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Silver tetradrachm, Prieur 720 (1 example), SNG Paris 2331, Weber -, VF, 13.043g, 26.9mm, 180o, Aegeae mint, 132 - 133 A.D.; obverse AUTOKR KAIS TRAIA ADRIANO SEB P P, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse ETOUS •QOR• AIGEAIWN, eagle standing facing on harpe, wings spread, head turned right, goat in ex; rare;

Aegeae issued tetradrachms only during the reigns of Hadrian and Caracalla. The issues were probably related to visits of these emperors to the town or to its famous sanctuary of Asclepius. -- The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and Their Fractions from 57 BC to AD 253 by Michel and Karin Prieur

ex FORVM
dealer's picture1 commentsareich

Postumus, Principal Mint, sestertius, 260

IMP C M CASS LAT POST[...],Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding snake held in arms
Weight 15.49g

A very rare early issue with Postumus' full name given on the obverse - normally this only occurs on radiate double-sestertii. This is struck from the same obverse die as a gold medallion in Paris with a SALVS PROVINCIARVM reverse. Adrianus

Frankreich

Medaille 1878 (Bronze)

von Barre

auf die Exposition Universelle zu Paris

Vs.: Kopf nach links

Rs.: Schrift

Gewicht: 15,4g

Durchmesser: 30mm

Erhaltung:min.Rdf., zaponiert, vorzüglich _8971 commentsAntonivs Protti

Schweiz

2 Rappen

1851 A

Münzstätte: Paris

Vs.: HELVETIA. Schweizerwappen auf gekreuzten Lorbeer- und Eichenzweigen, darüber ein Federhut. Unten die Jahrzahl.

Rs.: Wertangabe 2 in einem Kranz, bestehend aus zwei Lorbeerzweigen. Unten Münzzeichen A.

Rand glatt

Zitat: Divo / Tobler 323

Erhaltung: Sehr schön

Bronze

20 mm, 2,40 g _491Antonivs Protti

Caligula. 40-as; Caligula; 37-41 AD, Rome, 39/40 AD, As, 11.10g. BM-59, Paris-105, C-28, RIC-47 (S). Obv: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P Head bare l. Rx: VESTA S - C Vesta seated l. holding patera and slanting scepter. Scarce with this date; most surviving VESTA asses date from Caligula\'s first tribunician year, with TR POT in obverse legend1 commentspaul1888

Louis XIV (1643 - 1715), AE (Brass) Jeton struck c.1644 – 1645Obverse: LVD•XIIII•D:G•FR•ET•NA•REX. Laureate and cuirassed youthful bust of Louis XIV facing right; • B • (for Briot) below.
Reverse: CONSILIO•NIL•NISI•. The escutcheon of France, surrounded by the chain of the Ordre du Saint-Esprit (Order of the Holy Spirit): Necklace and Cross. The legend translates as “He undertakes nothing without Council”, a reference to the administrative council of the king.
Dimensions: 25.65mm | Weight: 5.4gms | Die Axis: 12
Ref. Feuardent: 239 var.

Struck at the Monnaie de Louvre mint, Paris, France
Die engraver: Nicholas Briot

Nicholas Briot (c.1579–1646) was an innovative French coin engraver, medallist and mechanical engineer, who is credited with the invention of the coining-press. He emigrated to England in 1625 and in 1626 he was commissioned to make 'puncheons and dies' for the Coronation of Charles I. His Coronation Medal established his reputation and he went on to produce a considerable number of dies for medals and coins in the following years. In 1633, he was appointed chief engraver to the Royal Mint and went to Scotland to prepare and coin the coronation pieces of Charles I. These demonstrated both his artistic skill and the technical superiority of his new coining machinery and in 1635, on the death of Sir John Foulis, Briot was appointed Master of the Mint in Scotland and superintended the Scottish coinage for several years. Briot was then recalled to England by the King, and on the outbreak of the English Civil War he took possession of the coining apparatus at the Tower and had it removed 'for the purpose of continuing the coining operations in the cause of the King'. Briot travelled to France in the early 1640's and sent coining presses to his brother Isaac, now in a senior position at the Paris Mint, he died on Christmas Eve 1646.*Alex

Louis XIV (1643 – 1715), AE Jeton struck c.1650Obverse: LVD•XIIII•D•G•FR•ET•NAV•REX. Laureate and draped youthful bust of Louis XIV facing right.
Reverse: IVSTIS•SPES•PACIS•IN ARMIS. Pax, helmeted, seated on a pile of arms, holding an olive branch in her outstretched right hand and a narrow cornucopia in her left.
Dimensions: 27.94mm | Weight: 6.8gms | Die Axis: 12
Ref. Feuardent: 12482 var.

Struck at unverified mint, probably Monnaie de Louvre, Paris, France
Die engraver: Jean Varin

Jean Varin (6 February 1604 Liège – 26 August 1672 Paris) was a French sculptor and engraver who made important innovations in the process of minting coins. He moved to Paris in 1625 or 1626 where, after demonstrating his talent as an engraver, he obtained the support of Cardinal Richelieu and in 1629 he was assigned as a “Conducteur de la Monnaie du Moulin”. In 1647 he was appointed head of the French mint, and became “engraver of the king's seal” and a member of the Academy of painting and sculpture. Varin brought back the use of the screw press in the mint, initially using it to produce a gold coin, the Louis d'or, which featured his youthful portrait of the King which is similar to that on this jeton.

