ITEM: Pendant with Valentinian I coin MATERIAL: Silver and bronze CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 4th Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 20 mm diameter CONDITION: Good condition. Original coin within a modern handmade circular silver setting. PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired in the 1990s (Coin) Comes with Certificate of Authenticity. COIN DESCRIPTION: "Valentinian I, Siscia, Obv: DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG GLORIA ROMANORUM, Mintmark BSISC, Ref: RIC IX Siscia 14a, Type XVI" Valentinian I (reigned 364–375 CE) was a powerful and capable Roman emperor who rose from humble origins in Pannonia to rule the Western Roman Empire during a critical period of external threats. Proclaimed emperor by the army in 364 CE, he immediately addressed the growing strategic complexity of the vast empire by appointing his less experienced brother, Valens, as co-emperor, entrusting him with the East while retaining the West for himself. This division, which became increasingly entrenched, allowed Valentinian to focus his formidable energy and military expertise entirely on the security and defense of the western provinces, particularly the vulnerable Rhine and Danube frontiers, earning him the reputation as one of the last truly impressive Western emperors. Valentinian's primary legacy is his tireless military dedication and frontier fortification. He was almost constantly campaigning, personally leading successful wars against the Alamanni across the Rhine and the Quadi and Sarmatians along the Danube. He oversaw an impressive program of fort building and reinforcement along the northern borders, demonstrating a strategic commitment to defense that went beyond mere reaction. Furthermore, he dispatched his brilliant general, Count Theodosius the Elder, to Britain, where he successfully quelled the widespread threat known as the Great Conspiracy, which involved the Picts, Scots, and Saxons. This strategic focus made his reign a period of relative security for the West, even as the empire faced relentless pressure. Beyond his military achievements, Valentinian was a committed, though often harsh, administrator with a noted concern for the welfare of the lower classes. He introduced the office of the Defender of the Plebs (Defensor Civitatis) to protect the poor from corrupt officials and extortion. Though a Nicene Christian, he maintained a policy of broad religious toleration in the West, refusing to interfere in doctrinal disputes, unlike his Arian brother, Valens, in the East. Unfortunately, his effectiveness was marred by a violent temper, which ultimately proved fatal. In 375 CE, while meeting with envoys from the Quadi, Valentinian reportedly suffered a fatal stroke during a furious tirade, bringing an abrupt end to his vital and active reign and leaving the West to his young sons, Gratian and Valentinian II, thus establishing the Valentinianic Dynasty.