Carausius AE Antoninianus 4.02 gr, 23.77 mm. Camulodunum. 287-293 AD.  

Obv: IMP C CARAVSIVS PF I AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and vertical
sceptre, S-P across fields.  

RIC V-2, Camulodunum 496; Sear -. Rated R2 in RIC. 

Note: The result perhaps (to give Carausius the benefit of the 
doubt) of the misinterpretation of orders from Diocletian and 
Maximianus to "look after" Britain and protect it from pirates, 
the sea admiral Carausius named himself emperor of Britain and 
struck coins not only in his own name with the title AVG, but 
also in the names of his "co-emperors", using the title AVGGG 
(= three Augusti). The ligitimate emperors placed constraints and 
forces upon him to abandon that part of Roman territory from 
which they could not remove him. Their new fleet, constructed 
in Gallic ports to remove Carausius, was almost immediately 
destroyed in a storm for lack of training. Carausius held 
power for seven years, before being assassinated by his finance 
minister, Allectus.

With permission of TimeLine Originals (www.time-lines.co.uk), June, 2011