Mairat, J. The Coinage of the Gallic Empire. PhD thesis. (Oxford, 2014).
This doctoral thesis presents a new systematic arrangement of the coinage of the Gallic Empire as the basis for a revised edition of Roman Imperial Coinage. The coinage of all denominations, gold, silver and bronze, are unified into a single structure of issues.
In 260, Postumus revolted against the Roman emperor Gallienus and took control of the Gauls. The chronology of his reign and of his successors is reviewed. The short reign of Domitianus II is interpreted as a revolt against the elevation of Tetricus. A rearrangement of Tetricus ' coinage supported by the epigraphic evidence proves that the elevation of Tetricus II to the Caesarship must be redated from 273 to 272. The location of the mints is discussed. Conclusive hoard evidence proves that the main mint was located at Trier, and not at Cologne. The study of iconography implies that choices were not necessarily made by the imperial authorities, but that more freedom was given to engravers than is usually assumed. The use of earlier coins as an iconographic repertoire strongly suggests that earlier coins were brought to the mint to be melted down. Metrological analyses of gold coins of the Gallic emperors show for the first time that silver was deliberately added to the alloy, following a practice introduced by Valerian and continued by Gallienus. The debasement of the 'silver ' coinage is studied in parallel with its contemporary evolution within the Central Empire. Coin circulation is used in order to determine the frontiers of the Gallic Empire. It is demonstrated that the Gallic Empire reached its apogee between 262 and 265, ruling over Britain, the Gauls, Hispania and Raetia. The nature of the Gallic Empire is discussed. It is argued that this 'Empire ' should not be viewed as a form of separatism, as often claimed, but as the unintended result of a status quo following Postumus ' acclamation and the long postponement of a final confrontation against the emperor of Rome.
PDF Files
Postumus
Trier p. 396
Cologne p. 597
Laelianus
Cologne p. 626
Marius
Trier p. 632
Cologne p. 641
Victorinus PDF
Trier p. 648
Cologne p. 692
Part|1.pdf
Postumus
Trier, issues 1 - 4, plates 1 - 98, nos. 1 - 245.
Part|2.pdf
Postumus
Trier plates 99 - 198, nos. 245 - 472
Part|3.pdf
Postumus
Trier plates 199 - 216, nos. 472 - 477
Cologne plates 216 - 237, nos. 478 - 486
Milan plates 237 - 248, nos. 487 - 527
Laelianus plates - 248 - 255, nos. 528 - 533
Marius
Trier plates 255 - 264, nos. 534 - 547
Cologne plates 264 - 271, nos. 548 - 557
Victorinus plates 271 - 298, nos. 558 - 596 PDF
Part|4.pdf
Victorinus plates 299 - 347, nos. 597 - 708 PDF
Domitianus II plate 347, no. 709 PDF
Tetricus I plates 347 - 398, nos. 710 - 815 PDF
Part|5.pdf
Tetricus I
Trier plates 399 - 438, nos. 815 - 880
Cologne plates 438 - 446, nos. 881 - 908
A1 head, radiate, r.
A1* head, laureate, r.
A1* (beams) head, laureate, with beams of radiate crown, r.
A1l head, radiate, l.
A1l* head, laureate, l.
A2 head, radiate, with traces of drapery to front of truncation, r.
A2* head, laureate, with traces of drapery to front of truncation, r.
A3 head, radiate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation, r.
A3* head, laureate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation, r.
B1 bust, radiate, cuirassed, seen from front, r.
B1* bust, laureate, cuirassed, seen from front, r.
B1l bust, radiate, cuirassed, seen from front, l.
B1l* bust, laureate, cuirassed, seen from front, l.
B2* bust, laureate, cuirassed, seen from rear, r.
B4+ bust, bare-headed, cuirassed, facing.
C1+ bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from front, r.
C1l+ bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from front, l.
C2 bust, radiate, draped, seen from rear, r.
C2+ bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from rear, r.
C6+ bust, bare-headed, draped, facing.
D1 bust, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from front, r.
D1* bust, laureate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from front, r.
D1l bust, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from front, l.
D2* Bust right, laureate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from rear.
D4 bust, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, facing.
G1* (to waist) bust to waist, laureate, cuirassed, holding spear over r. shoulder, shield on l. shoulder, seen from front, r.
G1l (w/o point) bust, radiate, cuirassed, holding spear without visible point over r. shoulder, shield on l. shoulder, seen from front, l.
G1l* (w/o point) bust, laureate, cuirassed, holding spear without visible point over r. shoulder, shield on l. shoulder, seen from front, l.
H1+ bust, helmeted, cuirassed, seen from front, r.
H1l+ bust, helmeted, cuirassed, seen from front, l.
H4+ (to waist; w/o point) bust to waist, helmeted, cuirassed, holding spear without visible point over r. shoulder, shield on l. shoulder, seen from front, r.
H4l+ (w/o point) bust, helmeted, cuirassed, holding spear without visible point over r. shoulder, shield on l. shoulder, seen from front, l.
H12 bust, helmeted and radiate, cuirassed and draped, seen from front, r.
H12+ bust, helmeted, cuirassed and draped, seen from front, à dr.
J3l* bust, laureate, cuirassed, with r. hand raised, seen from front, l.
J17 head, wearing lion skin, r.
K1+ bust, bare-headed, in consular dress, seen front front, r.
L3l bust, radiate, nude, holding club over r. shoulder and lion skin on l. shoulder, seen from front, l.
L3l* bust, laureate, nude, holding club over r. shoulder and lion skin on l. shoulder, seen from front, l.
M3 bust, laureate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from rear, and bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from front, jugate, r.
M4 bust, laureate, cuirassed, seen from front, and bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from front, jugate, r.
M4 (radiate) bust, radiate, cuirassed, seen from front, and bust, bare-headed, draped, seen from front, jugate, r.
M5 bust, laureate, in consular dress, seen from front, r., facing bust, bare-headed, in consular dress, seen from front, l.
M5 (radiate) bust, radiate, in consular dress, seen from front, r., facing bust, bare-headed, in consular dress, seen from front, l.
M6 bust, bare-headed, in consular dress, seen from front, r., facing bust, laureate, in consular dress, seen from front, l.
P2l* head, laureate, and bust of Sol, radiate, draped, seen from front, jugate, l.
P3* head, laureate, and head of Hercules, laureate, jugate, r.
P3l* head, laureate, and head of Hercules, laureate, jugate, l.
P4* head, laureate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation and head of Hercules, laureate, jugate, r.
P5* bust, laureate, cuirassed, with traces of drapery, seen from front, and head of Hercules, laureate, jugate, r.
P5l* bust, laureate, cuirassed bust, seen from front, and head of Hercules, laureate, jugate, l.
P7* head, laureate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation, with head of Jupiter, jugate, r.; in front, thunderbolt.
P8* head, laureate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation, with head of Mars, helmeted, jugate, r.