ROMAN COINS OF THE LONDON MINT: 296-325 AD

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Roman coins in all denominations and from a wide array of official (and sometimes unofficial) mints were used, and hoarded, throughout the period of Roman occupation of Britain: 43-410 AD. Additionally, "barbarous imitative" coins were produced and circulated from time to time throughout the same period. Four mints were established and operated in Roman Britain:

• An unofficial (not sanctioned by Rome) mint founded by the Usurper Augustus Carausius at London (Londinium) in 286 and perpetuated by his successor, Allectus.
• A second unofficial mint also founded by Carausius at (uncertainly) Colchester/Camulodunum/Clausentum in 286. Likewise, this mint was continued by Allectus but was abandoned after his death in 295.
• An official mint established in 296 at London after the defeat of Allectus by Constantius, Tetrarch Caesar of the West, that was essentially the Carausius/Allectus mint re-opened by the Tetrarchy of Diocletian. This mint, with one officina (workshop), continued to operate under succeeding Tetrarchs and the Constantinians until 325.
• An official mint founded by Magnus Maximus at London (now designated Augusta) in 383 that continued to produce coinage until 388.

These web pages are devoted to the coinage produced by the London Mint, 296-325 AD, mostly as described in RIC, Volumes VI and VII.

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Seccessionist Britain: the Usurpers - Carausius & Allectus

The following is only a brief summary of the historical background surrounding the exploits of the Usurper Augusti of Secessionist Britain and their involvement in the production of coinage at the British mints they controlled. Check the references at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

Carausius:

The political and military turmoil of the third century spawned numerous external assaults on the Roman Empire. One of these was the incessant seafaring piracy in the waters surrounding the Roman occupied island outpost of Britain. In 286 Maximian, in his capacity as Tetrarch Augustus of the West, designated a highly regarded military commander named Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius, of Flemish descent, to head a fleet of ships who's mission was to eliminate, or at least severely curtail, this piracy. Carausius had distinguished himself by outstanding leadership and military prowess, especially as a naval "Admiral", in the Gallic campaigns.

 
IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG ...................................................... PAX -- AVG
CARAUSIUS
Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius
Usurper Augustus of Secessionist Britain: 287 - 293
RIC Volume V(2) No. 475

actual size of coin

Carausius did indeed accomplish his mission, but reports of corruption and extortion led Maximian to dispatch a fleet of ships to British waters in order to remove Carausius from command. However, Carausius proved too strong and he repulsed the attack. Carausius subsequently landed in the north of Britain, secured the support of the native Picts and, advancing south, confronted and defeated the forces of the Roman Governor. Having thus conquered the Island, he proclaimed himself Augustus of a Secessionist Britain becoming an effective and efficient Administrator using the Roman Imperial governmental framework as a model.

Carausius established his own mints at London (Londinium), Colchester/Camulodunum/Clausentum (uncertain) and across the Channel at Rotomagus (Rouen) which began to produce coins of distinctive style in Gold, Silver and Copper. PAX was a common reverse on coins of this period.

Carausius attempted to assert his equality with -- and acceptance as a co-Augusti by -- the legitimate Dyarchal Augusti, Diocletian and Maximian, by issuing a series of Antoninianus coins in their names and including the titulature AVGGG (the three Augusti) as part of the reverse legend.

 
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG ......................................... PAX AVGGG
CARAUSIUS/DIOCLETIAN
Issued in the name of Diocletian by Carausius
RIC Volume V(2) No. 5

actual size of coin

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Allectus:

In 293 Caius Allectus, the chief Minister/Praetorian Prefect of Carausius, conspired to assassinate him and thereupon declared himself Augustus of Secessionist Britain.

 
IMP C ALLECTVS PF AVG ...................................................... PAX -- AVG
ALLECTUS
Caius Allectus
Usurper Augustus of Secessionist Britain: 293 - 296
RIC Volume V(2) No. 33

actual size of coin

Allectus continued operation of the London and Colchester/Camulodunum/Clausentum (uncertain) mints and coins were issued in his name and bearing his portrait. In addition to the silver washed copper Antoninianus of Carausius, Allectus issued a copper coin of reduced size bearing the letter Q in the exergue which has been interpreted to mean Quinarius

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After an uneasy Interregnum Constantius, Tetrarch Caesar of the West, led a powerful naval force into the English Channel in 296 with the goal of removing Allectus from power. This Constantius did, one of his lieutenants killing Allectus during a land engagement, thus restoring Britain to the Roman Empire.

Medallion (replica) commemorating the restoration of Britain to the Roman Empire
Bronze replica of Arras Hoard multiple 10 Aurei specimen ( RIC Vol. VI, Treveri - No. 34)

 
FL VAL CONSTA -- NTIVS NOBIL CAES ..... R -- EDDITOR LVCIS -- AETERNA -- E

The above medallion commemorates the event -- on the reverse the personification of London kneels outside the City Fortification and supplicates to Constantius (on horseback) while a galley containing Roman soldiers waits on the river Thames (?).

actual size of coin

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Establishment of the official London Mint in 296

The Tetrarchs subsequently re-opened the London Mint -- now as an official facility with one officina (workshop) -- after Britain was restored to the Empire. This mint continued to operate under succeeding Tetrarchs and the Constantinians until 325.

Sutherland suggests (The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VI, page 113) that the official London Mint did not produce the first coins until 297.

