| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 501 Price realized: 12,000 GBP (Approx. 15,201 USD / 13,996 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Maximian AV Aureus. Cyzicus, AD 286-287. IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / VIRTVTI HERCVLIS, Hercules standing facing, head to right, leaning on club set on rock, lion-skin draped over club; SC* in exergue. RIC VI 605 var. (mintmark); C. -; Depeyrot 6/4 (this coin); Calico 4758a corr. (bust type, same dies). 5.30g, 21mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine; a powerful rendering of Hercules. Extremely Rare; the only example on CoinArchives with this mintmark. This coin published in G. Depeyrot, L'or du Bas-Empire, Inventaire justificatif des tomes 1 et 2, 2004, p.133, 6/4; Ex Dr. Hans Krähenbühl Collection, Leu Numismatik AG, Auction 8, 23 October 2021, lot 368 (hammer: CHF 15,000) Purchased from Münzen & Medaillen AG, 25 October 1963; Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG, Auction XXV, 17 November 1962, lot 644. In 293, Diocletian established the Tetrarchy, a system by which the empire was divided geographically into four areas and ruled by two Augusti and two Caesars. Prior to dividing power between four, Diocletian had initially promoted his ally Maximian to Augustus in 286 to rule with him as co-emperor. At the same time, Mausaeus Carausius was appointed to defend the Channel from attacks by Frankish and Saxon pirates. However, Carausius showed his gratitude towards Maximian by usurping power and declaring himself Augustus of Britain and northern Gaul. It was therefore now imperative that Maximian also had a title and position of equal status to confront Carausius on equal standing. Diocletian, having just started to bring some semblance of stability back to the empire after decades of turbulence, was determined that civil war should not break out again. By co-opting Maximian as his fellow Augustus he seemingly hoped that the unrest developing in the north of the empire would be quelled and his program of reform could continue uninterrupted. So, as part of their assumption of joint power, Diocletian and Maximian adopted tutelary deities, namely Jupiter and Hercules respectively and took on the surnames Jovius and Herculius. From this point, most of their coinage was minted with reverse legends and types honouring Jupiter and Hercules, (see Sydenham, E.A. & Mattingly, H. eds., RIC V.2, 1933, p. 213), as shown on this coin. According to myth, the Olympians were only able to defeat the giants with the help of Hercules, whose role is only obliquely referred to by ancient writers (Hesiod, Theogony 954), but it would seem was commonly known as part of the wider myth in the ancient world. Punished for murdering his wife and children in a rage visited on him by Hera queen of the gods, Hercules was tasked with ten labours to redeem himself, meted out by his cousin King Eurystheus (two of the tasks were disqualified as Hercules was considered to have received too much help). Ultimately, when these tasks were completed, he would be rewarded with immortality by the gods. The labour referred to on this coin is the first; the slaying of the Nemean Lion, indicated by the traditional lion-skin draped over a club. This imagery emphasises Hercules' power over beasts and more broadly the taming of nature by men. This coin can therefore be seen as underpinning the two Augusti's connection with their tutelary gods and emphasising the new order established in the empire. Estimate: 10000 GBP |  |
Match 1:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 117 | Auction date: 22 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 1161 Price realized: 70 GBP (Approx. 88 USD / 82 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Maximian BI Antoninianus. Cyzicus, circa AD 293. IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / CONCORDIA MILITVM, emperor, holding parazonium, standing to right and receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing to left and holding sceptre; Є between them; XXI• in exergue. RIC V.2 607 corr. (bust type & obv. legend) var. (pellet in exergue). 3.16g, 22mm, 7h. Near Extremely Fine. Reportedly acquired from Coinex, 11 October 2003 (old collector's ticket included). Estimate: 50 GBP |  |
