Aurelian was an upwardly-mobile soldier who was eventually appointed commander of the cavalry by
Claudius II. With the aid of a sympathetic army he revolted against the accession of
Quintillus and a civil war was avoided when the latter committed suicide following the growing popularity of his rival.
Aurelian was then hailed as emperor by the Senate and the rest of the legions alike. His first mission was to strengthen the army by the introduction of the strictest reforms and discipline as well as quelling the various uprisings that had broken out over the last two decades. He thus spent the next five years until cut down by his own Praetorian Guard at the height of his glory. It seems
Aurelian 's personal secretary, after being reprimanded by the emperor for attempted extortion, felt an execution would follow. To guard against this possibility, he concocted a story about
Aurelian intending to execute his personal guard and then rushed to share with them this manufactured evidence. Naturally, afraid for their lives, they entered the emperor 's quarters and effected a preemptive strike. Somehow or other it was soon afterward found out that the formerly beloved emperor had no such motives and his secretary himself was swiftly executed for treason. When news reached
Rome of what had happened
Aurelian 's wife seems to have actually been left nominally in power while a new emperor was selected, a period that may have lasted several months. Although history is a little hazy in this matter, it would mark the first and only time a Roman empress explicitly ruled the empire.
Aurelian leaves a very strong numismatic legacy for his five years as emperor of the Romans. His coins, 99% or more of which are
Antoniniani, are ubiquitous in the inventory of any dealer who carries ancient Roman coins. Oodles, yes oodles, of these Ants are available on Ebay and other internet outlets. They turn up regularly even on the dirt-on late Roman bronze coins the sort that are sold in bulk at a dollar or two each.
Aurelian is also the first emperor to really use the
cuirassed bust as a predominant
type on his coins. On some of the coins the
cuirass shares almost as much real estate as his
head and, on
rare instances, featuring elaborate designs within the
cuirass itself. In his
portraits, his
head often looks shrunken on top of an impossibly elongated neck. The effect makes for curious collectibles.
And speaking of collectibles, fully
silvered "gem" Ants can be found for less than $100 with some difficulty but more typically for a little more than that.
Busts:
6) Laureate, draped
bust right
Obverses:
1) AVRELIANVS AVG
3) AVRELIANVS P AVG
4) IMP AVRELIANVS AVG
5) IMP AVRELIANVS INVICT AVG
6) IMP AVRELIANVS INVICTVS AVG
7) IMP AVRELIANVS P AVG
8) IMP AVRELIANVS PF AVG
9) IMP AVRELIANVS
PIVS AVG
11)
IMP C AVRELIANVS INVICTVS AVG
12)
IMP C AVRELIANVS INVICTVS P AVG
13)
IMP C AVRELIANVS P AVG
14)
IMP C AVRELIANVS PF AVG
16)
IMP C D AVRELIANVS AVG
17)
IMP C DOM AVRELIANVS AVG
18)
IMP C L D AVRELIANVS AVG
19)
IMP C L D AVRELIANVS PF AVG
24) IMP DEO ET DOMINO NATO AVRELIANO AVG
Reverses:
3) AETERNIT AVG
11) CONCOR AVG
12) CONCORD LEGI
13) CONCORD MILIT
14) CONCORDI LEGI
23) CONSERVAT AVG
26) FELIC SAECV
27) FELIC SAECVLI
28) FELICIT TEMP
34) FIDIS MILITVM
41) IOVI CONSERV
45) IVCTORIA AVG
47) LIBERALIT AVG
48) LIBERITAS AVG
52) MART PACI
57) ORIEN AVG
72) PM TR PP
73) PROVIDEN AVG
76) RESTIT SAECVLI
77) RESTITV ORIENT
79) RESTITVT ORIENT
81) RESTITVT SAECVLI
86) RESTITVTORI GENTIS
87) RESTITVTORI ORIENTIS
92) ROMAE AETERNE
94) SECVRIT AVG
Types:
2)
Aesculapius standing, facing, holding staff with snake coiled around it.
4)
Apollo seated left, holding branch and resting arm on
lyre placed on rock.
5)
Apollo standing left, holding branch and resting arm on
lyre placed on rock.
