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Antoninianus - Postumus HERC PACIFERO
| Issuer | Gallic Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 260-269 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 3.5 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Hercules stands facing left, depicted in a peaceful aspect consistent with his epithet Pacifer, the Peace-Bringer. In his extended right hand he holds an olive branch, symbolising peace, while his left hand supports his characteristic attributes: a club and the Nemean lion's skin. The reverse legend HERC PACIFERO appears in the field, dedicating the type to Hercules as bringer of peace, a deliberate propaganda theme of Postumus's reign. |
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| Additional information |
Postumus founded the breakaway Gallic Empire in 260 AD after capturing and likely executing Saloninus, the teenage son of Gallienus, at Cologne. He held the Rhine frontier with genuine military competence for nearly a decade, which explains why his coinage is so prolific — he ran active mints at Cologne and Trier to pay troops who had real reasons to stay loyal. He was never defeated in the field; he was murdered by his own soldiers in 269 AD after refusing to let them sack Mainz following a victory.
The billon content of his antoninianii degrades noticeably across his reign as silver supplies tightened empire-wide.