Emperors and rulers
Allectus
The ruler who followed Carausius in breakaway Britain and issued coins naming him as emperor.
Allectus succeeded Carausius in AD 293 and ruled Britain until the imperial reconquest of AD 296. His short reign belongs to a period when the title of emperor was claimed by competing authorities.
A London-minted coin in London Museum names Allectus and shows the goddess Pax on its reverse. The image of peace was an official message, chosen for an object that would pass between people. It should not be read as proof that political conditions were peaceful.
The recovery of Britain by forces of Constantius Chlorus ended this separate regime. Studying coins beside accounts of the reconquest allows a defeated claimant’s own public language to be compared with the story promoted by the victors.
Context and evidence
Begin with the catalogue identification, material and lettering before interpreting the image. A portrait gives a named ruler a public presence; it does not record the opinions of every person who used the coin.
Sources and further reading
Romans in Britain · People · Places · Learning resources