Catalog
Antoninianus - Postumus VICTORIA AVG
| Issuer | Gallic Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 261 |
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| Reference(s) | RCV III#10996 |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG |
| Reverse description | Standing figure of Victoria facing left, rendered in flowing drapery with wings spread, her right arm raised and left arm extended downward, holding a wreath and palm branch respectively. The goddess appears to be in a striding or hovering pose above a captive or trophy element in the lower field, evoking the theme of military victory. The legend VICTORIA AVG arcs around the upper field, attributing the victory to the Augustus of the Gallic Empire. The composition reflects the standard reverse iconography employed by Postumus to legitimize his rule and celebrate his military successes along the Rhine frontier. |
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| Additional information |
Postumus founded the breakaway Gallic Empire in 260 AD after defeating Saloninus, the son of Gallienus, at Cologne — a political rupture that left Rome effectively governing only Italy and the East while Postumus controlled the Rhine frontier, Britain, and Hispania for nearly a decade. His VICTORIA issues were not triumphal vanity; they marked real military work, specifically the containment of Alemanni and Frankish incursions that the central Roman government had repeatedly failed to stop. The Gallic mints, likely operating at Cologne and possibly Trier, produced billon of noticeably variable silver content across his reign, with earliest strikes generally the richest.