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Publius Licinius Cornelius Valerianus (died 257/258), better known as Valerian II, was the grandson of Augustus Valerian and son of Augustus Gallienus and Augusta Salonina. As the third generation of the Valerian dynasty and its declared Caesar, Valerian II certainly met the Roman Empire's standard of purple-bloodedness. This neologism, of course, refers to an association that dates back to ancient times linking the color purple with aristocracy, royalty and emperors, in particular Roman Emperors.
Mankind’s fascination with purple dates to prehistory. Cave paintings have been discovered, tens of thousands of years old, drawn with sticks of manganese and hematite powder, making purple among the first (and probably most important) color in the Neolithic artist’s palate. By mid-second millennium BC, the Phoenicians developed a method for production of purple dye from a sea snail (now called the spiny dye murex). The process was long, difficult, and wildly expensive; a modern recreation of the process concluded it took over ten thousand snails to produce enough dye to color a handkerchief. Only in and around Tyre could this incredibly prized dye be found; hence, it was called Tyrian purple. Logically, the prized substance became associated with wealth and power.
The Greek’s invention of coinage around 7th century BC facilitated trading of goods and services around the Mediterranean, and soon thereafter, beyond. Tyrian dye production could not meet demand, and became the domain of exclusive clientele, such as Alexander the Great, the Achaemenid Kings, and rulers of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic Empires, just to name a few. Later, the Roman Republic followed suit. For example, the Toga picta, solid purple and trimmed in gold, was adorned by generals celebrating triumphs and magistrates presiding over gladiatorial games. By the time of the Roman Empire, purple was increasingly, and eventually exclusively, associated with Emperors and their court. Nero made it punishable by death for anyone else to wear purple, and Caligula murdered his first cousin, the King of Mauretania, reportedly after seeing the latter donning a heliotrope cloak. The Roman Emperors took purple quite seriously.
As for Valerian II, it is not clear if he ever had the opportunity to wear the purple in his role as Rome's Caesar. Regardless, it was important to advertise his status. To this end, coins were issued including this double-denarius struck in Samosata circa 256 AD. The obverse depicts the draped and cuirassed bust of the boy Caesar, already wearing a radiate imperial crown. The epithet proclaims VALERIANVS NOBIL CAES, or Valerian the noble Caesar. On the verso, the legend PRINC IVVENTVTIS indicates that the figure standing left is once again the young prince, replete with military trappings including a spear and shield, about to place a wreath on a tropaion, a monument comprised of crosswise stakes. Hanging on the tropaion is a set of armor. Traditionally, the tropaion was set up to commemorate a victory, for instance, over the former armor’s owner. The concept survives to this day: trophies are awarded for specific achievements and recognition of merit.
As it happened, Valerian II never had the chance to earn any such victory. While his father Gallienus focused on Germany to deal with barbarian incursions into Gaul, the teenaged Valerian II was stationed in Sirmium under the guardianship of one of Rome's elite generals, Ingenuus, who was in charge of governing the Illyrian provinces. Reportedly, Valerian II’s mother Salonina was unhappy with her young prince being sent off to the Illyrian provinces. Perhaps Salonina thought her son was still too young to leave Rome, or maybe she was suspicious of the military’s loyalty. She may have surmised correctly. Valerian II died soon thereafter under suspicious circumstances.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Valerian II, as Caesar, BI Double-Denarius (21mm, 4.49 g, 5h), Samosata mint, 1st emission, struck 255-256 AD, NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Obverse: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, VALERIANVS NOBIL CAES, Reverse: Valerian standing facing, head left, crowning trophy and holding spear and shield, PRINC IVVENTVTIS, References: RIC V 49; MIR 36, 1694b; RSC 67a.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.