Gallienus and Salonina had two sons depicted on coinage -- Valerian II and Saloninus. Let's see your coins of these two boys! The year their eldest son, Valerian II (P Cornelius Licinius Valerianus), was born is not known with certainty; a date of AD 240 is a reasonable guess. Perhaps at the instigation of his grandfather, Valerian I, the younger Valerian was accorded the title Caesar shortly after Gallienus' elevation to the role of joint emperor with Valerian I, probably some time in AD 255 and no later than AD 256. Valerian I and Gallienus soon issued coins in the boy's name with the idea of establishing an imperial dynasty extending to a third generation, something not seen in the Roman world since Commodus wore the purple. The most obvious allusion to this is the reverse type IOVI CRESCENTI ("the growing Jupiter"), which depicts Valerian II as the infant Jupiter riding on the back of the goat Amalthea. The younger Valerian would have been a teenager -- 15 or 16 -- at the time he first appeared on coinage. He is depicted as a youth, typically beardless, though sometimes he is depicted with stubble-like sideburns or a faint beard along the jaw line. Interestingly, he sometimes is depicted with a long lock of hair falling behind his ear. Vagi notes that some have speculated this may have been intended to equate him with the Egyptian god, Horus, and thus with the renewal of time. Unfortunately the young Caesar was murdered some time around AD 257, possibly at the hands of his protector, Ingenuus. After his death, there followed a series of commemorative issues with obverse legends reading DIVO VALERIANO CAES and reverse legends CONSECRATIO and depicting and eagle, a funeral pyre, or an altar. Valerian II, Caesar AD 256-258. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.14 g, 22.5 mm, 5 h. Cologne, AD 257-258. Obv: VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust, right. Rev: IOVI CRESCENTI, infant Jupiter seated facing on goat standing right, his right hand raised. Refs: RIC 3; Göbl 907e; Cohen 26; RCV 10731; Hunter 9. ~~~ Gallienus's younger son, Saloninus (P Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus), was born around the year 242. After Valerian II's death in AD 258, Gallienus raised Saloninus to the rank of Caesar. Again, this may have been at the instigation of Valerian I. Gallienus and Valerian similarly issued coins in his name until AD 260, when Saloninus perished in the revolt of Postumus in Gaul, having been raised to the rank of Augustus only a few weeks previously, at the age of 17. Coins issued for Saloninus as Augustus are extremely rare, with perhaps fewer than 20 specimens known. Posthumous commemorative coins are similarly rare, being limited to a single issue with the reverse legend CONSECRATIO but lacking the title DIVO in the obverse legend. Vagi speculates that Gallienus perhaps thought it unwise to advertise the crisis that had befallen the family in AD 260, for his father had been captured by the Persians and Saloninus had been executed under shameful circumstances. Saloninus, Caesar AD 258-260. Roman billon antoninianus, 2.39 g, 22.2 mm, 12 h. Cologne, AD 258-260. Obv: SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust, right. Rev: PIETAS AVG, lituus, jug, simpulum and sprinkler. Refs: RIC 9; Göbl 914e; Cohen 41; RCV 10767; Cunetio 744; Hunter 8. NOTE: Some of the types struck in the name of Valerian II have erroneously been assigned by the authors of older references to Saloninus. Such references, like Cohen, should be used cautiously. Inclusion of SAL or SALON in the inscription is a certain indicator that the coinage is of Saloninus and not Valerian II; similarly, without SAL or SALON, the coinage probably belongs to Valerian II.
Nice examples! Mine sport somewhat older portraits which I imagine might have been closer to what they actually looked like. Valerian II antoninianus from Antioch, VICTORIA PART Saloninus antoninianus from Rome(?) PRINCIPI IVVENT
I'm looking for a Saloninus and Valerian II with good silver, good strike, full flan, nicely executed reverse. So far what I have seen at auction and in fixed price sales hasn't really been overwhelming in terms of quality, so these two remain on my wish list.
Nice examples! Roman Collector / Finn235 I definately will try to get these guys in 2019, for my collection.
Good silver and fairly heavy. Valerian II (256 - 258 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: VALERIANVS CAES, Radiate and draped bust right. R: IOVI CRESCENNI, Infant Jupiter seated facing on goat (Amalthea) standing right,his right hand raised. Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint 4.34g 23mm RIC 3 RSC 26 Saloninus (258 - 260 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: PIETAS AVG, priestly implements - littus, knife, jug, simpulum, and sprinkler. Rome 4.3g 21.1mm RIC V 9, RSC IV 4
Very good examples ! Valerian II, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 258 DIVO CAES VALERIANO, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Valerianus junior right CONSECRATIO, altar 2.88 gr Ref : RCV # 10608, RIC # 24, RSC # 13 Saloninus, Antoninianus Cologne mint, AD 258-260 SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust right PIETAS AVG, sacrificial implements 2.85 gr Ref : Cohen # 41, RCV # 10767 Saloninus, Middle bronze - Rome mint, AD 258-260 LIC COR SAL VALERIANVS N CAES, draped bust right PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Saloninus standing left holding globe and spear. A captive at his feet. S - C in field Mintmark ? at exergue 7.1 gr Ref : RCV # 10778 v, Cohen # 90, RIC # 34 Q
Great coins @Cucumbor ! Those examples are among the best I've seen. I should add that I am specifically looking for a CONSECRATIO type.
