Julius Saturninus

Julius Saturninus (died 280/281 AD) was a Roman usurper against Emperor Probus. He was probably the same man as Gaius Julius Sallustius Saturninus Fortunatianus, legate in Numidia under Gallienus and suffect consul around 260 AD.

Saturninus was an African by birth (others have him as a Gaul, probably a mistake), and studied rhetoric in Africa and Rome.

Only two of Saturninus' coins have survived, both aurei, both depicting Victoria on the reverse. As their obverse and reverse dies are slightly different, it can be assumed Saturninus minted a quantity of these, rather than being standalone medallions. The first coin was discovered prior to 1895 in a hoard in Banha, and was last sold in 1996 for $411,480, while a second was found in 1898, and remains in the Cabinet des Medailles. These coins, as well as an extremely rare issue with the portrait of Probus, were minted by Saturninus in Antioch.