This jeton, likely struck between 1650 and 1653, commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Münster between France and the Holy Roman Empire on 15 May 1648 which ended the Thirty Years War. France, to the detriment of the Holy Roman Empire, retained control of the bishoprics of Metz, Toul and Verdun near Lorraine as well as receiving the city of Pignerol near the Spanish Duchy of Milan and the cities of the Décapole in Alsace, excluding Strasbourg.
*Alex

Louis XIV and Marie-Thérèse, AE (Copper) Jeton struck c.1667Obverse: +LVD•XIIII•ET•MAR•THER•D•G•FRA•ET•NAV•REX•ET•REG. Busts of Louis XIV and Marie Therese facing one another. To the left, draped and laureate bust of Louis XVI facing right. To the right, draped bust of Marie Therese facing left, small crown on the back of her head.
Reverse: MAIESTATI•AC•AETERNIT•GALL•IMPERII•SACRVM+. Front view of the new Louvre Palace in Paris.
Diameter: 27.5mm | Weight: 5.7gms | Die Axis: 6
Ref. Feuardent: 13082

Struck at indeterminate mint, possibly Lisse, Netherlands
Engraved by Jean Varin or faithfully copied from his dies

The site of the Louvre was originally a fortress, built in the middle ages by King Philippe-Auguste (1165-1223). Between 1364 and 1380, Charles V (1338-1380) undertook work on this building to transform it into a castle, turning the old fort into a comfortable residence.
François I (1494-1547), known as the sovereign of the Renaissance, demolished the castle begun by Charles V and rebuilt it as the Louvre Palace and Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) had the Tuileries Palace built alongside.
Then King Henri IV (1553-1610), began further modernisations and had a large gallery built between the Louvre Palace and Tuileries Palace to facilitate movement between the seat of power and his apartments. The modernisation work begun by Henri IV was not completed until the reign of Louis XIV, and it is this that is commemorated on this jeton. It was Louis XIV who, before moving on to his work at Versailles, entrusted the development of the gardens to André Le Nôtre. But when the court of the Sun King moved to his new Palace of Versailles the Louvre Palace became somewhat run down and was occupied by a variety of intellectuals and artists who took up residence there.*Alex

ROME
PB Tessera (17mm, 3.56 g, 12 h)
Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia
Silvanus standing left, holding scythe and branch
Rostovtsev 2977; München 368; BM 397; Paris 390; Kircheriano 922-4

Ex Kölner Münzkabinett Tyll Kroha 102 (5 December 2014), lot 406
1 commentsArdatirion

D.761 Charles II the Bald (denier, class 1a, Paris)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877)
Denier (Paris, class 1a, 840-864)

Silver, 1.69 g, 20 mm diameter, die axis 7h

O/ +CÎ›R•LVS RE•X FR ; cross pattée
R/ PÎ›RI / • / Sâ—‚II

D.762 Charles II the Bald (denier, class 1e, Paris)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877)
"Temple" denier (Paris, class 1e, 840-864)

Silver, 1.70 g, 20 mm diameter, die axis 4h

O/ +CÎ›RLVS REX FR; cross pattée
R/ +PÎ›RISII CIVITÎ›S; temple

The mint's name (Paris) stands in for the usual legend XPISTIANA RELIGIO. The royal authority may have been quite weak in the beginning of Charles' reign, and each mint may have been tempted to make a clear legend to characterize its own coinage.

D.375 Charles II the Bald (denier, class 2, Courcessin?)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877)
GDR denier (Courcessin?, class 2, 864-875)

Silver, 1.43 g, 19 mm diameter, die axis 12h

O/ +GRÎ›TIÎ› D-I REX; carolingian monogram
R/ +I.CVRTISÎ›SONIEH; cross pattée

In 864, Charles the Bald promulgated the edict of Pîtres, huge reform whose aim was to protect the kingdom from Viking raids. It also reinforced royal authority on minting, and created a new type of deniers . The new coins could be only struck at 10 mints (Palace, Chalon sur Saône, Melle, Narbonne, Orléans, Paris, Quentovic, Reims, Rouen and Sens). This limitation had never been applied, more than 110 mints struck the new coinage. This can be understood as a lack of control of the central autority. However it seems that several mints shared dies... Grierson and Blackburn proposed that only 10 main mints produced dies and partially outsourced coinage production ?
On the obverse is written GRATIA D-I REX (GDR) around a carolingian monogram. The alliance with Roman Church goes on... The reverse already existed for Class 1, with the mint name around a cross pattée.
Class 2 of Charles' coinage is made of these GDR deniers.

The precise localization of the mint in Normandie (north of France) is still not clear. According to Grierson and Blackburn, Courti(s) Sasonien(sis) may come from some groups of Saxons settled in northern part of Gaul.

D.198 Charles II the Bald (denier, class 3, Bourges)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877) and Holy Roman Emperor (875-877)
Denier (Bourges, class 2, 876-877)

Silver, 1.47 g, 19 mm diameter, die axis 12h

O/ +CÎ›RLVS IMP Î›VG; cross pattée
R/ +BITVRICES CIVIT; carolingian monogram

In 875, after the death of his nephew, the Emperor Louis II, Charles received the imperial crown.
The related coinage clearly shows the imperial title in a roman way, IMP AVG. This coinage may be undistinguishable from the one of Charles the Fat (885-887), when he assumed West Francia kingship (before being chased by Eudes, count of Paris and next king of the Franks).

Dy.016 Henry I: denier (Paris, 1st type)Henry I, king of the Franks (1031-1060)
Denier (Paris, 1st type)

Silver, 1.23 g, diameter 21 mm, die axis 10h
O/ HÎ›NIRICVS REX ; Alpha et Omega hung in the field
R/ PÎ›ISIVS CIVTAS around a cross pattée

Dy.145 Louis VII (the Young): denier parisis (Paris), 2nd typeLouis VII, king of the Franks (1137-1180)
Denier parisis (Paris), 2nd type

Billon, 0.81 g, diameter 19 mm, die axis 9h
O: +LVDOVICVSoREX; FRA/NCO
R: PARISII CIVIS, cross pattée

Dy.146 Louis VII (the Young): denier parisis (Paris), 3rd typeLouis VII, king of the Franks (1137-1180)
Denier parisis (Paris), 3rd type

Billon, 0.83 g, diameter 19 mm, die axis 3h
O: LVDOVICVS REX; FRA/OCN
R: PA[R]ISII CIVIS, cross pattée

The second line on the field of the obverse must be read form right to left, so that one can read : Lvdovicvs rex franco(rum).