Match 2:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 491 Price realized: 20,000 GBP (Approx. 25,336 USD / 23,327 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Probus AV Aureus. Lugdunum, AD 276-282. IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust to right / VIRTVS AVGVSTI, emperor standing facing, head to left, holding sceptre and crowning trophy; two seated captives at base. RIC V.2 12; C. 863 var. (bust type); Biaggi 1635 = Calicó 4245 (this coin). 4.76g, 22mm, 7h. Mint State. Extremely Rare; seemingly the only example on CoinArchives. This coin published in X. Calicó, Los Aureos Romanos (2002); Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 131, 30 May 2022, lot 110 (hammer: CHF 26,000); Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XVI, 26 September 2018, lot 785 (hammer: GBP 24,000); Ex Chaponnière & Firmenich SA, Auction 8, 5 July 2017, lot 66; Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 25, 25 June 2003, lot 565; Ex Leo Biaggi de Blasys (1906-1979) Collection. Probus' ascension to the throne in AD 276 occurred at an unstable time for the Roman Empire: three emperors had died over the last year, two of whom were assassinated and the third is rumoured to have been; the security of the empire was threatened by foreign invasion and Florian, the brother of the previous emperor Tacitus, had been declared emperor by the senate and army in the West in opposition to Probus in the East. Probus therefore had a difficult task ahead of him to defeat his rival for the throne and restore order to a destabilised empire. Probus had employed a Fabian strategy to defeat Florian, avoiding an outright battle and instead relying on skirmishes, the intensity of the summer heat and the discontent this caused among Florian's army to weaken his enemy's position. Florian was soon killed by his own forces, and Probus was confirmed as emperor by the Senate with a minimum of bloodshed. Despite the calamitous state of the Empire when Probus ascended the throne, he proved himself to be an efficient and productive emperor, defeating numerous foreign enemies and improving some parts of the areas devastated by war through engaging the army during peacetime in building projects such as growing vines in Gaul, Pannonia and Moesia. Though his rule is covered to an extent by ancient historiographers, the stories often do not match up and the picture we receive of Probus' rule is somewhat broad and lacking in detail. However, what the sources agree on are the great military achievements of this emperor and the respect he earned both from the conquered and his own people. Despite his virtues, there was little security to be found in wearing the purple during this period. A long series of civil wars had created a penchant for general-emperors, elected by the army and thereby required to repay the soldiers for their support. Further, internal divisions had left Rome vulnerable to foreign enemies with Germanic tribes attacking the upper Rhine and Danube regions and Aurelian's Persian campaign still unresolved. Finally, the threat of usurpation was ever present; over the six years Probus was emperor, he successfully put down three revolts but was ultimately assassinated by his own soldiers in AD 282 and replaced by the commander of the Praetorian Guard, Carus. Estimate: 20000 GBP |  |
Match 3:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 483 Price realized: 6,000 GBP (Approx. 7,601 USD / 6,998 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Trajan Decius AV Aureus. Rome, AD 249-251. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust to right / PANNONIAE, the two Pannoniae, veiled and draped, standing facing, their heads turned to left and right, each holding standard pointed outwards. RIC IV 21a; C. 85; Calicó 3295. 4.82g, 20mm, 7h. Near Mint State; minor edge marks, lustrous metal. Fine style. Ex Leu Numismatik AG, Auction 1, 25 October 2017, lot 318 (hammer: CHF 7,500). Trajan Decius was acclaimed emperor by his troops while campaigning in Moesia and Pannonia on behalf of Philip I 'the Arab'. He had been sent to quell the revolt of the usurper Pacatian, who had been proclaimed emperor himself by his troops but was, ultimately, also killed by them before the intervention of Decius. According to Zosimus, Decius was apparently reluctant and unwilling to take power. However, having taken the purple, Philip now advanced against Decius and the two met in battle near Verona, where Philip's forces were routed and he himself was killed. Subsequently, Decius' accession was recognised by the Senate, who conferred on him the name Traianus in reference to his predecessor Trajan, the optimus princeps ('best ruler') of the Roman Empire. Taking the name of Trajan was more than simple vainglory - in the first Dacian War of AD 101-102 Trajan had reduced the Danube region to the status of