122 ROMAN COINS FOUND AT LITTLE CHESTER. 



S.P. (?) exergue MiXX(i). 2nd Brass. A.D. 287 to 298. Plate II., 

 No. 8. 



Carausius usurped the imperial office in Britain. He was a 

 sailor, who had been appointed to keep the English Channel free 

 of the Saxon freebooters, with whom he allied himself and shared 

 the plunder. He was ordered to be killed by Maximianus and 

 Diocletian, who suspected him on finding him becoming suddenly 

 wealthy ; but he discovered the design, and having the soldiers in 

 Britain on his side, he joined an alliance with the Franks and 

 Saxons, and together they kept possession of the English Channel, 

 and extended his dominion. He so firmly established his position 

 that they resigned into his hands the power he had usurped, and 

 acknowledged him as one of the Emperors. His administration 

 is said to have been more vigorous than wise or clement. He 

 kept in check the Caledonians on the North, and restored the 

 wall of Severus ; but was tyrannical and licentious, as one would 

 imagine from his portrait here given. He held his power in 

 Britain from A.D. 287 to 293, when he is said to have been 

 assassinated by Allectus, his Prime Minister, who assumed the 

 purple ; but only for a short time. Constantinus had determined 

 to bring Britain again under the Roman Government, and sent 

 Asclepiodatus with a squadron, who landed in Kent or Sussex, 

 while he in person threatened the capital and fruitful shores of the 

 Thames. The "result was for Constantinus a complete victory. 

 Allectus was slain, and everywhere the Caesar was received with 

 acclamation. This was in the year A.D, 296. So Constantinus, 

 called Chlorus because of some peculiarity in his complexion, 

 completely recovered Britain, and placed it again under imperial 

 protection. 



A number of coins of Carausius have been found at Little 

 Chester. A reverse of one has a figure to right with a spear, up 

 which a serpent is creeping, and with the left puts something into 

 the mouth of a serpent. Legend SALVT, AVG. (Mottram.) 



MAXIMINVS . PI . AVG. Known as Maximinus Hercules. 

 Bust to right, head laureated, wears Imperial robe, rev. GENIO . 

 POP , ROM, exergue P.L.T., the Genius semi-draped to left, 



