AE Follis AE1, A.D. 308-309, Antioch, 25.7mm, 6.83g, 180°, RIC VI 112a.
Obv: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG. Laureate head right.
Rev: GENIO IMPERATORIS. Genius standing left, patera in right, cornucopia in left; O/H in field, ANT• in ex.
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Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus Augustus, was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311. In his youth he was a humble shepherd who worked his family herds. Galerius joined the army at some point and served with distinction under Aurelian and Probus. In 293 with the establishment of the Tetrarchy, he was designated Caesar along with Contantius I. During his time as Caesar he fought two campaigns against the Sassinids. The first resulted in a humiliating defeat, which infuriated the emperor Diocletian. In his second encounter, the Battle of Satala in 298, he fared much better winning continuous victories in Persia.

In 305 Galerius and Constantius were elevated to the rank of Augustus. Galerius' rule as emperor was marked by one political failure after another. He dealt with most people through crass and underhanded maneuvers that invariably backfired. His Caesar nominee, Severus, was unable to retake Italy from the usurper Maxentis. He failed to stop the ascent of Constantine who for many years was his virtual prisoner. Maximinus II, his appointed successor, rebelled rather than remain loyal to Galerius and the disaster his reign had become.

He did manage to achieve one thing of importance. In 308, with so many emperors now in existence, Galerius, together with the retired Diocletian and the now active Maximian, called an imperial 'conference' at Carnuntum bring some order back into the imperial government. It was agreed that Licinius would become Augustus in the West, with Constantine as his Caesar. In the East, Galerius remained Augustus and Maximinus remained his Caesar. Maximian was to retire, and Maxentius was declared a usurper.

Galerius died in April or early May of 211 from a horribly gruesome disease as described by contemporaries. Possibly some form of bowel cancer or genital gangrene.