Are they, and welcome to Emperors of Rome, a Roman history podcast from Latrobe University?

I'm your host Matt Smith, and with me today is Associate Professor Kaelin Davenport, head

of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University.

This is episode CCXIV, Aurelian Restora of the Age.

Aurelian had seen off vandals, goths, and conquered the forces of Zenovia to reclaim the east.

But to the west lies the Gallic Empire, once firm territory of Rome awaiting his attention.

Here's Kaelin Davenport.

The Gallic Empire, as we call it today, has been going strong since 260,

when it emerged in the aftermath of Valerian's capture.

So it originally encompassed Gaul, Britain, and Spain.

At some point, probably in the reign of Claudius Gothicus, Spain rejoined the Central Empire.

We don't know the reasons for this, we can only tell the change based on inscriptions,

and whether they honour the Empress and the Gallic Empire or the Central Empire.

But still controlling Gaul and Britain is a major thaw in the side of Aurelian.

And they legitimately viewing themselves as their own empire,

their own version of the Roman Empire in their own right, aren't they?

That's right. They have the full imperial titles,

Emperor Caesar, Augustus, etc.

You know, they have consulships that are held both by empires and by Gallic senators.

So they have their own senators well.

They mint coins in which the empires are depicted just like empires in the Central Empire.

So they're not a breakaway empire,

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