The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

COINAGE AND CURRENCY IN ROMAN BRITAIN. 481
point to the Channel and later "Littus Saxonicum",
was slain.
This news was brought to Valentinian in 361, who
was then leaving Amiens, where he had just conferred
on his young son Gratianus the dignity of Augustus.
He at once dispatched his great general Theodosius,
" the father of a line of Emperors," to liberate Britain.
The first task of the new " Dux " on his march from
Eichborough to London was to clear the Kentish tract
through which he passed from roving bands of bar-
barians, a fact which clearly illustrates the extent to
which Britain had been overrun. He then proceeded
to the relief of London, which had been reduced to
great extremities, and made his triumphal entry into
the city in A.D. 368. 69
The passage of Ammianus Marcellinus 70
describing
the entry of Theodosius into London has been more
than once cited in connexion with the changed name
of its mint as seen on the coins of Magnus Maximus.
It is there described as " Vetus oppidum quod Augustam
posteritas adpellavit ". A little later, on the departure
of Theodosius from the city, Ammianus reiterates his
annotation on the name "Augusta . . . quam veteres
adpellavere Lundinium ". 71 Valentinian's general, we
are told, recovered the Roman province which had
fallen under the hostile yoke, renaming it Valentia
in honour apparently of his brother Valens. 72 After
restoring the cities and provinces of Britain, and
69 Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. xxvii, c. 8 "Mersam difficultatibus
suis antehac civitatem, sed subito, quam salus sperari recreatam,
in ovantis speciem laetissinius introiit ".
70 Loc. cit.
71 Lib. xxviii. 3.
72
Bury, note to Gibbon, vol. iii (1897), p. 45, note 122.