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entirely of the third brass. The period which they comprehend is 

 from A.D. 253 to 273 or a little later ; a period which possesses a sort 

 of epic unity, since the reign of Valerian, with which it begins, 

 exhibits the deepest degradation of the majesty of the Roman 

 empire, and that of Aurelian, who was elected in 270, witnessed 

 the restoration of its unity, temporarily destroyed by the Thirty 

 Tyrants, the subjugation of the barbarians, and the fortification 

 of Rome. The character of Gallienus, and the nature of the usurpa- 

 tions of the Thirty Tyrants, were examined in this paper, with 

 especial reference to the opinion of Sir Francis Palgrave, who regards 

 them as the predecessors of those who founded the Kingdoms of the 

 West. It was pointed out, that whatever the motives or merits of 

 Victorinus, Postumus and Tetricus may have been, we may rejoice 

 that their attempts at establishing independent kingdoms failed. 

 Had the Roman empire been dismembered at this period, the pro- 

 bability is that Paganism would have continued much longer pre- 

 dominant, since the power of Constantine, when sole emperor, was 

 barely adequate to the establishment of Christianity. Independent 

 kingdoms, founded in this age, before the healthful infusion of the 

 Teutonic element into Western Europe, would only have perpetuated 

 the vices of the Roman empire, as the history of the Byzantine 

 empire shows. 



The coins of Victorinus and Tetricus are very abundant in Britain, 

 and particularly in York and Aldborough, and their vicinity. It is 

 evident that Britain was subject to the rulers of Gaul during this 

 period. The names of Postumus and Victorinus occur in inscriptions 

 near Brecknock ; and two have been found at Clausentum (Bittern, 

 near Southampton,) in honour of Tetricus. It is remarkable, that 

 among the coins found at Warter, there are nine of Quintillus, the 

 brother of Claudius Gothicus, who reigned only seventeen days, and 

 three of Marius, who is said to have reigned only three days. No 

 time seems to have been lost by the new emperors in assuming 

 the prerogatives and titles of sovereignty. Florianus, the half- 

 brother of the Emperor Tacitus, assumed the purple on his brother's 

 death, and died two months after at Tarsus ; yet an inscription to 

 him has been found at Durobrivse, Castor, near Peterborough. 



December. —The Rev. John Kenrick read a second paper *' On 



the Coius found at Warter." They exhibit a very debased state of 



the coinage, natural in a period of confusion, foreign war, and 



internal insurrection. Great abuses appear to have prevailed in the 



c 



