(10) Gallienus, son of Valerian, was entrusted with the west on his
father's accession in 253 and defended the Rhine frontier until he was
left sole Emperor in 258, when Valerian was captured by Shapur of
Persia. Various usurpations compelled Gallienus to enter Italy, and he
left the Rhine defences in charge of a general--M. Cassianius Latinius
Postumus.
(11) Postumus at once had to face a great invasion of Franks. He
gained some successes and was therefore proclaimed emperor by the
armies of Gaul and Britain. Before long dissensions broke out in the
Gallic empire and several commanders rose and fell in rapid
succession. It is conceivable that some of these are represented in
the coins found in Blackbanks, but these specimens are too badly
weathered for certain identification to be possible.
(12) On March 4, 268, Gallienus was assassinated. His successor was M.
Aurelius Claudius, afterwards surnamed Gothicus, a skilful general who
did the empire great service by his victories over invaders from
Switzerland and the Tyrol by the shores of the Lago di Garda, and over
the Goths at Naissus (Nish).
(13) Tetricus is of interest only because his surrender to Aurelian in
273 marks the collapse of the Gallic empire.
(15-18) Diocletian became Augustus in 284, and co-opted Maximian as
his colleague two years later.
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