Imperial Personages depicted on the obverse of London Mint coins: 296-325

• Diocletian -- as Augustus
• Maximian Herculius -- as Augustus
• Galerius Maximian -- as Caesar & Augustus
• Constantius -- as Caesar & Augustus
• Maximinus -- as Caesar & Augustus
• Severus -- as Caesar & Augustus
• Constantine -- as Caesar & Augustus
• Licinius -- as Augustus
• Crispus -- as Caesar
• Constantine II -- as Caesar
• Constantius II -- as Caesar
• Helena -- as Augusta
• Fausta -- as Augusta

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References:

• Carausius & Allectus - an excellent Reference Page by Ken Elks.
• Carausius (286-93) - another great Reference by Guy de la Bedoyere.
• Carausius - an Introduction - by "mauseus".
• DIOCLETIAN AND THE TETRARCHY, Roger Rees, Edinburgh University Press Ltd, (2004).
• IN PRAISE OF LATER ROMAN EMPERORS (The Panegyrici Latini), Rodgers, Barbara Saylor & C. E. V. Nixon, University of California Press, (1995).
• THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VI, Diocletian's reform (AD 294) to the death of Maximinus (AD 313), C. H. V. Sutherland, Spink & Son Ltd, London (1967 et al).
• THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VII, Constantine and Licinius (AD 313-337), Patrick M. Bruun, Spink & Son Ltd, London (1967 et al).

This page, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution, Noncommercial, No Derivative Works, 3.0 United States License was created by JFP (jp29@cox.net) and should be so attributed. Be sure to comply with copyright requirements accompanying externally linked pages and materials.

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Carausius coin from Londinium mint.

Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation;

IN the year of our Lord's incarnation 286, Diocletian, the thirty­third from Augustus, and chosen emperor by the army, reigned twenty years, and created Maximian, surnamed Herculius, his colleague in the empire. In their time, one Carausius, of very mean birth, but an expert and able soldier, being appointed to guard the sea­coasts, then infested by the Franks and Saxons, acted more to the prejudice than to the advantage of the commonwealth; and from his not restoring to its owners the booty taken from the robbers, but keeping all to himself, it was suspected that by intentional neglect he suffered the enemy to infest the frontiers. Hearing, therefore, that an order was sent by Maximian that he should be put to death, took upon him the imperial robes, and possessed himself of Britain, and having most valiantly retained it for the space of seven years, he was at length put to death by the treachery of his associate, Allectus. The usurper, having thus got the island from Carausius, held it three years, and was then vanquished by Asclepiodotus, the captain of the Praetorian bands, who thus at the end of ten years restored Britain to the Roman empire.

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Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius (d. 293) was a Roman military commander of Gaulish origins who in 286 declared himself emperor of Britain and northern Gaul. He held power for seven years, before being assassinated by his subordinate Allectus.

Carausius was a man of humble origin, a Menapian from Belgic Gaul who distinguished himself during the western Caesar Maximian's campaign against the Bagaudae in Gaul in 284-286. This success, and his former occupation as a pilot, led to his appointment to a naval command in the English Channel, with the responsibility of eliminating the Frankish and Saxon pirates who had been raiding the northern coasts of Gaul. However, he was suspected of colluding with the pirates to enrich himself, and Maximian ordered his execution. Carausius responded by declaring himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul. His forces comprised not only his fleet, augmented by new ships he had built, and the three legions stationed in Britain, but a legion he had seized in Gaul, a number of foreign auxiliary units, a levy of Gaulish merchant ships, and barbarian mercenaries attracted by the prospect of booty.

Maximian prepared an invasion of Britain in 288 or 289 to oust him, but it failed. The circumstances of its failure are unclear. A panegyric to Constantius Chlorus attributes this failure to bad weather, but notes that Carausius claimed a military victory. Eutropius says that hostilities were in vain thanks to Carausius's military skill, and peace was agreed. Carausius's coins seem to agree that his rule was recognised, albeit temporarily, as legitimate. Their values were aligned with official Roman issues, and they feature the names and images of Maximian, now western Augustus, and his eastern colleague Diocletian. However, he also appears to have appealed to native British dissatisfaction with Roman rule: he issued coins with legends such as Restitutor Britanniae (Restorer of Britain) and Genius Britanniae (Spirit of Britain). A milestone from Carlisle with his name on it suggests that the whole of Roman Britain was under his control.

This situation continued until 293, when Constantius Chlorus, now the western Caesar, marched into Gaul and reclaimed it for the empire. He isolated Carausius by besieging the port of Bononia (Boulogne), and invading Batavia in the Rhine delta, securing his rear against Carausius's Frankish allies. He could not yet mount an invasion of Britain until a suitable fleet could be built. Nevertheless, Carausius's grip on power was fatally undermined. Allectus, whom he had put in charge of his treasury, assassinated him and assumed power himself. His reign would last only three years, after which he was defeated and killed by Constantius's subordinate Julius Asclepiodotus.

These events appear, in distorted form, in medieval British legend. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's legendary Historia Regum Britanniae (1136) Carausius is a Briton of humble birth, who by his courage persuades the Roman Senate to give him command of a fleet to defend Britain from barbarian attack. Once given the fleet, however, he sails around Britain stirring up unrest, and raises an army against Bassanius, king of Britain, defeats him, and sets himself up as king. Hearing of Carausius's treachery, the Romans send Allectus to Britain with three legions. Allectus defeats and kills Carausius and sets himself up as king in his place. However, he proves a tyrant, and he is overthrown by a native revolt led by Asclepiodotus, here a duke of Cornwall.