When Aurelian became emperor in 270 AD, the Roman Empire was but a shadow of its former glory. Barbarian invasions were rampant, and both the eastern and western parts of the Empire had declared independence.
But in 273 AD, Aurelian first defeated the Palmyrene Empire in the East - and the following year the Gallic Empire in the west. He also defeated the Goths, the Allemanni, the Vandals, the Juthungi, the Sarmatians, and the Carpi.
His efforts were the culmination of a herculean effort begun by Claudius II Gothicus only a few years before, which constituted a recovery period following the total economic and military collapse during the first half of the 3rd Century.
This category covers coins from the reign of Claudius II Gothicus and until the Tetrarchy in 293 AD.
But in 273 AD, Aurelian first defeated the Palmyrene Empire in the East - and the following year the Gallic Empire in the west. He also defeated the Goths, the Allemanni, the Vandals, the Juthungi, the Sarmatians, and the Carpi.
His efforts were the culmination of a herculean effort begun by Claudius II Gothicus only a few years before, which constituted a recovery period following the total economic and military collapse during the first half of the 3rd Century.
This category covers coins from the reign of Claudius II Gothicus and until the Tetrarchy in 293 AD.
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Claudius Augustus, commonly known as Claudius II Gothicus, was Roman emperor from 268 to 270.
During his reign he fought successfully against the Alemanni and scored a victory against the Goths at the Battle of Naissus, which earned him the epithet 'Gothicus' - Conqueror of the Goths.
He died after succumbing to the Plague of Cyprian that ravaged the ...
During his reign he fought successfully against the Alemanni and scored a victory against the Goths at the Battle of Naissus, which earned him the epithet 'Gothicus' - Conqueror of the Goths.
He died after succumbing to the Plague of Cyprian that ravaged the ...
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus Augustus was Roman Emperor for a few months in 270.
Originating from a low-born family, Quintillus came to prominence with the accession of his brother Claudius II Gothicus to the imperial throne in 268. He was declared emperor either by the Senate or by his brother’s soldiers upon the latter's death in 270.
The few records of Quintillus' r...
Originating from a low-born family, Quintillus came to prominence with the accession of his brother Claudius II Gothicus to the imperial throne in 268. He was declared emperor either by the Senate or by his brother’s soldiers upon the latter's death in 270.
The few records of Quintillus' r...
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. Born in humble circumstances, he rose through the military ranks to become emperor.
During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi, and he restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273...
During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi, and he restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273...
Ulpia Severina was a Roman Empress, the wife of the emperor Aurelian.
Very little is known about her, as there are no literary sources mentioning her existence. Almost everything known about her, including her name, is gathered from coins and inscriptions.
There is considerable numismatic evidence for Ulpia Severina ruling in her own right between the death of Aurelian and th...
Very little is known about her, as there are no literary sources mentioning her existence. Almost everything known about her, including her name, is gathered from coins and inscriptions.
There is considerable numismatic evidence for Ulpia Severina ruling in her own right between the death of Aurelian and th...
Marcus Claudius Tacitus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 275 to 276.
He circulated copies of the historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus' work, which was barely read at the time, and so we perhaps have him to thank for the partial survival of Tacitus' work. His claimed descent from the historian is most likely a fabrication, however.
In the course of his long life he discharged the...
He circulated copies of the historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus' work, which was barely read at the time, and so we perhaps have him to thank for the partial survival of Tacitus' work. His claimed descent from the historian is most likely a fabrication, however.
In the course of his long life he discharged the...
Marcus Annius Florianus Augustus was Roman Emperor for a few months in 276.
He was reportedly a maternal half-brother to the Emperor Tacitus - and as the appointed Praetorian Prefect in Tacitus's army in his campaign against the Goths, he was chosen by the army in the West to succeed Tacitus in 276, without the consensus of the Roman Senate.
The army in the East elected Probu...
He was reportedly a maternal half-brother to the Emperor Tacitus - and as the appointed Praetorian Prefect in Tacitus's army in his campaign against the Goths, he was chosen by the army in the West to succeed Tacitus in 276, without the consensus of the Roman Senate.
The army in the East elected Probu...
Marcus Aurelius Probus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 276 to 282.
During his reign, the Rhine and Danube frontier was strengthened after successful wars against several Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Alamanni, Longiones, Franks, Burgundians, and Vandals.
According to Joannes Zonaras, in 282 the commander of the Praetorian Guard Marcus Aurelius Carus was proclaimed, more ...
During his reign, the Rhine and Danube frontier was strengthened after successful wars against several Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Alamanni, Longiones, Franks, Burgundians, and Vandals.
