I am investigating how Roman legion coins in 287 AD during the reign of Carausius were marked differently from coins not produced for legion means. During that first year, there were no coins minted with the word PAX or peace. I will assess why there was a decrease in the minting of coins referring to legions, as well as why there was an increase in coins minted referring to PAX for the remainder of his emperorship. Due to the lack of archeological and historical records relating to Carausius, the Roman Imperial Coinage is one of the main resources historians currently possess. Antoniniani coins were the main coins minted because they were the coins that everybody had. The coin types were the aurei, denarii, and antoniniani. The methods for this paper included viewing and observing one primary source, P.H. Webb’s, The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. VI RIC V.2. I analyzed coinage from the year 287 AD in contrast to the coins minted in the remainder of his reign. And I found a significant difference in the percentage of legion coins minted in 287 AD contrary to the percentage of legion coins produced over the next six years.

Antoniniani Legion Coinage in the Reign of Carausius