Catalog
Antoninianus - Victorinus INVICTVS; Barbarous radiate
| Issuer | Gallic Empire (Roman splinter states) |
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| Orientation | 3 o'clock ↑→ |
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| Obverse description | Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Victorinus facing right, rendered in the crude, degenerate style characteristic of barbarous imitations. The radiate crown is prominently rendered with exaggerated spikes. The surrounding legend, crudely executed and partially legible, reads IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG, running clockwise around the periphery of the flan. The workmanship reflects the unofficial nature of the issue, with irregular fabric and rough die engraving typical of barbarous radiates produced outside official mint workshops. |
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| Reverse description | Sol, the sun god, advancing left with right hand raised in salutation and holding a whip or globe in the left hand, depicted in the crude, schematic style of a barbarous imitation. A star appears in the left field. The reverse type imitates the INVICTVS reverse of official Victorinus antoninianes. The legend is largely illegible or degenerate, consistent with the barbarous radiate tradition where copyists reproduced inscriptions without full literacy. The overall die work is rough, with flat and uneven relief across the flan. |
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| Additional information |
Victorinus ruled the Gallic Empire for less than two years before being murdered by one of his own officers in 271 AD, allegedly over a personal grievance. His INVICTVS type was widely imitated across northwestern Gaul and Britain almost immediately after his death, producing the class of crude copies collectors call barbarous radiates. These imitations filled a genuine vacuum: the official Gallic mint at Cologne had collapsed, and Roman central authority had not yet reasserted supply.
Some barbarous radiates are so degenerate that the prototype is unidentifiable without die study. This piece retains enough detail to confirm the Victorinus INVICTVS as its model.