|
Billon Antoninianus (21mm 3.49g) Struck AD 267 Asia(unk city)
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right
Rev: VIRTVS AVG Virtus facing, head right, speat left, leaning on sheild to right PXV in exergue
RIC 612, Sear 10403
Uncleaned coin find
The Front (Obverse) – The Emperor's Face
- The Text: It reads GALLIENVS AVG (Short for Gallienus Augustus, which just means "Emperor Gallienus").
- The Look: You can see Emperor Gallienus looking to the right. He is wearing a spiky crown called a radiate crown (it looks like sunbeams shooting out of his head!).
- The Secret Meaning: That pointy crown wasn't just for fashion; it told everyday citizens that this coin was an Antoninianus—a denomination worth two regular denarii coins.
The Back (Reverse) – The Propaganda
- The Text: It says VIRTVS AVG (Virtus Augusti), which translates to "The Courage (or Virtue) of the Emperor."
- The Look: It features Virtus, the Roman deity of bravery and military strength. She is holding a spear in her left hand and leaning on a protective shield to her right.
- The Secret Meaning: During the late 260s AD, the Roman Empire was falling apart at the seams. It was getting attacked by barbarians, parts of the empire were breaking away, and plagues were hitting the cities. By putting "Courage" and a warrior deity on the back of the coin, Gallienus was sending a message to his people: "Don't worry, your emperor is brave, strong, and keeping you safe!"
🔍Cool Little Details
- PXV in the Exergue: Look at the very bottom of the back side. You'll see the letters PXV. This is a special date marker! The "XV" stands for the number 15, celebrating Gallienus's 15th year on the throne. This helps historians know exactly when the coin was stamped.
- What is "Billon"? In the early days of Rome, coins like this were made of high-quality silver. But because the economy was crashing during the crisis, the mints secretly melted a bunch of copper into the mix to save money. "Billon" means it's mostly copper with just a tiny, thin wash of silver over the top!
- Where was it made? It was minted out east in "Asia" (which, to the ancient Romans, meant the region of modern-day Turkey).
|
