Discovering Aurelian, Restorer of the World

After the Persian coins, I wanted to find a way to find a store where I could hold some of the se ancient coins to help with the anxiety of purchasing online. I lucked out by stumbling on an online listing on Vcoin, one of the largest sites to purchase ancients, for a store in my area. The second I had the time, I visited and dived right into looking through boxes of coins the owner had.

While I rifled through the box, my fingers just stopped and I found myself holding a coin bearing the stern visage of Emperor Aurelian. This coin, I thought to myself, was from a time that I researched on my own, and never got to share with Dad.

It only made sense that we never talked about it before because Emperor Aurelian is often overlooked in the broader spectrum of Roman history, plus he only reigned for 5 year. Even so, his contributions were pivotal enough for the Roman Senate to officially bestow him the title "Restitutor Orbis" — the Restorer of the World — for reuniting a fragmented Empire. He crisscrossed the empire between France and Syria, reclaiming the breakaway regions of the Gallic and Palmyrene Empires. His amazing energy and resolve in defeating all his foes restored the integrity and borders of Rome at a time when it seemed on the brink of collapse. Ultimately, his life was cut short by a lowly corrupt bureaucrat who was scared of getting caught.

Stumbling upon this coin sparked a cascade of thoughts about how much my dad would have appreciated this story. Discussing Aurelian with him would have been a fascinating conversation about leadership, resilience, and the unsung heroes of history.

This coin is not just a piece of metal to me; it's a gateway to the past and a reminder of the conversations I still want to have with dad. Like Aurelians relentless pursuit to restore Rome, this is the nudge to continue my pursuit of knowledge.

Aurelian. 270-275 AD. Silvered

Aurelian. 270-275 AD, Silvered