IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, Valerian facing right / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, Turreted Tyche (or Orient) placing wreath on Valerian holding spear. 22mm, 2.8 grams. Samosata mint, minted 255 CE. RIC 286; RSC 188.

Emperor Valerian I (r. 253–260 CE) was a Roman emperor during the height of the Crisis of the Third Century, ruling jointly with his son Gallienus in an attempt to stabilize the empire through divided command. Valerian focused on the eastern front against the rising Sasanian Empire under Shapur I, while Gallienus managed the west, but persistent invasions, rebellions, plague, and financial strain undermined their efforts. In 260 CE Valerian suffered a catastrophic defeat and was captured alive by Shapur I at the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman emperor known to have been taken prisoner by a foreign enemy. His capture shattered imperial prestige and accelerated political fragmentation, though Gallienus continued to rule in the west; Valerian reportedly died in captivity, and his fate became a powerful symbol of Rome’s vulnerability during this turbulent era.