Browse Items (299 total)

From a noble Roman family, Valerian held many important positions in the city of Rome, including Censor and Princeps Senatus, before he was declared Emperor in 253 CE. His son, Gallienus, was declared co-emperor and sent to the west to look after…

This coin is likely from the reign of one of Constantine's children. The REVERSE, with VOT XX MULT XXX (the emperor vows to rule for 20 years and will renew for another 30), is found on the REVERSE of coins issued by Constantine I, Constans,…

Maurice was appointed by Tiberius II to be his successor and he married Tiberius II’s daughter, Constantina. A successful general, he halted the advance of the Sassanid Persians, and for the first time in nearly two hundred years, the Romans no…

Victorinus was consul under Postumus in 267 CE. After the death of Postumus, Victorinus was hailed as emperor by his troops who then moved against a rival, Marius, in 269 CE. Marius was soon defeated; regardless, Victorinus was murdered not long…

Tetricus is unique in the age of emperors who kill for power and are then killed for the same in return. After the death of Victorinus in 271 CE, Tetricus was called upon by Victorinus’ mother, Vitruvia (possibly Victoria), to take the throne. He…

Theodora was the second wife of Constantius I, father of Constantine the Great. (Constantine’s mother was Constantius I’s first wife, Helena, who is now considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church). Theodora was also the (step?) daughter of…

Constantine is one of the most famous emperors from Roman history. He was the first emperor to legalize Christianity and possibly the first to convert to it.

The famous story says that, just before the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 307 CE,…

Constans II was baptized as Herakleios and reigned under the name Constantine, but Constans II was used in older texts and is now his standard nickname. He was the last emperor to ever serve as consul, in 642 CE, and also the first emperor in over…

Magnentius began his career under Constantine the Great as a successful military general. He was very popular among his troops and, in response to the inattentive rule of Constans, was proclaimed emperor in 350 CE. Constantius II did not accept this…

This coin marks a radical departure from the typical Roman Republican coinage that almost always featured the head of Roma on the obverse. Janus graces the obverse of this coin, and, after this point, it becomes more and more common to put different…