Decius was a leading commander in the employ of the emperor Philip I. When several revolts broke out in different quarters of the empire Decius was selected to push back the Goths. Dutifully, he went on his way and did so effective a job of handling the invaders that the soldiers hailed him as their emperor on the spot. Philip was none too amused at this and gathered his army to meet the new usurper. A major battle was fought at their meeting point in Verona ending with Philip 's defeat.  

On arrival to Rome he was well received by the people and the Senate. However, he hardly earned any brownie points when he became a rather energetic persecutor of Christians. Before long he was engaged in another bout of incursions from the Goths. This time luck was not on his side and a tactical error on his part led to the early death of his son and co-Augustus Herennius Etruscus. Trying to marshall the spirits of his men he is recorded as brushing off the loss with "The death of one soldier but hardly bothers me". Despite this bit of battlefield hubris his own death was to come moments later. Speculation of contemporary biographers look suspiciously on Trebonianus Gallus, who became emperor immediately afterwards. 

 

Despite a relatively short two year reign, Trajan Decius is not a hard emperor to find on coins. His Antoniniani are plentiful and rarely go for more than $40 or so for a nicely preserved sample. 

 

Perhaps the most interesting event of numismatic interest during his rule is the striking of a special series commemorating eleven of the most important and fondly remembered emperors up to that point. These emperors, all solemnly deified, span the range from Augustus through Severus Alexander and include, curiously, the hated tyrant Commodus. Regardless, the series is historically important not only because we get to see who contemporary Romans considered as their own best leaders but  also because they were issued in celebration of the 1,000th year of Rome 's founding in 249.  

1) Laureate, cuirassed bust right 

2) Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right 

3) Laureate, draped bust right 

4) Radiate, cuirassed bust right 

5) Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right 

6) Radiate, draped bust right 

 

 

1) IMP C DECIVS AVG 

2) IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DEVIS AVG 

3) IMP CAE TRA DEC AVG 

4) IMP CAE TRA DECIVS AVG 

5) IMP CAES C MESS Q DECIO TRAI AVG 

6) IMP CAES C MESS TRAI Q DECIO AVG 

7) IMP TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG 

 

 

1) ABVNDANTIA AVG 

2) ADVENTVS AVG 

3) AEQVITAS AVG 

4) AEQVITAS AVGG 

5) CONCORDIA AVGG 

6) DACIA 

7) DACIA FELIX 

8) EXERCITVS INLVRICVS 

9) FECVNDITAS AVG 

10) FELICITAS SAECVLI 

11) GEN ILLVRICI 

12) GENIVS EXERC ILLVRICIANI 

13) GENIVS EXERCITVS ILLVRICIANI 

14) HERENNIA ETRVSCILLA AVG 

15) LIBERALITAS AVG 

16) LIBERTAS AVG 

17) PANNONIAE 

18) PAX AETERN 

19) PAX AETERNA 

20) PAX AVGVSTI 

21) PIETAS AVGG 

22) PRINCIPI IVVENT 

23) ROMAE AETERNAE 

24) SAECVLARES AVGG 

25) SECVRITAS AVG 

26) VBERITAS AVG 

27) VICTORIA AVG 

28) VICTORIA GERMANICA 

29) VIRTVS AVG 

30) No legend 

 

 

1) Abundantia standing right, pouring out cornucopia. 

2) Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopia. 

3) Dacia standing left, holding staff with ass 's head atop. 

4) Dacia standing left, holding standard. 

5) Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopia 

6) Fides standing left, holding standard in each hand. 

7) Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia. 

8) Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia; standard to right. 

9) Genius standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding cornucopia. 

10) Goat standing left. 

11) Herennia Etruscilla diademed, draped bust right on crescent facing Herennius Etruscus over Hostilian radiate draped busts left. 

12) Herennia Etruscilla diademed, draped bust right on crescent. 

13) Herennius Etruscus bare headed, draped bust right facing Hostilian bare headed, draped bust left. 

