gallienus' position and leaving a power vacuum in the east. The first to take advantage was Ingenuus, governor of Pannonia and Moesia, who was proclaimed emperor at Sirmium by the troops under his command but defeated soon after by Gallienus' general Aureolus. Rebellion also broke out on the Danube frontier when Regalianus proclaimed himself emperor, requiring prompt and successful action from Gallienus. A further uprising occurred in 260, when Macrianus and Quietus were proclaimed joint emperors, making Antioch their capital with widespread support in the Eastern provinces. Macrianus marched against Gallienus but was killed by Aureolus in 261, while Quietus was murdered in Emesa where he was taking refuge. The following year saw Aureolus revolt, although he was swiftly convinced to make peace. Whilst the uprisings in the east had been successfully quelled, it had cost Gallienus dearly in the West. By the end of 261, Postumus had taken control of Gaul, Britain and Spain and assumed the title of Augustus, establishing an independent empire which would survive for almost 15 years.
Unable to successfully challenge the Gallic Empire led by Postumus, Gallienus spent the following years dealing with minor invasions and rebellions until the Goths and the Heruli launched a large scale invasion of the Balkans in 268. Leaving Aureolus in charge at Milan, Gallienus advanced to counter the invasion, although he was unable to prevent the sacking of Athens before defeating the invaders at Naissus. Taking advantage of the Gothic War, Aureolus defected to Postumus, prompting Gallienus to return to Italy in September 268, where he defeated Aureolus at Pontirolo and laid siege to him at Milan. Gallienus was unable to bring matters to a decisive conclusion for he was murdered in his camp by the commander of his Dalmatian cavalry.
The reverse legend of this beautiful aureus ironically bears the legend 'loyalty of the soldiers' and depicts Fides, the Roman goddess of trust and loyalty. Many reverse types depicting Fides were minted after 260 and Mark Hebblewhite (The Emperor and the Army in the Later Roman Empire, AD 235–395, 2016) has suggested this was in response to the uprisings of 260, reflecting Gallienus' desire to show the army that he trusted in their continued support. Indeed, Gallienus had barred senators from taking military office after some had shown disloyalty in their support of the usurpers, and increasingly relied on the support of his existing officers.