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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Magnus Maximus, post: 2311363, member: 73473&quot;]So Emperor Flavius Julius Valens Augustus was born in 328 CE in the Roman province of Sirmium. He was the younger brother of Emperor Valentinian I and son of Gratian the Elder. Unlike his brother though he was not a successful soldier and only joined the legions in time for the bloody Sassanid war of Julian II.</p><p><br /></p><p>When his brother was acclaimed Emperor after the death of Jovian in 364, Valens was appointed co-Emperor of the Roman Empire. Valens first assignment as Emperor was to snuff out the rebellion of the last scion of the Constantinian Dynasty, Procopius.</p><p><br /></p><p>After that he prepared to campaign against the Persians. A sort of &quot;cold war&quot; occurred with the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia between 365 and 375. In preparation for his war with Persia, Valens stripped the Danube frontier of many troops. Around this time though a nomadic horseman group called the Huns were putting pressure on tribes living north of the Danube. One tribal group who were fleeing the Huns were the goths. Led by their king Fritigern, they decided to flee from the Huns and asked Valens for asylum. Valens, who needed the extra troops to supplement his Army, gleefully agreed. What happened next can only be described as a disaster. When the goths crossed over the Danube they were not disarmed or dispersed (as per protocol) and the only Imperial troops in the area were Limitanei (border troops). To top things off, a Roman Comes (count) had abused the goths badly and tried to kill their leaders. The goths went berserk in the middle empire, with only border troops to protect them the Roman civilians were at the mercy of the goths. When Valens received the news of the disaster in the Balkans he probably thought &quot;wait are these the same goths who are suppose to be supplying troops to the army for my Persian campaign? What the h%#}\ happened!?&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Needless to say Valens was livid about the whole affair, he soon broke off his campaign against the Persians and was hellbent on bringing the goths back in line. Valens, who desperately need decisive victory to his name, ignored the advice of his generals to wait for reinforcements from Gratian. </p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately the ensuing battle at Adrianople was one of the worst Roman defeats since Decius&#039;s defeat/death in 251. The Romans lost two thirds of their army which included many good officers and tribunes. Valens body was never found, and it is likely that he died anonymous in the fray.</p><p>From Socrates of Constantinople on the death of Emperor Valens:</p><p><i>&quot;Some have asserted that he was burnt to death in a village whither he had retired, which the barbarians assaulted and set on fire. But others affirm that having put off his imperial robe he ran into the midst of the main body of infantry; and that when the cavalry revolted and refused to engage, the infantry were surrounded by the barbarians, and completely destroyed in a body. Among these it is said the Emperor fell, but could not be distinguished, in consequence of his not having on his imperial habit.&quot;</i></p><p>One Dux( duke) who did survive the battle though was a man named Magnus Maximus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pictures</p><p><br /></p><p>So I actually purchased this coin as a christmas gift in 2015, but I just returned home so this is the first time I have actually laid eyes on it. It&#039;s also in a plastic tomb, and I have no intentions of cracking it out.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]465892[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465893[/ATTACH]</p><p>Valens AR Siliqua, 367-375 AD. Constantinople.</p><p><br /></p><p>DN VALEN-S PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right</p><p>VOT VX MVLT XX, in four lines within wreath.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mintmark C chi-rho S.</p><p>RIC IX Constantinople 38b. Scarce.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The Last stand of Emperor Valens</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465894[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Sources</p><p><a href="http://www.roman-empire.net/army/adrianople.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.roman-empire.net/army/adrianople.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.roman-empire.net/army/adrianople.html</a></p><p><a href="http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Adrianople" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Adrianople" rel="nofollow">http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Adrianople</a></p><p>Thanks to Amellianus on deviant art for the wonderful(and sad) picture.</p><p>Post your coins of Valens and Siliquae![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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