14) Herennius Etruscus radiate, draped bust right facing Hostilian radiate, draped bust left. 

15) Liberalitas standing left, holding coin counter and cornucopia. 

16) Pannonia standing, facing, raising hand and holding standard 

17) Pannoniae (2) standing either side of a standard. 

18) Pannoniae (2) standing facing, each raising a hand; Pannonia on left has standard behind her, one on right is holding a standard. 

19) Pannoniae (2) standing, facing, each holding a standard. 

20) Pannoniae (2) standing, shaking hands; standard behind them. 

21) Pax advancing left, holding branch and scepter. 

22) Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter. 

23) Pudicitia seated left, pulling veil and holding scepter. 

24) Roma seated left, holding Victory and spear. 

25) Securitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopia. 

26) Trajan Decius riding horse left, raising hand and holding scepter. 

27) Trajan Decius seated left on platform accompanied by lictor and Liberalitas, facing citizen on steps to lower left. 

28) Uberitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopia 

29) Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm. 

30) Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm. 

31) Virtus seated left on cuirass, holding branch and spear. 

32) Virtus standing left, resting hand on shield and holding spear. 

33) Wreath, VOTIS DECENNALIBVS within 

 

 

1) Antioch 

2) Mediolanum 

3) Roma 

 

 

 

1) B1, O2, R01, T01 RIC IViii 10a, C 1 

2) B1, O2, R12, T08 RIC IViii 16a, C 48 

3) B1, O2, R17, T18 RIC IViii 21, C 85 

4) B1, O2, R26, T28 RIC IViii 28, C 104 

5) B2, O2, R02, T26 RIC IViii 11, C 3 

6) B2, O2, R06, T03  

 

 

7) B5, O2, R01, T01 RIC IViii 10b, C 2 

8) B5, O2, R02, T26 RIC IViii 11b, C 4 

9) B5, O2, R04, T02 RIC IViii 45c, C 9b  

10) B5, O2, R06, T03 RIC IViii 12b, C 16 

11) B5, O2, R06, T04 RIC IViii 13, C 27 

12) B5, O2, R12, T08 RIC IViii 16c, C 49 

13) B5, O2, R13, T08 RIC IViii 18, C 64 

14) B5, O2, R17, T18 RIC IViii 21b, C 86 

15) B5, O2, R17, T19  

16) B5, O2, R17, T20 RIC IViii 26, C 81 

17) B5, O2, R26, T28 RIC IViii 28b, C 105 

18) B5, O2, R27, T29 RIC IViii 29c 

19) B5, O3, R11, T07 RIC IViii 38a corrected, C 43 

20) B5, O3, R17, T20 RIC IViii 41a, C 82 

21) B5, O7, R02, T26 RIC IViii 1, C 6 

22) B5, O7, R11, T07 RIC IViii 9, C 45 

23) B5, O7, R13, T08 RIC IViii 4, C 63 

24) B5, O7, R27, T29 RIC IViii 7c, C 111 

 

 

25) B4, O2, R10, T05 RIC IViii 115a, C 39 

26) B5, O2, R10, T05 RIC IViii 115c, C 40 

27) B5, O2, R27, T29  

 

 

28) B1, O2, R06, T03 RIC IViii 112a, C 18 

29) B1, O2, R07, T04 RIC IViii 114b, C 35 

30) B1, O2, R11, T07 RIC IViii 116a, C 47 

31) B1, O2, R11, T08 RIC IViii 119a, C 66 

32) B1, O2, R15, T27 RIC IViii 121 

33) B1, O2, R17, T18 RIC IViii 124a, C 87 

34) B1, O2, R27, T29 RIC IViii 126d, C 117  

  

 

35) B4, O2, R12, T08 RIC IViii 117d, C 55 

36) B4, O2, R15, T15 RIC IViii 120c, C 72  

 

 

37) B1, O2, R15, T15 RIC IViii 120a, C 71