Editing Gallienus (section)

==Legacy==

=== Historiography ===
Gallienus was not treated favorably by ancient historians.<ref>Southern, Pat. ''The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine'', Routledge, London and New York, 2001, p. 2.</ref> The biased and largely fictional{{sfn|Bray|1997|pp=3–4}} account of that reign in the [[Historia Augusta]] describes him as a lover of luxury, who dressed in purple, sprinkled gold dust in his hair, and built castles of apples.<ref>Historia Augusta, ''The two Gallieni'', XVI</ref> [[Julian (emperor)|Emperor Julian's]] ''The Caesars'' presents Gallienus "with the dress and languishing gait of a woman",<ref>Caes. 313b–c ([http://www.attalus.org/translate/caesars.html available at Attalus.org])</ref> which is possibly connected with coins portraying the emperor with unusual iconography and bearing the legend ''Gallienae Augustae''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A lustrous and exceptional aureus of Gallienus |url=https://leunumismatik.com/de/lot/8/276/%5B8%5D |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Leu Numismatik}}</ref> This animosity within the sources was partly due to the secession of Gaul and [[Palmyrene Empire|Palmyra]] and his inability to win them back; at the time of Gallienus's death, Palmyra was still nominally loyal to Rome, but, under the leadership of [[Odaenathus]], was independent in nearly every other respect. Palmyra would formally secede after Odaenathus's death and the ascension of his widow [[Zenobia]]. It was not until the reign of [[Aurelian]] several years later that the breakaway provinces were truly brought back into the Roman fold. According to modern scholar Pat Southern, some historians now see Gallienus in a more positive light.<ref>Southern, p. 3.</ref> Gallienus produced some useful reforms.

=== Coins ===
About 40 rare gold coins of Gallienus have been discovered as part of the [[Lava Treasure]] in [[Corsica]], France, in the 1980s.<ref>Sylvianne Estiot, [http://www.sacra-moneta.com/images/lava.pdf ''The Lava Treasure of Roman Gold''.] Also in ''Trésors monétaires, volume XXIV'', BNF, 2011 {{Isbn|9782717724929}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200" heights="100">
Image:Antoninianus Gallienus 260-leg 2 Italica.jpg|[[Antoninianus]] issued to celebrate <small>LEG II ITAL VII P VII F</small>, "[[Legio II Italica|Legio II ''Italica'']] seven times faithful and loyal."
Image:Antoninianus Gallienus 260-leg 3 Italica.jpg|Antoninianus issued to celebrate <small>LEG III ITAL VI P VI F</small>, "[[Legio III Italica|Legio III ''Italica'']] six times faithful and loyal."
Image:Antoninianus-Gallienus-l5macedonica-RIC 0345-Bj-.jpg|Antoninianus issued to celebrate <small>LEG VII MAC VI P VI F</small>, "[[Legio V Macedonica|Legio VII ''Macedonica'']] six times faithful and loyal."
File:Gallienus legio VII Claudia.jpg|Antoninianus issued to celebrate <small>LEG VII CLA VI P VI F</small>, "[[Legio VII Claudia|Legio VII ''Claudia'']] six times faithful and loyal."
</gallery>
[[File:Gallienus-Bust.jpg|thumb|207x207px|Bust of Gallienus in the [[Capitoline Museums]], Rome]]

===Military reforms===
He contributed to military history as the first to commission primarily [[cavalry]] units, the [[Comitatenses]], that could be dispatched anywhere in the Empire in short order. This reform arguably created a precedent for the future emperors [[Diocletian]] and [[Constantine I]]. The biographer [[Aurelius Victor]] reports that Gallienus forbade [[Roman Senate|senators]] from becoming military commanders.<ref>Aurelius Victor, ''De Caesaribus'', 33–34</ref> This policy undermined senatorial power, as more reliable [[Eques (ancient Rome)|equestrian]] commanders rose to prominence. In Southern's view, these reforms and the decline in senatorial influence not only helped Aurelian to salvage the Empire, but they also make Gallienus one of the emperors most responsible for the creation of the [[Dominate]], along with [[Septimius Severus]], Diocletian, and Constantine I.<ref>Southern, pp. 2–3, 83.</ref>

===Decree of Toleration===
The capture of Valerian in the year 259 forced Gallienus to issue the first official declaration of tolerance with regard to the Christians, restoring their places of worship and cemeteries, therefore implying a recognition of the property of the Church. However, the edict did not turn Christianity into an official religion.<ref>{{Cite book|title = The Papacy: An Encyclopedia|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7VDcmDeLuV4C|publisher = Psychology Press|date = 2002|isbn = 9780415922302|language = en|first = Charles|last = Piétri|editor-last = Levillain|editor-first = Philippe|page = 1156|chapter = Prosecutions}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
====Films====
Gallienus was played by [[Franco Cobianchi]] in the 1964 film ''[[The Magnificent Gladiator]]''.

====Novels====
*He appears in [[Harry Sidebottom]]'s historical fiction novel series ''Warrior of Rome''.
*[[David Drake]]'s novel ''[[Birds of Prey (Drake novel)|Birds of Prey]]'' takes place during Gallienus's reign.