M. Cassianius Latinius Postumus was of humble origin. Postumus became a soldier of great merit and was appointed commander of the Rhine legions by Valerian. He rebelled against Gallienus, and ruled Gaul, Spain and Britain firmly and wisely for almost a decade. He was completely successful not only in fighting back the German tribes from the Rhine frontier, but also in thwarting the repeated attempts of Gallienus to recover the lost provinces. Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus rebelled against Postumus, and although the usurper was quickly attacked and destroyed, the refusal of Postumus to allow his troops to sack Moguntiacum (Mainz), which had supported the rebel, led to his own assassination.
Why his coins carry references to the Orient is unclear.
Click on coin catalog links to view images:
| Catalog | Denom | Inscription | Reverse Type |
|---|---|---|---|
Postumus A.D. 260-269 |
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| Hill 229 | aureus PB forgery |
POSTVMVS PIVS FELIX AVG / ORIENS AVG | Sol stand. R head L holding globe in L and raising R |
| RIC 316 E 568 |
anton | IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG / ORIENS AVG | Sol walking L, R hand raised, holding whip |
The images are used by permission of their copyright owners. See the Coins of Rome about Parthia index page for a listing of these generous individuals, dealers and institutions.
This page last updated 23 Feb 2021
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