Galeria Valeria coins Roman Imperial catalog

Empress Galeria Valeria (?-315), wife of Galerius

Valeria's father was Emperor Diocletian. In 293 she married Galerius.
Galerius, having joined the army, quickly made a career, and then linked his fate with Diocletian, who in 293 elevated him to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor), entrusting him with the administration of the Balkan and part of the eastern provinces. For this purpose Galerius had to divorce his first wife (whose name is not known), although she had already borne him a daughter, and marry the emperor's daughter.
But after Diocletian's abdication Galerius became emperor (then the title was called "Augustus"), and Valeria received the title of Augusta, becoming a full-fledged empress, unlike her mother, who was just the wife of the emperor without any titles.

It is possible that in this marriage Valeria really played some role, as we know about one beautiful gesture of Galerius - from the province of Pannonia (modern Hungary) he allocated a separate province and named it after Valeria.

The marriage was childless, and Valeria adopted the son of her husband's mistress, Candidian. In 305 the boy, who was 9 years old was betrothed to the daughter of Maximinus Daza, who was even younger than him.

In May, 311. Galerius died. He entrusted his wife and son to the care of his friend and co-emperor Licinius. But Valeria for some reason did not trust him. She moved to the east (apparently, together with her mother), to Maximinus Daza, who by that time occupied all Asia Minor.
But he suddenly demanded that she marry him immediately, for which he was ready to leave his own wife. Valeria refused and together with her mother she was sent into exile, having previously killed and tortured many of her servants.

Valeria managed to secretly notify Diocletian of her unhappy fate, but he no longer had the influence to protect his daughter.

In 313. Maximinus was defeated in a battle with Licinius, and died a few months afterward. Licinius fared no better. He made no matrimonial plans, but decided to eliminate all those who were connected with Maximin. His wife, eight-year-old son and young daughter (Candidian's fiancée) were killed. Candidian and, oddly enough, Valeria, met the same fate.

Valeria was sincerely attached to her stepson and tried to save him. Risking her life, she secretly accompanied the entourage of Licinius, but could not do anything. After learning about the death of Candidian, Valeria managed to escape and the next 15 months hiding with his mother. Finally they were captured in Salonica in 315. The women were beheaded and their bodies thrown into the sea.

 

 

GAL VAL AVG
VENERI VICTRICI

Follis 307-311
copper
Siscia
26 mm.
Draped bust in the diadem right / Galeria Valeria Augusta
Venus standing left, holds apple and skirt / Venus Winner
Coin value - $50-70

 

 

 

 

 

Coins of Galeria Valeria in the catalog are presented divided by historical periods, indicating the main characteristics and differences by type.
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