Dy.148 Louis VII (the Young): denier parisis (Paris), 4th typeLouis VII, king of the Franks (1137-1180)
Denier parisis (Paris), 4th type

Billon, 0.90 g, diameter 18-20 mm, die axis 3h
O: +LVDOVICVS RE; FRA/OCN
R: PA[R]ISII CIVIS, cross pattée

The second line on the field of the obverse must be read form right to left, so that one can read : Lvdovicvs rex franco(rum).

Dy.164 Philip II (Augustus): denier parisis (Paris)Philip II, king of France (1180-1223)
Denier parisis (Paris)

Billon, 1.04 g, diameter 19 mm, die axis 9h
O: PHILIPVS REX; FRA/OCN
R: PARISII CIVIS, cross pattée

Philip II's denier parisis is very similar to his father's.

Dy.168 Philip II (Augustus): denier parisis (Arras)Philip II, king of France (1180-1223)
Denier parisis, 2ond emission (1191-1199, Arras)

Billon, 1.08 g, diameter 20 mm, die axis 2h
O: PHI.LIPVS REX; FRA/OCN
R: +ARRAS CIVIS, cross pattée with 2 lily flowers

Dy.176 Philip II (Augustus): denier tournois (Saint Martin de Tours)Philip II, king of France (1180-1223)
Denier tournois (Saint Martin de Tours)

Billon, 0.96 g, diameter 18.5 mm, die axis 7h
O: PHILIPVS REX; croix pattée
R: +SCS MARTINVS; châtel tournois

The livre parisis was a standard for minting coins (and for unit of accounts) inherited from the Carolingians.
In 1203, John (Lackland) lost Anjou to Philip II. The deniers minted at the Saint Martin abbey in Touraine were considered as very stable. So Philip II decided to adopt the livre tournois (tournois means "of Tours", Tours is a French city in Anjou close to Saint Martin abbey) as a new standard denier and unit of account. Livre parisis and livre tournois coexisted for some time but the livre tournois quickly outstripped the livre parisis as a unit of account. Deniers parisis ceased to be struck a little more than a century later, but livre parisis existed till 17th century.
SCS MARTINVS means Sanctus Martinus (Saint Martin). The name of the abbey was temporarily kept on the deniers tournois, but was soon replaced by the name of the city of Tours.

Dy.221 Philip IV (the Fair): denier parisis with a round O Philip IV, king of France (1285-1314)
Denier tournois with round O (1280-1290)

Billon (359 ‰), 0.94 g, diameter 19 mm, die axis 7h
O: PhILIPPVS REX; FRA/OCN
R: +PARISIVS CIVIS; croix pattée

This type was struck during 1280-1285 (end of Philipp III's reign) and 1285-1290 (beginning of Philip IV's reign).

Dy.227 Philip IV (the Fair): double parisis, 1st emissionPhilip IV, king of France (1285-1314)
Double parisis, 1st emission (1295-1303)

Billon (480 ‰), 1.28 g, diameter 20 mm, die axis 11h
O: +PhILIPPVS REX; leafy cross
R: +mOnETA DVPLEX: REGA/LIS under a fleur-de-lis

Philip had to face with extensive financial liabilities. He found money expelling Jews, Lombard bankers, arresting Templars and confiscating their properties. He also debased the French coinage and minted quite a large number of successive types and emissions of coins, with varying silver proportions.

Dy.229 Philip IV (the Fair): double tournois, 1st emissionPhilip IV, king of France (1285-1314)
Double tournois, 1st emission (1295-1303)

Billon (399 ‰), 1.21 g, diameter 21 mm, die axis 12h
O: +PhILIPPVS REX; cross pattée with one fleur-de-lis
R: +mOn DVPLEX REGAL: chatel tournois' pediment with 2 lis

Dy.244C Charles IV (the Fair): double Parisis, 3rd emissionCharles IV, king of France (1322-1328)
Double parisis, 3rd emission (07/24/1326)

Billon (319 ‰), 1.10 g, diameter 20 mm, die axis 3h
O: +kAROLVS REX(clover); crown with fleur-de-lis and a small ring below
R: +mOnETA DVPLEX; cross with fleur-de-lis

2 comments

D.163 Eudes (denier, Blois)Eudes, king of the Franks (888-898)
Denier (Blois)

Silver, 1.59 g, 20 mm diameter, die axis 3h

O/ +MISERICORDIÎ› DE-I; monogram
R/ +BIESIÎ›NIS CÎ›STRâ—Š; cross pattée

Eudes was not a Carolingian. As count of Paris, he obtained successful results against the Viking attacks. He was then chosen by frankish noblemen to be the king. The legitimate heir Charles III the Simple was then too young to rule.

This type of coinage is a very Carolingian one.
Eudes made his own monograms. This one is quite elaborate, with â—ŠDO above and RX below. Still on the obverse, the inscription is Misericordia Dei instead of the traditional Gratia Dei Rex. These two features (monogram and legend) make this coin very similar to Louis III's coins of Touraine (Blois and Tours mainly).

D.774 Rudolph (denier, Paris)Rudolph (or Raoul, Radulf), king of the Franks (923-936)
Denier (Paris)

Silver, 1.13 g, 18 mm diameter, die axis 11h

O/ +CRATIA DI REX; monogram
R/ + / PΛRISI / CIVITΛ / +

Rudolph was elected king of Franks by noblemen in 923, after his father-in-law (Robert I)'s death.

Although Rudolph wasn't a carolingian, his coinage used a monogram.This monogram is clearly inspired by the habitual KRLS monogram. The letters seem to be R(?)DFS. Anyway, the F on the bottom can be cleary distinguished, and this coin can be attributed to Rudolph.

