Trebonianus Coins

Trebonianus Gallus ruled as co-emperor with his son from 251-253 AD, one of the "Barracks Emperors," during a period when military generals were declared emperor by their out-of-control armies and rule was established by force. Large parts of Roman territory were overtaken by barbarians, 19 rulers succeeded each other violently within 30 years, and Rome faced both economic disaster and an epidemic of plague.

Trebonianus coins reflect some of this unrest, showing the mint work of struggling provinces: Thrace, Syria, Antioch, Phrygia, Dacia and Alexandria.

One of the most interesting aspect of Trebonianian coinage is the wide spectrum of provincial gods, goddesses, and temples shown on the backs of coins: Isis, Serapis, Tyche, and city-goddesses of Dacia and Tarsus (the Antiochopedia website blog on 3/30/2008 shows a Trebonianian coin manifesting what may be the only visual record remaining of the temple of Tyche, protectress of Antioch).