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Portrait of Postumus on Antoninanus
Portrait of Postumus on Antoninianus
Portrait of Postumus on Antoninanus
Reverse of Antoninianus
Postumus: 260-268
Postumus was a career soldier of humble origins who served in the Roman Army and rose to the rank of general under Valerian and Gallienus. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the capture of the Emperor Valerian by the Sassanids, Postumus rebelled against Gallienus, who had proven himself to be an ineffectual emperor when it came to dealing with the crises affecting the Empire at this time, and who was viewed as inadequate to the task of holding back the barbarians threatening Gaul and the Western Provinces. The breakaway provinces of Hispania, Gaul and Britannia declared their loyalty to Postumus and formed a seperate Empire, based on the Roman model, but independent of Central Roman authority. Postumus proved to be far more effective at protecting the Western Provinces than the Central Roman Empire under Gallienus, and despite the fact that the Western Provinces were the poorest region of the Empire, Postumus was able to mint coins of a higher standard and silver content than Gallienus, which made him popular with the merchant class.

Although Postumus had murdered Gallinus' son during the course of his usurpation, Gallienus made no more than a half-hearted attempt to wrest control of the west back from Postumus, and after a short-lived campaign, Gallienus retired back to Italy after receiving a wound from Postumus' soldiers. Thereafter, Postumus remained relatively unmolested by the Roman Empire, and his downfall in 268 came about at the hands of his own soldiers, when after capturing Mainz and putting the rebellious general Laelinus to death, he was murdered when he refused to allow his troops to loot the city. A fitting end perhaps, for a career soldier who had himself turned violently against his superiors.

The Gallic Empire survived its founder by another 8 years, when it was finally brought back into the Roman fold by Aurelian.
Availability & Prices
DescriptionGradeAvailabilityPrice £
AntoninanusVFYes 25

Roman Historical Notes
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