(0177) COMMODUS--HADRIANOPOLIS177 - 192 AD
(under governor of Thrace Julius Castus)
AE 28 mm; 16.62 g
O: AY KAI Λ AYPH KOMOΔOC draped bust right
R: Cybele riding lion running right
Thrace, Hadrianopolis
Jurukova, Hadrianopolis 124 (V 75/R 124), citing specimens in Munich and Paris
d.s.

laney

(0177) COMMODUS--NIKIPOLIS AD ISTRUM177-192 AD
AE 17 X 21 mm, 2.53 g
O: AVT [KAI MAR AVRH] KOMODOC, laureate head right
R: [NEIKOPOLEITWN] PROC ICC TRON Tyce standing left with kalathos, rudder, and cornucopia
Nikopolis ad Istrum, AMNG I/1, 1239
(interesting error on rev., with extra C)
Pick knows 3 ex., Berlin, Paris, Sophia. Usually these coins are from a rude style.

laney

(0193) SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS193 - 211 AD
AE 27 mm; 13.25 g
O: Laureate draped bust right
R: Dionysos standing left, holding thrysos and grape cluster or kantharos
Naxos, Cyclades
cf Paris 322; Boutin 2457-2460; Le Quéré 106; Chaix 309; Mionnet Supp IV, 237
ex d.s.1 commentslaney

(0193) SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS193-211 AD
AE 19 mm, 3.19 g
O: AVK - [CEVHROC] Laureate head right
R:NIKOPOL - I PROC ICT Herakles, standing facing with head left holding club and lion-skin in left arm and patera in outstretched right hand
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum; ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1388 (1 ex., Paris); Varbanov (engl.) 2297; Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2015) No. 8.14.14.23
Rare type with Herakles holding pateralaney

(0218) ELAGABALUS218 - 222 AD
AE 25 mm 9.62 g
O: AV(T?) KM AVR - ANTWNINOC, cuirassed, radiate bust r.
R: VP NOBIOV ROVFOV NIKOPOLITWN PRO (PR ligate) in l. field one below the other C ITRO / N (sic!), Athena stg. l., holding spear in raised l. hand and shield set on ground in r. hand
Nikopolis ad Istrum
AMNG I/1, 1920 (1 ex., Paris); Hristova/Jekov No. 8.26.4.5 corr. laney

(0218) ELAGABALUS218 - 222 AD
AE 17.5 mm; 2.14 g
O: AVT KM AVP ANTWNEINOC Laureate head right
R: MARKIANOPOLI/ TWN Lion standing left
Moesia Inferior, Markianopolis mint
Ref: (all apparently from the same dies as this coin)
Pfeiffer, Münzen aus Markianopolis, 2nd ed., Kaarst 2013, 443.
AMNG 915: Paris, rev. ill. pl. XX.1; Hristova-Jekov, Marcianopolis, 2006, p. 149, ill. 6; Lanz 82, 1997, lot 546
d.s.

laney

*SOLD*Balbinus AE 36

Attribution: SNG Paris 1627 (same dies), Tarsus, rare
Date: AD 238
Obverse: AVT KAIC KAI BALBEINON CEB, laureate and draped bust r.,
Ω / Π in l. and r. fields
Reverse: TA PCOY M HTPO Π O Λ C Ω C, Perseus stg. l. holding head of Gorgon Medusa in r. hand and a harpa in l. hand, A/K in l. field, M/B/ Γ in r. field
Size: 35 mm
Weight: 20.4 gramsNoah

0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3 .Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
---------------------------------------------------
Emperor Caracalla (212 - 217) Antioch, Syria Silver Tetradrachm #3 with USA Quarter Dollar (25 cent piece) for size comparison
---------------------------------------------------rexesq

0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria. Tetradrachmai, Syro - Phoenician.4x Caracalla Tets, the one on the bottom row is from Tyre, Phoenicia, and has an interesting Frontal, cuirassed bust, that I have never seen before on a Tyre tet.
---
With a USA Quarter (25 cent piece) on the bottom right, for size comparison.rexesq

002p Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.), Mysia, Lampsakos, Asia (conventus of Adramyteum), I 2278, Bust of Senate right, Rare! #1002p Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.), Mysia, Lampsakos, Asia (conventus of Adramyteum), I 2278, Bust of Senate right, Rare! #1
avers: CЄBACTOY ΛAMΨAKH (retrograde), Laureate head of Augustus right.
reverse: IЄPA CYNKΛHTOC (retrograde), Bare-headed, draped bust of the Senate right.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 16,2-17,0mm, weight: 3,44g, axes: 6h,
mint: City: Lampsacus, Region: Mysia, Province: Asia (conventus of Adramyteum), date: c.17(?) B.C.,
ref: RPC I 2278, McClean 7640, Paris 799-801, AMC 1191, Rare!
14 Specimens,
Q-001quadrans

0058 - Denarius Augustus 19-18 BCObv/Oak-wreathed head of Augustus r.
Rev/CAESAR AVGVSTVS, two laurel branches.

Ag, 17.8mm, 3.60g
Mint: Colonia Caesaraugusta (?)
RIC I/33a [R2] - Paris BN/1283
ex-Gerhard Hirsch, auction 254/5, lot 17111 commentsdafnis

007 - Tiberius As (as Ceasar under Augustus) - RIC 245 AE As.
Obv:- TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERAT VII, laureate head right
Rev:- ROM ET AVG, front elevation of the Altar of Lugdunum, decorated with the corona civica between laurels, nude figures, & Victories.
Minted in Lugdunum. A.D. 12-14
Ref:- RIC 245 [Augustus], Cohen 37, BMC 585, Paris 1769
27 mm, 10.04gm1 commentsmaridvnvm

012a. DomitiaDomitia, wife of Domitian. Augusta, 82-96 AD.

In 70, Domitia was married to Lucius Aelius Lamia, but she attracted the attention of Domitian, son of emperor Vespasian. Shortly afterwards she was taken from her husband and remarried with the future emperor. They had a son in the next year and a daughter in 74, both died young. Domitian was very fond of his wife and carried her in all his travels. In 83, Domitia Longina's affair with the actor Paris was disclosed. Paris was executed and Domitia received her letter of divorce from Domitian. She was exiled, but remained close to Roman politics and to Domitian.

