GALLIENUS
AD 253-268 
Billon Antoninianus. 3.11g, 23.7mm
MINTED: Viminacium mint, 6th emission, circa AD 256-257
REF: MIR 836o; RIC V 398 var. (bust type; Milan); Cunetio –; Eauze 1422
OBVERSE: IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
REVERSE: SALVS AVGG, Salus standing right, feeding from patera snake held in her arms.
 
Provenance:
Ex N. M. McQ. Holmes Collection; ex Glendining’s (14 December 1989), lot 524 (part of)

Notes:
Toned, slightly patchy surfaces. Some areas of flat striking. 
A very rare combination of obverse legend and bust type; only one example noted in MIR (in the British Museum), with one additional example found in the Eauze Hoard.
 
Historical Notes:
Gallienus was co-emperor with his father, Valerian, from 253 until 260, when the latter was defeated and captured by the Persian king, Shapur the Great.  History does not record if Gallienus attempted any recovery of his father, but he did continue his own sole rule of an empire that was rapidly becoming a shadow of its former self.  Much of the Roman East had been ravaged by the Persians, and the provinces of Gaul, Germany, Raetia, Britannia and Hispania broke away to form a Gallic Empire under the usurper Postumus.  After surrendering rule of the eastern provinces to the Palmyrene nobleman, Odenathus, Gallienus controlled only Italy and the Balkans directly.  While many sources paint Gallienus as an irresponsible, indolent and decadent ruler, others record that he successfully repelled a host of barbarian invaders and crushed a number of rebellions.  In fact, it was while besieging the rebel general Aureolus at Mediolanum (Milan) in 268 that Gallienus was assassinated.