Roman Imperial Galeria Valeria coins
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
Value - $50-70