According to Joannes Zonaras, in 282 the commander of the Praetorian Guard Marcus Aurelius Carus was proclaimed, more ...
Proculus was a Roman usurper, one of the "minor pretenders". According to Historia Augusta, he took the purple against Emperor Probus in 280, although this is now disputed.
Proculus was an ambitious soldier, who had commanded more than one legion as tribune; when in 280 he was asked by the people of Lugdunum (Lyon) who had started a rebellion against Emperor Probus to take the purple, h...
Proculus was an ambitious soldier, who had commanded more than one legion as tribune; when in 280 he was asked by the people of Lugdunum (Lyon) who had started a rebellion against Emperor Probus to take the purple, h...
C Julius Saturninus was a Roman usurper against Emperor Probus. He was appointed governor of Syria by Probus in 279 AD, and the two were friends and allies.
However, after Probus had left Syria for the Rhine in 280, unruly soldiers and the people of Alexandria forced a reluctant Saturninus to accept imperial office. He fled from Alexandria to escape the pressure but changed his mind i...
However, after Probus had left Syria for the Rhine in 280, unruly soldiers and the people of Alexandria forced a reluctant Saturninus to accept imperial office. He fled from Alexandria to escape the pressure but changed his mind i...
Marcus Aurelius Carus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 282 to 283. During his short reign, Carus fought the Germanic tribes and Sarmatians along the Danube frontier with success. He brought stability in the empire and died in 283 aged 61.
During his campaign against the Sassanid Empire, he sacked their capital Ctesiphon, but died shortly thereafter. Some sources claim that he died after ...
During his campaign against the Sassanid Empire, he sacked their capital Ctesiphon, but died shortly thereafter. Some sources claim that he died after ...
Marcus Aurelius Carinus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 283 to 285. The elder son of emperor Carus, he was first appointed Caesar and in the beginning of 283 co-emperor of the western portion of the empire by his father.
He fought with success against the Germanic Quadi tribes, but soon returned to Rome, where he celebrated the annual ludi Romani on a scale of unexampled magnificence. <...
He fought with success against the Germanic Quadi tribes, but soon returned to Rome, where he celebrated the annual ludi Romani on a scale of unexampled magnificence. <...
Magnia Urbica was wife of the emperor Carus, until recently mistakenly thought to be the wife of her own son Carinus.
While both Carinus and Numerian were killed in 284 CE it is unclear what her own fate may have been or even if she predeceased them.
She was granted the honorifics Augusta, and Mater castrorum, senatus ac patriae, "Mother of the (Military) camp, Senate and Fa...
While both Carinus and Numerian were killed in 284 CE it is unclear what her own fate may have been or even if she predeceased them.
She was granted the honorifics Augusta, and Mater castrorum, senatus ac patriae, "Mother of the (Military) camp, Senate and Fa...
Marcus Aurelius Nigrinianus was probably the son of Roman Emperor Carinus and an heir to the throne, and grandson of the Roman Emperor Carus who founded his royal family.
Not much is known about him. It has been proposed that he was actually the son of Aurelia Paulina, Carinus' sister and thus the Emperor's nephew.
Nigrinian died in infancy in late 284 or early 285. After his...
Not much is known about him. It has been proposed that he was actually the son of Aurelia Paulina, Carinus' sister and thus the Emperor's nephew.
Nigrinian died in infancy in late 284 or early 285. After his...
Marcus Aurelius Numerius Numerianus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 283 to 284 with his older brother Carinus.
They were sons of Carus, a general raised to the office of praetorian prefect under Emperor Probus in 282. When Carus died in 283, the two brothers became Augusti.
Their reign was short; in 284 Numerian was found dead in his coach while travelling to Rome to consoli...
They were sons of Carus, a general raised to the office of praetorian prefect under Emperor Probus in 282. When Carus died in 283, the two brothers became Augusti.
Their reign was short; in 284 Numerian was found dead in his coach while travelling to Rome to consoli...
Marcus Aurelius Sabinus Julianus, known as Julian of Pannonia, was a Roman usurper against Emperor Carinus or Maximian.
It is possible that up to four usurpers with a similar name rebelled in a time-frame of a decade, but at least one of them is known by numismatic evidence.
Julianus was a corrector in northern Italy. Soon after the news of the death of Emperor Carus or Nume...
It is possible that up to four usurpers with a similar name rebelled in a time-frame of a decade, but at least one of them is known by numismatic evidence.
Julianus was a corrector in northern Italy. Soon after the news of the death of Emperor Carus or Nume...