The Story of Binio (The Double Aureus) Of Galo Trebonianus – Component # 1

In the first part of this post, I present a brief introduction to the reign of Treboniano Galo and monetary production. Today, this emperor is a little known but had to deal with one of the most critical periods in the history of Rome, marked by military disaster and a terrible epidemic.

A Reign Of Chaos

After the death of Decius, the overall situation seems to become of a chaotic empire accentuating the weakness of borders and the internal struggle for the power. Again, a new emperor had to be elected on the spot. The troops chose C. Vibius Trebonianus Gallus, governor of Moesia Senate. Galo quickly needed to make peace with the Goths both to stabilize a military situation could not be reversed easily, like to travel to Rome to secure his position on the throne. The Goths agreed to leave the imperial territory, but on condition of their captives and booty, and payment by the rule of an annual grant. After agreeing with the Goths, Galo returned to Italy, and his proclamation was formally confirmed by the Senate. A military crisis is compounded by the devastation caused by the plague, which seems to have reached its peak during the brief reign of Gallus.

The payment of subsidies to ensure peace with the Goths aggravated undoubtedly the already delicate financial situation of the empire forcing a further reduction in the silver content antoninianus to cover the rising costs. Galo Treboniano's reign marked and a new floor for the antoninianus that started minting coins with just a little more than 35% silver.

Double Golden, "Binio" By Galo Treboniano

Galo's reign also marked the golden deterioration. For the first time, during the reign of Gallus reduced the purity of gold used to cradle which fell from 99% to 97%. Furthermore, the file was used to introduce a "golden double" (traditionally called "Binio"), a gold coin valued heavier twin was noted in the conventional manner by the portrait of the emperor on the obverse striped crown. Although theoretically equivalent to two golden, the Binio had an average weight of only 5.8 grams, while the golden Galo reached the 3.65 grams. That is, their metal content was well below to the two golden face values.

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