7)
Apollo standing left, leaning on
altar, touching
head and holding branch
9)
Aurelian riding horse left, raising hand and holding spear
10)
Aurelian riding horse left; seated captive to left.
11)
Aurelian riding horse right over two barbarians.
12)
Aurelian standing left on right, holding globe and
scepter, facing soldier to left, holding
Victory and spear.
13)
Aurelian standing left on right, holding hand of kneeling
Asia 16)
Aurelian standing left on right, holding
scepter, being crowned by
Orbis to left; citizen kneeling in between.
19)
Aurelian standing left on right, holding
scepter, receiving globe from soldier to left, holding spear.
20)
Aurelian standing left on right, holding
Victory and spear, facing soldier to left, holding spear and globe.
23)
Aurelian standing left, holding globe and spear.
27)
Aurelian standing right on left, holding globe, facing Sol to right, stepping on captive, holding whip.
32)
Aurelian standing right on left, receiving globe from Sol to right, holding whip.
33)
Aurelian standing right on left, receiving globe from Sol to right, holding whip; captive on either
side of Sol.
34)
Aurelian standing right on left, receiving
Victory from
Roma seated to right, holding spear.
36)
Aurelian standing right, holding spear and globe.
44) Concordiae (2) each holding a
standard and together holding a third
standard in between.
45)
Dacia standing left, holding staff with donkey
head atop
52)
Fides standing to left, holding
standard in each hand, facing Sol to right, raising hand and holding globe.
58)
Hercules advancing left, holding bow and club.
59)
Hercules standing right, with hand on hip and holding club with
lion skin.
60)
Hercules standing, facing, holding bow and club.
61)
Hercules to right, stepping on captive, hand on club and receiving globe from Sol to right, holding whip.
68)
Lion advancing left with thunderbolt in mouth
70)
Mars advancing left, holding branch and spear with
shield.
71)
Mars advancing right, holding spear and
trophy 72)
Mars advancing right, holding spear and
trophy; seated captive to right.
74)
Mars standing left, holding branch and spear with
shield.
75)
Mars standing right on left, holding spear, receiving globe from Sol to right, holding whip.
76) Mercury standing left, holding purse and
caduceus.
78)
Minerva standing, facing, holding spear and resting hand on
shield.
79) Neptune standing left, holding
dolphin and trident.
80) Pax advancing left, holding branch and
scepter.
81) Pax standing left, holding branch and
scepter.
89) Sol advancing left, raising hand and holding whip
90) Sol advancing left, stepping on captive, raising hand and holding globe.
91) Sol advancing left, stepping on captive, raising hand and holding globe; seated captive to right.
92) Sol advancing left, stepping on captive, raising hand and holding whip; seated captive to right.
93) Sol advancing right, holding
trophy and globe
94) Sol advancing right, stepping on captive, holding branch and bow.
95) Sol riding
quadriga left, holding globe
96) Sol standing left, raising hand and holding globe
97) Sol standing left, raising hand and holding globe; seated captive to left.
98) Sol standing right, raising hand and holding globe; captive by feet.
99) Sol standing, facing, raising hand and holding globe
100) Sol standing, facing, raising hand and holding globe; seated captive on either
side.
103)
Venus standing left, holding helmet and spear with
shield.
109)
Virtus advancing left, holding spear and
shield; captive by feet.
110)
Virtus standing left, holding branch and spear with
shield 111)
Virtus standing right, holding spear and resting hand on
shield.