CILICIA, Epiphanea. Æ 21mm (7.18 gm). Dated year 151 (83/84 AD). Draped bust right / Athena standing left, righ hand extended, left resting on shield; ANP (date) left. RPC I 1786; SNG Levante 1813; SNG France -; SNG Copenhagen -. VF, dark green patina, some smoothing. Very rare, only 1 specimen (the Levante specimen), recorded in RPC. Ex-CNGecoli

013a11. DomitianDomitian
AE21
Ascalon, Palestine.
Dated CY 189 (AD85-86).
23mm, 13.59 g.
Obv: CEBACTOC, laureate head right. Rev: ACKAΛEΩN, Tyche-Astarte standing left on galley, holding sceptre and aphlaston; altar to left, dove to right, date ΘΠC at lower right.
RPC 2212; BMC 124-125; Paris 103-104.lawrence c

018a09. Antoninus PiusAE 19mm, 3.63 g. Antioch, Syria. Rev: AVT KAI T AIΛ AΔΡI ANTΩNEINOC CEBEVC, Laureate head left.
Rev: SC within wreath, eagle below. McAlee 561(g); Butcher 314; Paris 502.lawrence c

018a10. Antoninus PiusAE 24. 22mm, 9.53 g. Hieropolis, Syria. Obv: AYTO KAI TI AIΛ AΔΡI ANTΩNEINOC CEB.., laureate head right.
Rev: ΘEAC CYΡI-AC IEΡOΠO and ς ("6") in three lines within wreath. BMC 22; Paris 1679; Butcher 19.lawrence c

019a15. Marcus AureliusAs Caesar, A.D. 138-161. Lydia, Magnesia ad Sipylum. AE (15 mm, 2.63 g). Reverse depicting Plutos. Marcus Aurelius, AE16 of Magnesia ad Sipylum, Lydia, 161-180. 2.55 g. KAI AYΡHΛIOC, bare-headed, draped bust right / MAΓNHTΩN CIΠYΛOY, the child Ploutos standing left in short chiton, holding the front above his waist with both hands, carrying fruit in its folds. BMC 59; SNG Cop 262; SNG Munich 268; Mionnet IV, 406; Mionnet Supp. VII, 291; Leypold I, 1040; Paris 675-677; Waddington 5082 corr. (rev description); GRPC Lydia 137. Agora Auc 2 (2023), Lot 296.lawrence c

019b01. Faustina JuniorFaustina II, AE24 of Tabala, Lydia. AD 146-180. ΦAYCTEINA CE, draped bust right / TABAΛEΩN, Kybele, polos on head, seated left on stool, holding patera and resting arm on drum, lion at foot. BMC 6; Mionnet Supp VII, 547; Waddington 5295; Paris 1371; Leypold I, 1252.lawrence c

02 - 01 - Philip II as Caesar (244 - 247 AD) AR Tetradrachm - Bare head, draped and cuirassed, seen from the Front.Ancient Roman Empire
Philip II as Caesar (Prince) - Large Silver Tetradrachm
Struck in Antioch, Syria between 244 and 247 AD.

(titles in Greek)
obv: Bare head of Philip II facing right. Draped and cuirassed. Bust seen from the front.

rev: Eagle standing on Palm branch facing, wings open holding wreath in beak, head and tail facing left.
'S C' Below.

Weight: 13.03 Grams
Size: 26.3 mm* - *(at the narrowest part)
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ex Amphora Coins

with Photo Certificate of Authenticity signed by Author of "Guide to Biblical Coins" David Hendin.
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*Shown next to a US 25 cent piece (quarter-dollar) for size comparison.*
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02 - China, Republic - 10 Cash coin-
--
The Republic of China
1920 (ND) - Ten Cash

(Titles in Chinese, some in English)

obv: Crossed Flags.

Weight: 6.5 Grams
Size: 31 mm

ex Old Pueblo Coin Exchange, Tucson, Arizona. USA.
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*NOTE: Coin next to a modern USA State Quarter-Dollar (25 cents) in this photo for size comparison.
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-rexesq

02 - China, Republic - 10 Cash coin.-
--
The Republic of China
1920 (ND) - Ten Cash

(Titles in Chinese, some in English)

obv: Crossed Flags.

Weight: 6.5 Grams
Size: 31 mm

ex Old Pueblo Coin Exchange, Tucson, Arizona. USA.
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*NOTE: Coin next to a modern USA State Quarter-Dollar (25 cents) in this photo for size comparison.
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-rexesq

02 - Gordian III Tetradrachm #2 w/ cent.Roman Empire
Tetradrachm of Emperor Gordian III (238 - 244 AD)

obv: Laureate bust right, draped and cuirassed. Seen from behind.

rev: Eagle standing facing, head left, holding wreath in beak.
Beneath: Crescent Moon above the head of a ram leaping left, it's head reverted.

10.9 Grams
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Ancient Roman Tetradrachm of emperor Gordian III next to a 2010 D USA One Cent for size comparison.
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-rexesq

020 W. Asia Minor, Ioniia, c. 650 to 600 BCElectrum hekte, 10mm, 2.75g very early Phokaic standard, VF
Raised square with cross pattern / Rough quadripartite incuse square. Very grainy surfaces. Sear COA
cf. Rosen 314 & 319; Traite pl. IV, 1 (Paris and London)Lawrence W

020b Vespasian (69-79 A.D.), RIC² Titus 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063, AR-Denarius, Rome, Two Capricornus, Large shield version!, SC, #1020b Vespasian (69-79 A.D.), RIC² Titus 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063, AR-Denarius, Rome, Two Capricornus, Large shield version!, SC, #1
avers: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Laureate head right.
reverse: No legend, Shield reading SC held by two capricornii, globe below.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 17,5-18,5mm, weight: 3,33g, axes: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 80-81 A.D., ref: RIC² (Titus) 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063 p-123, RSC 497, BMC 129, BM-129, Paris 101,
Q-0016 commentsquadrans

020b Vespasian (69-79 A.D.), RIC² Titus 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063, AR-Denarius, Rome, Two Capricornus, Small shield version!, SC, #1020b Vespasian (69-79 A.D.), RIC² Titus 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063, AR-Denarius, Rome, Two Capricornus, Small shield version!, SC, #1
avers: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Laureate head right.
reverse: No legend, Shield reading SC held by two capricornii, globe below.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 17,5 mm, weight: 2,98g, axes: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 80-81 A.D., ref: RIC² (Titus) 0357, RIC II(1962) (Titus) 0063 p-123, RSC 497, BMC 129, BM-129, Paris 101,
Q-001quadrans

