1968.16

Antoninianus of Gallienus

4.174 g. AD 253-255

Obv.: Bust of Gallienus r., radiate, cuirassed, bearded. IMP(erator) C(aesar) P(ublius) LIC(inianus) GALLIENVS AVG(ustus).

Rev.: Jupiter standing l., naked except for cloak behind left shoulder, holding sceptre in left hand and thunderbolt in right. IOVI CONSERVA(tori).

Minted at Rome.

This is an early head of Gallienus. As noted earlier the mint die cutters often did not have an image of a new emperor and were forced to base the first coin images on a predecessor.

See 1966.63 on the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus. The obverse title helps date this coin to early in the joint reign.

Gallienus was responsible for the northern and western frontiers, which were being hard pressed. Hence the reverse type (a conventional one) is here almost a prayer: ‘to Jupiter the Preserver’. After Valerian’s capture in the East much of Gaul was lost to Roman authority (see on 66.64).

On portraiture of Gallienus, see Breglia, L., Roman Imperial Coins: Their Art and Technique (New York, F.A. Praeger, 1968) 192-195.

Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 10237; Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) IV 351; Mattingly, H., E.A. Sydenham, C.H. Sutherland, R.A. Carson, The Roman Imperial Coinage 13 vols (London,  Spink, 1923-1994) V Vol. 1 143; Robertson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow 5 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1962-1982) IV 14 no. 5 and pl. 4.