THE ROMAN EMPEROR LUCIUS DOMITIUS AURELIANUS (270-5 AD) With this paper I want to hopefully expand a little on the reign of the Roman Emperor Aurelian, the emperor who defeated Tetricus, looking at the political events as well as numismatic events that oc cured during his reign and to perhaps allow us a better understanding of the times and the coins. In order to do this the paper is divided ...
Aurelian promoted worship of the sun across the Empire and made the birthday of the son the most important holiday on the Roman calendar. This special date, 25 December, was later adopted in Rome for Christian use.
A Roman army under Aurelian was ambushed and defeated. After the Iuthungi moved towards a defenseless Rome, Aurelian rallied his men and defeated the them on the Metauro River, just inland of Fano. At the Battle of Pavia, Aurelian closed the passes in the Alps, then encircled and destroyed the Alamanni near Pavia.
Aurelian is represented on his coins, sometimes laureate, sometimes radiate, after the usual manner of the Roman Emperors, and at other times crowned with a diadem according to the fashion of eastern kings.
The aurelianianus was a silver clad radiate denomination introduced by Aurelian in 274 A.D. and struck until 293 A.D. After 274 the older radiate Antoniniani no longer circulated. The aurelianianus was struck on the same standard 3.88 grams, with a copper core and a 5% silver coating, and tariffed at 5 denarii communes (d.c.). Many aurelianianus have lost their silvering and appear bronze ...
I think this thread should be made sticky either here in Roman Coins or under Books and References. I also suggest changing the title to "Pre-publication online version of new RIC V.1 for Claudius II, Quintillus, Aurelian, Tacitus, Florian, Vabalathus, and Zenobia ". That title I think better conveys the contents of this wonderful new resource, and the thread should be made sticky so that ...