My only Valerian II: RIC IV/1, 49; C. 67; Göbl 1694b. From the time where I want to have from each emperor a coin.
Valerian II (Caesar) Coin: AR Antoninianus VALERIANVS CAES - Radiate and draped bust right. IOVI CRESCENTI - the child Jupiter sitting right on the goat Amalthea, looking left, right hand raised, left hand holding the goat's horn. Mint: Cologne (256-258 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 4.17g / 22.17mm / - References: RIC 3 (Lyons) Cohen 26 (Saloninus) Elmer 67a; Goebl 0907e Sear 10731. Provenances: ex-Stevex6 Saloninus (Caesar) Coin: Silver Ant SAL VALERIANVS CAES - Radiate draped bust right PRINC IVVENT - Prince standing left holding baton and standard, one standard to right Mint: Lyons (258-260 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 3.80g / 24mm / - References: RIC V1 10 Cohen 61 Sear5 10770
Since the boys did not share the title Caesar at the same time, you are more likely to find Valerian II in somewhat miserable billon and Saloninus in silver washed format. The best silver period was before there were coins for Valerian II so a couple of the ones shown above are as good as I have seen. Finding a Saloninus better than Q's may be difficult.
Divus Valerian II, died 258. Antoninianus. Consecration issue, struck under Gallienus, Rome, 258-260. Obv. DIVO CAES VALERIANO, Radiate and draped bust of Valerian II to right. Rev. CONSECRATIO, around lighted altar. RIC 24. Saloninus (258-260). Antoninianus. Obv. LIC COR SAL VALERIANVS N CAES, radiate, draped bust right. Rev. PIETAS AVGG, Wand, simpulum, vase, knife, sprinkler. RIC 26. Saloninus (258-260). Antoninianus, Rome. Obv. LIC COR SAL VALERIANVS N CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. PRINC IVVENT, prince standing left, holding ensign and sceptre or spear. RIC 27. Saloninus (258-260). Antoninianus, Antioch. Obv. SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, Rev. SPES PVBLICA, Spes standing left, holding hem of skirt and presenting flower to prince, standing right in military attire, holding spear. RIC 36.
Also worth noting is how many examples were struck with worn dies for the reverse, yet relatively decent dies for the obverse. Valerian II Silver (Billon) Double Denarius Rome mint, A.D. 253-255 Obv: P LIC VALERIANVS CAES Rev: IOVI CRESCENTI - Jupiter, as a child, riding, right, on goat RIC 13 20x23 mm, 4.3g. Saloninus Silver (Billon) Double Denarius Cologne mint Obv: SALON VALERIANVS CAES Rev: SPES PVBLICA - Spes, walking left, holding flower and raising skirt RIC 13, var. 22x20mm, 2.2g.
Here is a fine style portrait of Valerian II on good silver, relatively sharp with intact eyes, a feature rarely seen on his and just about never on Saloninus´ coins:
The silver on my Saloninus has suffered in the ground. I have a (19th Century?) uniface plaster cast of a medallic Sestertius of Saloninus. I do not know where the original is located.
The original of your cast is a silvered AE Medallion, Gnecchi 3. Reverse is PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Saloninus in military attire left with globe and spear, captive at feet. There are three originals known, yours is a cast of the one in Paris (41 mm / 60 gr).
Many thanks. This was one of a few such plaster casts that I bought some years ago as a curio. It is good to be able to place at least one of them. It is nice to be able to update my records with this information.
Returning to this post as this coin had not yet made an appearance. Nice obverse portrait of the young Caesar - the reverse die had seen better days... Saloninus as Caesar, AD 258-260. AR Antoninianus Mediolanum (Milan) mint. 1st emission, AD 258-260 Obv: SAL VALERIANVS CS, radiate and draped bust right Rev: PRINC IVVENT, Saloninus standing facing, head left, holding baton and transverse spear; one standard behind Size: 21.5-23mm, 3.51g Ref: RIC V 10; RSC 61 Also adding a coin of Postumus whose Rhine armies rebelled and killed Saloninus at Colonia Agrippinensium (Cologne) along with praetorian prefect Silvanus in 260. Postumus, Romano-Gallic Emperor, AD 260-269. AR Antoninianus Treveri (Trier) mint. 3rd emission, 1st phase, AD 263-265. Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: MONETA AVG Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. Size: 21.5, 2.75g Ref: RIC V 75; RSC 199a
Valerian II. Caesar, 256-258 AD. Aspendos, Pamphylia. Æ 32 (16.91 gm). Obv: ΠOΥ ΛIK KOΡ OΥAΛEΡIANON KAIΣ ΣE, his bare head and draped bust, right, above an eagle with wings spread. Mark of value "A" in right field not visible. Rev: AΣΠEN-ΔIΩN, Hephaistos wearing conical cap seated right, holding hammer in r. hand, and shield of Achilles in left hand. Flaming forge below and to his right. BMC__; SNG Cop__; von Aulock__; SNG France__; SNG PFPS__; Leopold__; Isegrim__. Cf. SNG France 207 (for rev. type [Valerian I]). Apparently unpublished. A single example found at: http://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=13106.