Mints:
1) Cyzicus
3) Mediolanum
7) Tripolis
1) B02, O10, R045, T106
2) B04, O10, R085, T099
RIC Vi 374
3) B04, O22, R106, T072
RIC Vi 182
4) B05, O10, R018, T038
RIC Vi 166, C 41
5) B05, O15, R055, T073
6) B05, O22, R109, T072
RIC Vi 15, C 269
7) B03, O04, R042, T028 Exe: *`
8) B07, O04, R020, T030 Exe: `*
9) B09, O04, R037, T057
RIC Vi 345k
10) B09, O04, R040, T028 Exe: S
11) B09, O04, R042, T028 Exe: SERD C 113
12) B09, O04, R043, T063 Exe: `/SERD
13) B11, O10, R097, T097 * in left
field RIC Vi 390, C 233
14) B11, O10, R097, T097 Exe: KA
RIC Vi 390, C 233
15) B11, O22, R035, T054 Exe: `
16) B13, O01, R040, T028 Exe: P
RIC Vi 261f
17) B13, O01, R058, T097 Exe: P
RIC Vi 248f, C 142
18) B13, O01, R058, T097 Exe: VI
RIC Vi 248f, C 142
19) B13, O01, R058, T100 Exe: S
RIC Vi 135f, C 132
20) B13, O01, R078, T015 Exe: */KAB
RIC Vi 290f
21) B13, O04, R015, T039
RIC Vi 213f, C 32
22) B13, O04, R019, T028 Exe: *C*
RIC Vi 342f, C 23
23) B13, O04, R019, T030 Exe: Γ
RIC Vi 343f, C 26
24) B13, O04, R020, T030 Exe: S
RIC Vi 120f, C 61
25) B13, O04, R020, T030 Exe: *T
RIC Vi 216f, C 61
26) B13, O04, R033, T028 Exe: C*
RIC Vi 344f, C 92
27) B13, O04, R035, T054 Exe: T
RIC Vi 128f, C 95
28) B13, O04, R035, T054 Exe: *P
RIC Vi 171f, C 94
29) B13, O04, R039, T057 Exe: */Q
RIC Vi 223f, C 103
30) B13, O04, R039, T057
31) B13, O04, R040, T028 Exe: B
RIC Vi 48f, C 105
32) B13, O04, R040, T028 Exe: P
RIC Vi 48f, C 105
33) B13, O04, R040, T028 Exe: *Q
RIC Vi 225f, C 108
34) B13, O04, R040, T028 Exe: *S
RIC Vi 225f, C 108
35) B13, O04, R051, T075
RIC Vi 357f, C 123
36) B13, O04, R058, T090 Exe: VI
RIC Vi 247f, C 140
37) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: */ PXXI
RIC Vi 62f, C 154
38) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: ?XX•I
RIC Vi 62f, C 154
39) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: `/XXI*
RIC Vi 62f, C 154
40) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: P
RIC Vi 251f, C 146
41) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: XXIP
RIC Vi 279f, C 145
42) B13, O04, R058, T091 Exe: ΔXXI
RIC Vi 62f, C 154
43) B13, O04, R058, T091
RIC Vi 364f, C 154
44) B13, O04, R058, T092 Exe: B/XXIR
RIC Vi 64f, C 159
45) B13, O04, R058, T092 Exe: S
RIC Vi 137f, C 154
46) B13, O04, R058, T092 Exe: Γ/XXIR
RIC Vi 64f, C 159
47) B13, O04, R058, T096
RIC Vi 136f
48) B13, O04, R058, T097 Exe: P
RIC Vi 134f, C 140
49) B13, O04, R058, T100 Exe: S
RIC Vi 249f, C 144
50) B13, O04, R058, T100 Exe: XXI¿
RIC Vi 63f, C 154
51) B13, O04, R058, T100 Exe: ΔXXIR
RIC Vi 63f, C 154
53) B13, O04, R064, T029 Exe: T
RIC V 138f, C 170
54) B13, O04, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•Γ•
RIC Vi 289f, C 193
55) B13, O04, R078, T015 Exe: ?