030 - Vespasian Dupondius - RIC 481 var.Obv:– IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III, Radiate head right, globe on neck
Rev:– VICTORIA NAVALIS S - C, Victory standing right on prow, holding wreath and palm
Minted in Lugdunum. A.D. 70-71
References:– Cohen -. RIC II 481 var (Not listed in RIC with this bust and legend combination)

Additional comments coutesy of Curtis Clay:-

“A coin like yours, from the same obv. die, was in M&M's Voirol Sale of 1968, lot 385, ex Hall Sale, 1950, lot 1203. A second spec. from that same die pair is publ. by Giard, Lyon, 42/1a, pl. XLIII, Coll. Gricourt.
BMC 809 pl. 38.7 has obv. CAESAR not CAES and a broader portrait on shorter neck.
Paris doesn't have this type on a COS III dup. of Vesp. at Lugdunum, but their As, Paris 812 pl. LXVII, is from the same rev. die as your dupondius!
Obviously quite a scarce item, and an attractive specimen!”1 commentsmaridvnvm

033 - Titus Denarius - RIC II new 7Obv:- IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, Laureate head right
Rev:- TR P VIIII IMP XIIII - COS VII, Capricorn left on globe
Minted in Rome. After 1 July, 79, Group II
Reference:- RIC II new 7

Notes from an example sold by H. J. Berk: "Rare without P P in reverse legend. Titus must have accepted the title Pater Patriae quite soon after the beginning of his ninth tribunician year on 1 July 79 AD. Cohen 280 cites this coin 'with or without P P' as being in the Paris collection, but in fact Paris lacks the denarius of this type without P P, though it possesses the corresponding aureus (Paris-3). Cohen must have seen the denarius without P P in another collection. We had another specimen in our Catalogue 125, 2002, 374; none in Reka Devnia hoard."maridvnvm

035p Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.), Syria, Hieropolis, BMC 19, AE-22, ΘEAC CYR/IAC IEROΠO and Δ in three lines within wreath,035p Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.), Syria, Hieropolis, BMC 19, AE-22, ΘEAC CYR/IAC IEROΠO and Δ in three lines within wreath,
avers:- AYTO KAI TIT AIΛ AΔRI ANTωNEINOC CEB, Laureate head right.
revers:- ΘEAC CYR/IAC IEROΠO and Δ in three lines within wreath.
exe: -/-//Δ, diameter: 22mm, weight: 9,52g, axis: 0h,
mint: Syria, Hieropolis, date: 138-161 A.D., ref: BMC 19, Paris F986, Butcher 17,
Q-001quadrans

049p Septimius Severus (193-211 A.D.), Cappadocia, Caesarea, SNG Righetti 1787, AR-Drachm, MHTP KAICA, Mount Argaeus, #1049p Septimius Severus (193-211 A.D.), Cappadocia, Caesarea, SNG Righetti 1787, AR-Drachm, MHTP KAICA, Mount Argaeus, #1
avers: AY KAI Λ CЄΠT CЄOYHΡOC, Laureate head right.
reverse: MHTP KAICA, Mount Argaeus surmounted by a star, date below ЄT IЄ (year 15, 207 A.D.),
exergue: -/-//ЄT IЄ, diameter: 17,0mm, weight: 2,95g, axis:0h,
mint: Cappadocia, Caesarea, date: (ЄT IЄ, year 15), 207 A.D.,
ref: Syd-400var.(?), SNG Righetti 1787; SNG Fitz 5464; Paris 548A; Ganschow 433d; Henseler 776.
Q-0012 commentsquadrans

054p Macrinus (217-218 A.D.), Moesia, Markianopolis, Mushmov-532., Varbanov-, AE-27, Pentassarion, #1054p Macrinus (217-218 A.D.), Moesia, Markianopolis, Mushmov-532., Varbanov-, AE-27, Pentassarion, #1
avers:- AY-K-OΠEL-CEV-MAKREINOC-K-M-OΠEL-AN-TΩNEINOC•, Laureate head of Macrinus facing bare-headed bust of Diadumenian.
revers:- VΠ-ΠONTIANOV-MAΡKIANO-ΠOΛEITΩN, Artemis advancing right, holding a bow and drawing an arrow from the quiver on her back, hound running right at foot, retrograde E in left field.
exergue: Ǝ/-//ΠOΛIT, diameter: 27-28mm, weight: 12,38g, axis: 6h,
mint: Moesia, Markianopolis, date: 217-218 A.D., ref: Mushmov-532., Varbanov-.,
a) AMNG I/1, 730 (like ex. 3, 4, 5, Paris, St.Petersburg, Wien)
b) Hristova/Jekov (2013) 6.24.13.3 (same dies)
c) not in Pfeiffer (2013)
Q-001quadrans

064 - Septimius Severus denarius - II CO - INVICTO IMP TROPAEA - RIC -Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II CO, laureate head right
Rev:– INVICTO IMP TROPAEA, Trophy with captured arms below
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194
Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -.

One other example known in Parismaridvnvm

064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 467 corr.Obv:– L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, Laureate head right
Rev:– BON EVENT, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 196 - 197
Reference:– BMCRE 440 Note corr. (BON EVENT not BONI). RIC 467 corr. (S) (467 is IMP VII). Cohen 63 (citing Paris).

Evidently no examples of this reverse legend variety were seen by the authors of RIC or BMCRE as they both note the coin but cite Cohen 63 which evidently cites a misread obverse legend of VII likely being VII-I from Paris.maridvnvm

064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 467 corr.Obv:– L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, Laureate head right
Rev:– BON EVENT, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 196 - 197
Reference:– BMCRE 437 Note corr. (VIII not VII). RIC 467 corr. (S) (467 is IMP VII). Cohen 63 (citing Paris).

