Valerian II 253-255 AD Eldest son of Gallienus Publius Licinius Cornelius Valerianus was the older son of Gallienus and Salonina. As a youth, he was raised to the rank of Caesar in 253 AD. He was being tutored by the eventual usurper Ingenuus (died 260AD). He apparently died two years later, in 255 AD. He was too young […]

Salonina Wife of Emperor Gallienus 253-268 AD Cornelia Salonina Chrysogone was the wife of Emperor Gallienus and the mother of Valerian II andSaloninus. She was married to Gallienus around 249 AD. Salonina is said to have been a virtuous and intellectual woman. Unfortunately, she was murdered with her husband in 268 AD at the siege […]

Gallienus 253 – 268 AD Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus was the son of the emperor Valerian I. Gallienus was raised to the rank of co-emperor (Augustus) soon after his father was hailed Augustus by his troops. At the same time, Gallienus’s son, Valerian II, was given the rank of Caesar. In 254 AD, Gallienus was charged […]

Diviae Mariniana Wife of Valerian I Mariniana was the wife of Valerian I and the mother of Valerian II and Gallienus. Based upon her surviving coinage, it would appear that she died prior to her husband’s accession to the the throne of the Roman Empire. All her coins are thus commemorative by nature. Monetary System During the reign of her […]

Valerian I 253-260 AD Pubius Licinius Valerianus was a man from a respected Roman family, Valerian had held various offices in the government during the reign of Trajan Decius (249-251AD). At the time of the revolt of Aemilian (252-253AD) against the emperor Trebonianus Gallus (251-253AD), Valerian was summoned to bring his army drawn from garrisons stationed on the Rhine. Aemilian […]

Uranius Antoninus 253-254 AD Usurper of Emesa, Syria Julius Aurelius Sulpicius Uranius Antoninus was a usurper who rose to power in Syria. Uranius was known as the priest-king. He successfully defended Emesa against the Persian invasion led by Shapur I in 253AD. Although the Persians succeeded in sacking Antioch, they withdrew from the region. Uranius was […]

Cornelia Supera Wife of M. Aemilius Aemilianus 253 AD Cornelia Supera is a woman who was completely unknown to history if it had not been for surviving specimens of her coinage. Cornelia was most likely married to the usurper Aemilian and quite possibly a native of Mauretania as was her husband. Prior to Aemilian’s grasp of power, […]

Marcus Aemilianus Augustus-October 253 AD Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus was born about 207 AD on the island of Jerba off the coast of Tunisia where he came from an insignificant family. Aemilian was a senator, ex-consul and had been governor of Moesia Inferior where he assumed command in 252 AD. Aemilian’s rise to power came when Kniva, […]

VOLUSIAN 251-253 AD C. Vibius Afinius Gallus Veudumnianus Volusianus was the son of Trebonianus Gallus. Volusian was given the rank of Caesar at the time of his father’s accession while the son of Trajan Decius, Hostilian, was raised to the rank of joint Augustus. To further cement Volusian’s path to the throne, he was married to Trajan […]

Trebonianus Gallus 251-253 AD C. Vibius Trebonianus Gallus was born about 206 AD at Perugia in Italy. He was a Senator, had served as Consul and was Governor of Upper Moesia beginning around 250 AD. Trebonianus Gallus served in the army holding a high rank and playing a leading role in the Danube wars under Trajan […]