Nomos 30

Saloninus, as Caesar, 258-260. Aureus (Gold, 19 mm, 3.19 g, 7 h), Commagene, 258-259. SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES Draped bust of Saloninus to right. Rev. SPES PVBLICA Spes standing to left, raising the hem of her skirt with her left hand and presenting, with her extended right hand, a flower to the young Caesar, on her left and standing to right, wearing military dress, extending his right hand and holding a spear with his left. Calicó 3693a. Cohen -. RIC -. Vagi 2357. Of great rarity. A superb example well-struck and well-centered. Good extremely fine.

During the later third century Saloninus was one of the many hapless emperors who was thrust into power only to meet their doom shortly thereafter. After the death of his elder brother, Valerian II, Saloninus was appointed Caesar by his father Gallienus in order to secure the dynastic succession and to assist with the administration of Gaul. However, due to his youth Saloninus was placed under the guardianship of Silvanus, the praetorian prefect and the real power supporting Saloninus. Unfortunately, around 260, Silvanus began a dispute, which soon spiralled out of control, over the distribution of booty with a Batavian military commander named Postumus. Postumus’ troops responded by forcing Silvanus and Saloninus to flee to the major city of Cologne while proclaiming their commander as emperor—the first of the so-called Gallic Emperors. This led to a siege with the loyalist troops inside Cologne proclaiming Saloninus as Augustus in the hope of garnering support; unfortunately, after a month the citizens of Cologne handed the young emperor over to Postumus. Although the Gallic Emperor claimed (rather dubiously) to have tried to save him, he was unable to prevent the murder of Saloninus by his troops.