a client kingdom, later absorbing it into the empire after the second Dacian War in 105-106. The new emperor, who hailed from the very same region, was seen to have already quelled a revolt in the troubled frontier area, and it was hoped he would restore the strength of the State. This however was not to be. Barbarian incursions into the empire were becoming more frequent and more daring, while internally the empire was weakened and unable to secure its frontiers. In 250-251 a major Gothic incursion crossed the Danube and raided parts of Moesia and Thrace. Decius surprised the Goths as they were laying siege to Nicopolis, and while they at first made to retreat, they doubled back and in turn caught Decius unprepared, dispersing the Roman army and sacking their camp. Once the Roman army had reformed, Decius again marched to confront the Gothic invaders along with his son Herennius Etruscus and the general Trebonianus Gallus. At the Battle of Abritus in the second week of June 251 on a swampy patch of ground the Roman army initially routed the Goths' front line, but made the mistake of pursuing their opponents into the swamp where they were ambushed and destroyed under a barrage of missiles. Both Herennius Etruscus and Decius were slain, their bodies never recovered. Decius' pay-chests amounting to several tons of gold, along with many weapons, were despoiled by the Goths and have since been discovered hoarded in many locations throughout the historic Gothic territories (The Battle of Abritus, the Imperial Treasury and Aurei in Barbaricum, Numismatic Chronicle 173, 2013, p. 151). Trajan Decius thus earned for himself the dubious distinction of becoming the first reigning Augustus to be killed in battle by a foreign enemy. Trebonianus Gallus, maligned by Zosimus (1.25), became emperor on Decius' death, and adopted his predecessor's younger son, Hostilian, as joint emperor despite the latter's young age preventing him from ruling in his own right. Estimate: 5000 GBP |  |
Match 4:
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXX | Auction date: 21 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 484 Price realized: 3,400 GBP (Approx. 4,307 USD / 3,966 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Trajan Decius AV Aureus. Rome, AD 249-251. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust to right / PANNONIAE, the two Pannoniae standing facing, veiled and draped, their heads turned to left and right looking away from each other, each holding standard pointed outwards. RIC IV 21a var. (bust type); C. 85; Calicó 3295. 3.94g, 20mm, 6h. Extremely Fine; minor surface flaw on cheek. Ex Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 341, 1 October 2020, lot 6026 (hammer: EUR 4,000). Trajan Decius was acclaimed emperor by his troops while campaigning in Moesia and Pannonia on behalf of Philip I 'the Arab'. He had been sent to quell the revolt of the usurper Pacatian, who had been proclaimed emperor himself by his troops but was, ultimately, also killed by them before the intervention of Decius. According to Zosimus, Decius was apparently reluctant and unwilling to take power. However, having taken the purple, Philip advanced against Decius and the two met in battle near Verona, in which Philip was routed and killed. Subsequently, Decius' accession was recognised by the Senate, who conferred on him the name Traianus in reference to his predecessor Trajan, the optimus princeps ('best ruler') of the Roman Empire. Taking the name of Trajan was more than simple vainglory - in the first Dacian War of AD 101-102 Trajan had reduced the Danube region to the status of a client kingdom, later absorbing it into the empire after the second Dacian War in 105-106. The new emperor, who hailed from the very same region, was seen to have already quelled a revolt in the troubled frontier area, and it was hoped he would restore the strength of the State. Estimate: 2500 GBP |  |
Match 5:
| VAuctions > Pars Coins Bargain E-Sale 16 | Auction date: 7 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 92 Price realized: 150 USD (Approx. 137 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: ROMAN EMPIRE; Gordian III. 238-244 AD. Æ Sestertius (20.61 gm; 30 mm). Rome, AD 238-239. IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head to left, holding vertical sceptre and thunderbolt over emperor standing to left; S-C across fields. RIC IV 255a; Cohen 106. Lovely strike on a nice full broad flan. Some natural deposit on the fields. Original brown-green patina. Choice EF. Estimate: 350 USD Starting price: 1 USD |  |