Evidently no examples of this reverse legend variety were seen by the authors of RIC or BMCRE as they both note the coin but cite Cohen 63 which evidently cites a misread obverse legend of VII likely being VII-I from Paris. maridvnvm

064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 477Obv:– L S[EP S]EV PERT AVG IMP VI-[II], Laureate head right
Rev:– FORT R-EDVC, Fortuna standing left holding rudder and cornucopiae
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 194
Reference:– RIC 477 (Scarce, citing Cohen 164 (Paris)). BMCRE page 111 also citing C. 164. maridvnvm

064p Julia Mamaea ( ??-235 A.D.), Lydia, Tabala, Waddington 5305, AE-19, TABAΛEΩN/EPMOC, River-god Hermos reclining left, #1064p Julia Mamaea ( ??-235 A.D.), Lydia, Tabala, Waddington 5305, AE-19, TABAΛEΩN/EPMOC, River-god Hermos reclining left, #1
avers: IOY MAMAIA CE, Draped bust right, wearing Stephane.
reverse: TABAΛEΩN around, EΡMOC below, River-god Hermos reclining left, holding reed and cornucopiae, resting left arm on overturned urn from which waters flow.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 19,0mm, weight: 3,72g, axis: 6h,
mint: Lydia, Tabala, date: 222-235 A.D., ref: Waddington 5305, Paris 1384.
Q-0012 commentsquadrans

065 - Julia Domna denarius - RIC -Obv:– IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right
Rev:– MONETAE AVG II COS, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194
Reference(s) – RIC -; BMCRE -; RSC -.

One of the rare dated reverse series. The third known example, others in Paris and Vienna. Die match to the Paris example.maridvnvm

07 - Faustina Jr. - AR Denarius - CERES - with US 25 Cent coin.Ancient Roman Empire
Empress Faustina Jr. (161 - 175 AD)
also known as 'Faustina the Younger', daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (138 - 161 AD) and Roman Empress Faustina Sr. (138 - 141 AD) also known as 'Faustina the Elder'.
Faustina Jr. was wife of the Roman Emperor, who also happened to be her maternal cousin, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 AD).
She was also mother to the future Emperor 'Commodus' (180 - 192 AD, sole reign ).

obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA - Draped bust of Empress Faustina facing right.
rev: CERES - Ceres seated left, holding corn ears and long torch.

Size: 19 mm
Weight: 3.4 Grams
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Imperial Lifetime Issue Minted During the Reign of Marcus Aurelius.

References: RIC 669, RSC 35, BMC 79
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*US Quarter Dollar (25 cents) to right, for size comparison.
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080p Herennia Etruscilla (?? A.D.), Lydia, Magnesia ad Sipylum, Leypold I 1049, AE-27, Tetrastyle temple, #01080p Herennia Etruscilla (?? A.D.), Lydia, Magnesia ad Sipylum, Leypold I 1049, AE-27, Tetrastyle temple, #01
avers: ЄΡЄN ЄTΡOYCKIΛΛA, Draped bust right.
reverse: ЄΠ AΡTЄMA MAΓNHTΩN CIΠYΛOY CTΡ, Tetrastyle temple with open pediment, Tyche standing left within, holding rudder and cornucopiae. Magistrate Artema.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 26,5-27,5mm, weight: 7,95g, axis: 6h,
mint: Lydia, Magnesia ad Sipylum, date: 249-251 A.D., ref: Leypold I 1049, BMC 91, Paris 715
Q-001quadrans

0963 Hadrian Denarius Roma 130-38 AD PatientiaReference.
RIC III, 963; RIC II, 365; Strack 202; Cohen 1010

Bust A1

Obv. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P
Laureate head

Rev. PATIENTIA AVGVSTI COS III
Patientia, seated left, extending right hand and holding transverse sceptre

3.18 gr
17 mm
6h

Note.
BMCRE 525, pl. 57.9 (same reverse die). Cohen 1010 ;RIC II 365
The Reka Devnia hoard contained two specimens of this type, one like ours and one with a draped bust. Strack 202 records the two Reka Devnia coins in Sofia, BMCRE 525, two specimens in Paris, and only three others: Gnecchi Collection, L.A. Lawrence, and Ball VI, 1932, lot 1355. This is the sole appearance of the personification Patientia on Roman coins. Apparently her name was not well received, because it was very soon changed to INDVLGENTIA AVG, and with the new name the identical type, seated female figure extending right hand and holding scepter, was struck in substantial quantity. As Strack and Mattingly suggested, the sense of the Patientia type, since it was soon to be renamed Indulgentia, may have been "endurance of other people's troubles rather than one's own" (BMCRE III, p. cxli).2 commentsokidoki

1.05 Constantine as Caesar: Alexandria follis.Follis, late 306 - early 307, Alexandria mint.
Obverse: FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES / Laureate bust of Constantine.
Reverse: PERPETVITAS AVGG / Roma, helmeted, seatedon throne with shield underneath, holding small Victory on globe, and leaning on sceptre. S in left field; Δ and P in right field.
Mint mark: ALE
9.70 gm., 25 mm.
RIC #63; PBCC #1164; Sear #15545.

Reference: Dharmadhikari, Jay. “L’atelier tétrarchique d’Alexandrie de 304 à 307,” Revue Numismatique, Année 2016, pp. 303-358.
This coin is listed as #39 on page 346 of this article. A coin of the same dies is pictured on page 358. It is listed as 39 (3) – Paris 9139.2 commentsCallimachus

1024 BITHYNIA Koinon of Bithynia Sabina Ae 32 Octastyle templeReference.
RPC III, 1024; Rec 53; Paris 815; von Aulock 290; BMC 30; C/M Howgego 64 ( Hadrian Laureate head right)

Obv. СΑΒΕΙΝΑ СΕΒΑΣΤΗ
Draped bust of Sabina, r., with hair coiled and piled on top of head above double stephane

Rev. ΚΟΙ-ΝΟΝ ΒΕΙΘΥΝΙΑС
Octastyle temple on podium of two steps; pellet between middle columns; in pediment, sacrificing Genius in pediment; below, prow

25.17 gr
32 mm
6h2 commentsokidoki

1024 BITHYNIA Koinon of Bithynia Sabina, Octastyle templeReference.
RPC III, 1024; Rec 53; Paris 815; von Aulock 290; BMC 30; C/M Howgego 64 ( Hadrian Laureate head right)

