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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Sulla80, post: 4392906, member: 99456&quot;]A fun thread and a nice set of coins [USER=72790]@kevin McGonigal[/USER] - the nod to Augustus particularly interesting.&nbsp; I add a vote for Gallienus as most underrated - being handed a mess, fending off multiple challengers and invaders, reorganizing the army, growing an equestrian class, increasing tolerance of Christianity, &quot;scandalously&quot; tolerating Salonina&#039;s opinions, and there are even claims that he and Salonina fostered a &quot;Gallienic Renaissance&quot; influencing art and philosophy.</p><p><br /></p><p>Somehow, he survived 8 years as sole emperor and 15 years overall at a challenging time, lasting longer than a dozen emperors before and almost a dozen emperors after between Severus Alexander and Diocletian.&nbsp; Diocletian of course decided the job required a Tetrarchy.&nbsp; Some of Gallienus&#039; efforts didn&#039;t endear him to the senate - which probably wasn&#039;t good for his reputation.</p><p><a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Tyranni_XXX*.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Tyranni_XXX*.html" rel="nofollow"></a></p><p><a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Tyranni_XXX*.html#p129" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Tyranni_XXX*.html#p129" rel="nofollow">Historia Augusta</a> authors are clearly not fans: &quot;I am by this time ashamed to tell how many tyrants there were in the reign of Gallienus, all on account of the vices of that pestiferous man, for such, indeed, were his excesses that he deserved to have many rebels rise up against him, and such his cruelty that he was rightly regarded with fear.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; For context, a comment from <a href="https://www.livius.org/sources/content/historia-augusta/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.livius.org/sources/content/historia-augusta/" rel="nofollow">Livius.org</a> : &quot;<i>Historia Augusta</i> is something like an ancient mockumentary&quot;.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1105199[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Gallienus</b>, AD 253-268. AE Antoninianus</p><p><b>Obv: </b>GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head of Gallienus to right</p><p><b>Rev:</b> LAETITIA AVG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath in her right hand and anchor in her left</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1105192[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Gallienus</b>, AD 253-268 AD, BI Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria, dated year 9</p><p><b>Obv:</b> AVT K P LIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB, Laureate and cuirassed bust to right</p><p><b>Rev: </b>ENATOY L, Eagle standing left, holding wreath in beak; palm over shoulder</p><p><b>Ref:</b> Dattari 5286; Geissen 2908[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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