From Gaul to North Africa. Coins of the Gallic usurpators (AD 260-274) outside the Gallic Empire

Abstract

The analysis not only of the coin-hoards, but also of the individual finds shows that official issues of the Gallic Empire both during 260-274 and thereafter did not provide much to the currency of the main Empire.
Seemingly, the higher standard of the period 260-268 and the lower standard after 268 of the official, silveralloy coins of the Gallic Empire compared with the issues of the central Empire did not contribute marktedly to their spread beyond the Gallic Empire. In the case of the official issues of the Gallic Empire a radial distribution took place, i. e. the amount of coins in the normal cash-flow decreased the further from the
mint. This is not the case for their imitations, however, since these are found more often in the coinage on sites in North Africa and Asia Minor compared with those in Spain, northern Italy and Rhaetia. Intensive
trade relations in the late 3rd century on both sides of the Mediterranean and especially the North African olive-oil exports to Gaul must have resulted in a heavy influx of imitations of Gallic Empire issues through
the payments of the imports. Moreover, the bad reputation of the old, or rather bad coins in 274 caused a major lack of money in North Africa, so that the imitated coins of the Gallic Empire gained in impor tance in the African provinces from 280 onwards. Contrary to North Africa, there was no massive circulation of imitations of Gallic Empire issues in Asia Minor, since a flow of old money (260-270) into western Asia Minor controlled by the Roman state compensated during the 270s the deficit of money supply in this region and thus decreased the inflow of large amounts of imitations in the name of the Gallic usurpators.