Primus Pilus Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Two rare gold coins of the rebel Roman emperor Carausius have been discovered on a construction site in the Midlands. Gold coins of Carausius are extremely rare. Only 23 are known, and the last was found as long ago as 1975 in Hampshire. Carausius was a Menapian (an ancient Belgian) who commanded the British Fleet (Classis Britannica) operating in the English Channel and the North Sea in the AD 280s. Carausius fell out with reigning emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Hostile sources have it that he was lining his own pocket with plunder recovered from Saxon sea-raiders. It seems more likely that he led a regional rebellion against central authority, since the mini-empire he established in Northern Gaul and Britain survived for a decade, and must therefore have enjoyed strong local support... Current Archaeology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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