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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Claudius_Gothicus, post: 8019714, member: 116315&quot;]That&#039;s actually an interesting comparison! While I couldn&#039;t find anything specific on the internet, I do have to wonder whether the Papal regalia was at least somewhat inspired by the Roman consular attire.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks! You&#039;re right, I did leave out that it came from a group lot - both because I didn&#039;t think it was the most important detail, and also because I didn&#039;t want somebody to think I was making it up - finding a coin this rare is already very hard, but discovering it in a group lot of a relatively mainstream auction <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie7" alt=":p" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />? Then again, [USER=98035]@Finn235[/USER] once managed to score a portrait coin of Varus at an incredible price, so I guess everything can happen.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your coins are all very nice as well <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />! I especially like those Byzantines - the Justinian from 541 is historically important, and the Tiberius is cool for its reelaboration of the consular attire - I would have posted a consular Bardanes as well, as a closing image to the thread, but unfortunately I happened to hit the image limit.</p><p><br /></p><p>As for the most important question, the one regarding the death of Gallienus, it&#039;s a complicated issue that I&#039;ve been thinking about for quite a while, and I&#039;ve read the few available sources; here&#039;s my summary:</p><p>- Aurelius Victor completely exonerates Claudius II, saying that the dying Gallienus had nominated him his successor, and claims that the conspiracy to kill the emperor had actually been orchestrated by the besieged Aureolus and unknowingly enacted by a group of officers, including Aurelian, who had been given a fake list of people that Gallienus had condemned to death;</p><p>- The <i>Epitome de Caesaribus </i>claims that Gallienus was murdered by his troops, instigated by Aureolus, but doesn&#039;t mention any names;</p><p>- Zosimus doesn&#039;t implicate Aureolus and claims that the murder, which happened during a banquet, had been orchestrated by their own initiative by Heraclianus, Claudius and an unnamed cavalry commander;</p><p>- Zonaras mentions that Gallienus was killed after having sallied out of the camp, having been told that Aureolus was attacking, and he blames Heraclianus and Aurelian, with Claudius knowing about the conspiracy and allowing it to unfold;</p><p>- Finally, the <i>Historia Augusta </i>is the most radically different one, as it blames Heraclianus, Marcianus and Cecropius, otherwise unattested, though the trap is the same as in Zonaras&#039; account, and Claudius and Aurelian are obviously innocent;</p><p><br /></p><p>What do I think? Personally, I believe that the history of the forged letter of Aureolus is an invention by later historians based on the similar trap that was used to kill Aurelian a few years later, created as a way to exonerate the man claimed to be Constantine&#039;s ancestor; in my opinion, the conspiracy was independently organized by the officers, who were unsatisfied with both the military situation as well as Gallienus&#039; (failed) dynastic policy which, had it succeeded, would have cut off the generals from the succession to the throne. As for Claudius, while it&#039;s almost certain that he was not present, he probably had been informed about the plot, at the very least.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks, your coins are great too! I&#039;m even a little bit jealous, as assembling a bust type set of the VICTORIAE GOTHIC reverse is high on my watchlist - hopefully I&#039;ll manage to acquire these types as well, eventually.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Nice coins [USER=4298]@Cucumbor[/USER]! I think it&#039;s never too early to start chasing white whales, though, because it&#039;s always nice to have a little bit of a headstart <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you! That&#039;s an excellent selection of Mediolanum issues. So far this is my only Claudius II from this mint, but I&#039;m making sure that this will change soon <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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