The Franklin Mint: An Ancient Roman Coin of Emperor Gratian

Interior Decoration | Antique Coins | Authenticity Guaranteed

A Collection of Coins of the Ancient Roman Empire

Gratian (reigned AD 367¨C383)

Gratian was the son of Valentinian I. In AD 367, at the age of just eight, he was granted the title of Augustus. Following the death of Valentinian I in AD 375, Gratian became ruler of the western half of the Roman Empire and subsequently appointed his four-year-old brother, Valentinian II, as co-emperor. Although nominally a joint ruler, Valentinian II remained emperor in name only; even after Gratian¡¯s death, he still lacked the maturity required to become a strong sovereign.

Emperor Gratian established his palace and base at Trier (Augusta Treverorum) in Gaul¡ªencompassing what are now northern Italy, France, Belgium, and parts of the Netherlands and Germany¡ªas its location facilitated campaigns against the Alemanni, a confederation of Germanic tribes. Following a major victory at Argentoratum (modern Strasbourg) in AD 378, Gratian travelled east to assist Valens in his war against the Goths.

He did not, however, arrive in time for the disastrous Battle of Adrianople, in which Emperor Valens lost his life. Gratian nominated Flavius Theodosius, the son of a general, as emperor of the East, succeeding his deceased younger brother. He continued to rule in the West, but the responsibility of sustaining an empire approaching collapse weighed heavily upon him. In AD 383, the Roman troops stationed in Britannia (modern Britain) proclaimed a rival emperor. Gratian hastened back to Gaul to depose the usurper. Betrayed by his own troops, however, he was killed at Lugdunum (modern Lyon).
Freight:
1.International Freight: Foreign shipping charges are determined by destination.
2.Photos, descriptions and valuations have been meticulously prepared by fully certified expert judgment and appraisers.
3.In rare cases, the item does not match the description in the auction, Hans Auction experts will help you, please notify Hans Auction within 5 days of receiving the item.
4.Check Shipping, Payment and Auction Policies for more details.
5.This auction is conducted online only, and in-person collection is not available at this time. After a successful bid, items will be securely shipped to your designated address. For deliveries within the UK, Royal Mail will generally be used. For international deliveries, an appropriate shipping carrier will be selected based on the destination and shipping requirements.
6.This item will be shipped from Japan