RIC Vi 53f, C 192
56) B13, O04, R082, T020 Exe: B/XXI
RIC Vi 366f
57) B13, O04, R083, T015 Exe: A/XXI
RIC Vi 369f, C 209
58) B13, O04, R090, T034 Exe: Q
RIC Vi 142f, C 220
59) B13, O04, R093, T036
RIC Vi 352f, C 223
60) B13, O04, R097, T091 Exe: XXI•T•
RIC Vi 308f, C 236
61) B13, O04, R101, T107
63) B13, O04, R103, T104
RIC Vi 355f, C 259
64) B13, O04, R107, T020 Exe: T
RIC Vi 56f, C 261
65) B16, O04, R113, T020 Exe: T C 286
66) B13, O04, R113, T020 Exe: Γ
RIC Vi 408f, C 285
67) B13, O07, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•B•
RIC Vi 298f, C 197
68) B13, O08, R040, T028 Exe: `
69) B13, O10, R018, T044 Exe: `
70) B13, O10, R020, T030 Exe: *`
RIC Vi 244f, C 60
71) B13, O10, R020, T030 Exe: Q*
RIC Vi 215f, C 60
72) B13, O10, R020, T030 Exe: S/XXI`
RIC Vi 244f, C 60
73) B13, O10, R020, T030 Exe: VII
RIC Vi 59f, C 60
74) B13, O10, R020, T030 Exe: XXIQ
RIC Vi 244f, C 60
75) B13, O10, R023, T090 Exe: E
RIC Vi 384f, C 68
76) B13, O10, R040, T028 Exe: P
RIC Vi 259
77) B13, O10, R058, T091 Exe: QM
RIC Vi 150f, C 153
78) B13, O10, R058, T091 Exe: T
RIC Vi 61f, C 153
79) B13, O10, R058, T091 Exe: TXXT
RIC Vi 151f, C 153
80) B13, O10, R058, T092 Exe: XXIT
RIC Vi 255f, C 158
81) B13, O10, R058, T097 Exe: XXI
82) B13, O10, R058, T097
RIC Vi 360f, C 151
83) B13, O10, R074, T052 Exe: KAΔ
RIC Vi 284f, C 183
84) B13, O10, R074, T052 Exe: SXXT
RIC Vi 152f, C 183
85) B13, O10, R078, T015 Exe: B
RIC Vi 347f, C 210
86) B13, O10, R078, T015 Exe: */KA
RIC Vi 389f
87) B13, O10, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•B• C 194
88) B13, O10, R078, T015 Exe: Z/XXI
RIC Vi 386f
89) B13, O10, R083, T015 Exe: *B
RIC Vi 349f
90) B13, O10, R083, T015 Exe: `C
RIC Vi 368f, C 210
91) B13, O10, R083, T020 Exe: `C
RIC Vi 367f, C 207
92) B13, O10, R097, T091 Exe: `XXT
RIC Vi 154f, C 234
93) B13, O10, R097, T097 Exe: */KA
RIC Vi 390f, C 232
94) B13, O11, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•`•
RIC Vi 301f
95) B13, O14, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•`•
RIC Vi 295f, C 196
96) B13, O21, R078, T015 Exe: */KA`
RIC Vi 292f
97) B13, O22, R097, T092 Exe: XXI•`•
RIC Vi 311f
98) B13, O24, R078, T015 Exe: */KA•`•
99) B14, O04, R078, T015 Exe: `
100) B15, O16, R033, T050
RIC Vi 328c, C 88
101) B16, O04, R019, T030 Exe: `
RIC Vi 343c, C 26
102) B16, O04, R040, T028 Exe: `
RIC Vi 129c, C 105
103) B16, O04, R042, T028 Exe: *`
RIC Vi 227c, C 113
104) B16, O04, R086, T017 Exe: `
105) B16, O04, R113, T012 Exe: *`
RIC Vi 242c, C 286
107) B16, O10, R102, T108 Exe: SERD
108) B16, O16, R043, T063
109) B16, O17, R028, T048
RIC Vi 327c, C 77
110) B16, O20, R035, T055
RIC Vi 29c, C 97
111) B17, O04, R020, T030 Exe: *`
RIC Vi 218
112) B19, O04, R056, T077
RIC Vi 334a
113) B19, O04, R068, T069 Exe: COS
114) B19, O04, R084, T017 Exe: *`
RIC Vi 234a, C 201
115) B19, O04, R109, T020 Exe: `
RIC Vi 149a, C 276
116) B19, O04, R109, T111
RIC Vi 341a
117) B19, O10, R058, T097 Exe: XXI
RIC Vi 360a, C 151
118) B19, O17, R035, T055
RIC Vi 331a, C 98
119) B04, O04, R102, T107 Exe: `
RIC Vi 73, C 275
120) B04, O10, R085, T099
121) B04, O04, R102, T105 Exe: `
RIC Vi 1, C 1
AE As
122) B04, O04, R015, T021 Exe: `
RIC Vi 80
123) B05, O04, R015, T021