Roman Emperor Gallienus

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Roman Emperor Gallienus - Defender of the Empire

AD 260 - 268

P. Licinius Egnatius Gallienus was born in Milan, circa 218, the son of Emperor Valerian. He was raised to the rank of CO-Augustus upon elevation of Valerian, and from ca. 254 AD served as the administrator of the western half of the Empire, where he won numerous victories over the Germans along the Danube and Rhine rivers, and crushed an invasion of Italy by the Alemanni at Milan in 259 AD.

The Roman world had been hovering on the very brink of anarchy since the murder of Severus Alexander, and finally made the plunge as the world of Valerian's humiliating capture by the Persians spread. Encouraged by this great defeat of a Roman emperor and his army, the Germans stepped up their incursions into Roman territory, and the Persian army retired only because it was so burdened with loot. In Pannonia, the legions revolted and proclaimed their governor, Ingenuus, to be emperor. Although Gallienus rushed to the scene and employed his new cavalry corps to crush Ingenuus, who was captured and executed, he did not severely punish the mutinous troops. Several months later, those same troops again revolted and elevated the governor of Upper Pannonia, Regalianus. Again, Gallienus marched to Pannonia and broke the rebellion. More serious and of lasting consequence, however, were the next two usurpation's. Gaul, Spain and Britain, under the leadership of Postumus, the legate of Rhine armies, seceded the Empire for nearly two decades. Similarly, Odenathus, the king of Palmyrene client-state, sized control of much of the East, although nominally governing on the behalf of the Roman empire.

Gallienus was most energetic through these times of crisis. Since at least 257 AD, he had been stressing his own Imperial authority and achievement's. The continuing threat of the Persians caused Gallienus to accept the growth of Odenathus" power as the lesser to two evils, and he welcomed the Palmyrene king as an allay and de-facto governor of the East. Gallienus also moved fiercely against Postumus, and twice inflicted severe defeats on the Gallic usurper. Only the treachery of cavalry commander, Aureolus, allowed Postumus to escape after the first battle, and than Postumus fled to a fortress. Gallienus immediately invested the fortress, but was severely wounded by an arrow during the siege, resulting in the end of the campaign before the death of Postumus was achieved.

While Gallienus recuperated from his wounds in Rome, the Empire enjoyed a brief period of peace. Warfare broke out again in 266 AD, as Gallienus hurried to the Balkans to defend against the largest German army fielded against the Romans during the third century. Gallienus met the Germans at Naissus, and in the bloodiest battle of the century the Roman forces killed some 20,000 Goths. He was robbed of seeing a total victory, however, by news of a rebellion by Aureolus, then serving as commander of Rhaetia, who seized Milan and struck an alliance with Postumus. While besieging Milan in August of 268 AD, Gallienus was murdered in a coup engineered and executed by his key staff officers.

Stock #	Description	Price	Enter Quantity Add To Cart
AC16	Roman Emperor Gallienus Ancient Bronze	$44.95

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