Gallienus AD 253-268. Lugdunum
Antoninianus Æ silvered

22 mm, 2,92 g

IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right / GERMANICVS MAX V, two German captives bound and seated at the foot of a trophy.

Nearly Very Fine

RIC 18; RSC 308.

Gallienus, whose full name was Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus, was a Roman emperor who ruled from AD 253 to 268. He was the son of Emperor Valerian and the co-emperor alongside his father during the early years of his reign. Gallienus faced a tumultuous and challenging period in Roman history known as the Crisis of the Third Century. During his reign, the Roman Empire was threatened by external invasions from various barbarian tribes, internal revolts, economic troubles, and the breakaway of various regions seeking independence. As co-emperor with his father, Gallienus was tasked with the defense of the western provinces of the Roman Empire while his father Valerian focused on the eastern front against the Sassanian Empire (ancient Persia). However, in AD 260, Emperor Valerian was defeated and captured by the Sassanian king, Shapur I, resulting in a significant blow to the Roman Empire. Gallienus then ruled as the sole emperor, facing multiple challenges from both external and internal enemies. He pursued a policy of co-opting some of the invading tribes into the Roman military and granting some regions greater autonomy to stabilize the empire. Despite his efforts, Gallienus faced opposition from within the Roman military. In 268 AD, he was assassinated in a conspiracy led by his own officers, and Claudius II Gothicus was proclaimed as the new Roman emperor.