Galerius
Imperator Caesar Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus Augustus
Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Diocletian's Caesar in the East, responsible for the Danubian and Persian fronts. He suffered a catastrophic defeat against Persia in 296, which Diocletian publicly humiliated him for, but redeemed himself with a decisive victory in 298 that resulted in the most favourable peace treaty Rome had won from Persia in generations. He was one of the principal architects of the Great Persecution of Christians. On his deathbed in 311, suffering from a terrible illness, he issued the Edict of Serdica granting Christians toleration, a dramatic reversal of policy.
Galerius's Edict of Serdica, issued days before his death by a man who had been the most zealous persecutor of Christians, is one of the most startling reversals in Roman history. His coinage documents the full arc of Tetrarchic reform and the complex religious policies of the period.
Key Events
Coinage
Galerius's coinage as Caesar and Augustus is extensive and spans the full reform period. The GENIO POPVLI ROMANI follis is the dominant type. His portrait, compared to other Tetrarchs, tends toward a more heavily built, square-featured style, consistent with ancient descriptions of a rough-hewn Danubian soldier. Argentei of the 290s struck under his authority at eastern mints are of high technical quality.
Denominations
Notable Types
- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI types
- IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG types
- CONCORDIA MILITVM types (as Caesar with Diocletian)
- FIDES MILITVM types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VI,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume IV,