Volusianus, 251-253, Antoninianus

Volusianus, Antoninianus, AR, reign of Volusianus 251-253, Rome mint, 251-253, 2.97 g, 21 mm. Obverse with radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; legend IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG. Reverse VIRTVS AVGG, Virtus standing left, holding spear and parazonium (short sword), emphasizing martial prowess and imperial valor. Well-centered legends and devices; struck on a compact flan typical for the later antoninianus. RIC IV Volusian 186.

Issued during the joint rule of Trebonianus Gallus and his son Volusianus, this antoninianus belongs to the mid-third-century period marked by military pressure on the frontiers and rapid imperial turnover. The VIRTVS AVGG type presents Virtus as an official statement of the emperors’ claimed martial capability and their role as protectors of the state, a recurrent theme in Roman coinage used to project stability and authority during ongoing crises.