Obv. СΑΒΕΙΝΑ СΕΒΑΣΤΗ
Draped bust of Sabina, r., with hair coiled and piled on top of head above double stephane

Rev. ΚΟΙ-ΝΟΝ ΒΕΙΘΥΝΙΑС
Octastyle temple on podium of two steps; pellet between middle columns; in pediment, sacrificing Genius in pediment; below, prow

25.17 gr
32 mm
6h2 commentsokidoki

112 Probus (276-282 A.D.), Siscia, Alföldi 0096.0170, -/-//XXIP, Bust E2/Gvar., RIC V-II 816, (Bust and officina not in RIC!!!), AE-Antoninianus, VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Mars walking right, Rare!!!112 Probus (276-282 A.D.), Siscia, Alföldi 0096.0170, -/-//XXIP, Bust E2/Gvar., RIC V-II 816, (Bust and officina not in RIC!!!), AE-Antoninianus, VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Mars walking right, Rare!!!
avers: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG, Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield, seen from back, shield in front and a spear pointing forward. (E2/Gvar.)
reverse: VIRTVS PR OBI AVG, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy.
exergue: -/-//XXIV, diameter: 22mm, weight: 4,00g, axis: 0h,
mint: Siscia, date: 282 A.D., ref: RIC V-II 816 var, p-106 Bust and officina not in RIC, Alföldi 0096.0170, Rare!!!
Q-001
"- Quadrans' coin (titulature P AVG) is known to me by 2 other examples, both in Paris: one is the coin quoted by Alföldi 96, 170, the other belonged to the collection of the famous epigraphist H.-G. Pflaum, whose collection has been (partly) bought by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. These 3 coins have been struck from the same obverse die." by S. Estiot.2 commentsquadrans

120 Maximianus Herculeus (285-286 Caesar, 286-305, 307-308 & 310 A.D. Augustus), Siscia, RIC V-II Not in, AE-Quinarius, -/-//--, IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, Extremly Rare!120 Maximianus Herculeus (285-286 Caesar, 286-305, 307-308 & 310 A.D. Augustus), Siscia, RIC V-II Not in, AE-Quinarius, -/-//--, IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, Extremly Rare!
avers:- IMP MAXIMIANVS P AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right.
revers:- IOVI CONS ERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter.
exerg: -/-//--, diameter: 16mm, weight: 1,42g, axes: 6h,
mint: Siscia , date: 285-286 A.D., ref: RIC-V-II-Not in, C-Not in,
Q-001

"The quinar of maximianus you last showed is also of Siscia mint.
Your coin is the 2nd known.
Paris has another coin in outstanding condition with the same set of dies.
Companions coins for Diocletian also exist. One of them is published and illustrated in Cathy King's publication on Roman Quinarii > Siscia 2 a ( Zagreb collection ) with the same reverse die as your coin !
All these quinarii from Siscia with larger busts ( in my opinion datation around 288-9 AD ) are very rare." by Helveticus, Thank you Helveticus
quadrans

1216 - 1272, Henry III, AR Penny, Struck 1217 - 1242 at London, England (Short Cross Issue)Obverse: HENRICVS REX around central circle enclosing a crowned, draped and bearded facing bust of Henry III holding a sceptre tipped with a cross pommee in his right hand.
Reverse: + GIFFREI ON LVND. Voided short cross dividing legend into quarters, crosslets in each quarter of inner circle. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Giffrei, cognate with the modern English name of Geoffrey.
Issue type 7c, distinguished by the degraded portrait and large lettering.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.1gms | Die Axis: 4h
SPINK: 1356C

HENRY III AND WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Henry III was the eldest son of King John and came to the throne at the age of nine. He was king of England from 1216 until his death in 1272, ruling longer than any other English monarch until the reign of George III.
Henry expressed a lifelong interest in architecture and much of what constitutes the Tower of London today is a result of Henry's work, he added several towers and a curtain wall to expand the White Tower beginning in 1238. Westminster Abbey however, is considered to be Henry's greatest building work. The project began in 1245, when Henry sent his architect Henry de Reynes to visit the French cities of Rheims, Chartres, Bourges and Amiens and Paris' royal chapel Sainte-Chapelle to learn the Gothic technique that he much admired.
The Westminster Abbey that stood previously on the site had been erected by Edward the Confessor in 1042. Edward the Confessor was a hero of Henry's, and he probably named his son (the future Edward I) after him. The foundations and crypt are still those of Edward the Confessor's Abbey, but everything above ground today is the building begun by Henry III. The tomb of Edward the Confessor was moved to a new position of honour in 1269 at the very centre of the new abbey, and when Henry III died in 1272 he was buried beside Edward's shrine in the exact position the bones of his hero had lain for 200 years.
*Alex

125 - Aurelian, Antoninianus- RIC 063Obv:– IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– ORIENS AVG, Sol standing left, raising right hand, holding globe in left hand and palm, resting right foot on bound captive in front, with another bound captive seated behind.
Minted in Rome, (_ | VI //XXI*).
Reference:– Paris-144, LV 849-856. RIC 63.maridvnvm

125 - Aurelian, Antoninianus- RIC 151Obv:– IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– ORIENS AVG, Sol standing left, raising right hand, holding globe in left hand and palm, resting right foot on bound captive in front, with another bound captive seated behind.
Minted in Ticinum, (* | _ //TXXT). Emission 2, Officina 3. June - September A.D. 274 (Estiot)
Reference:– Paris-592-594, LV 5005-5064, RIC 151 1 commentsmaridvnvm

125 - Aurelian, denarius - RIC 071Obv:– IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– VICTORIA AVG, Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm.
Minted in Rome, (B _ //VSV). Allocated by Estiot to Emission 10 dating to end A.D. 274.
Reference:– Paris-185, Gobl-135f2 (9 spec.), RIC-71, C-250 (Elberling, 6 Fr.).
Virtually fully silvered , a good strike, well centred and not showing much evidence of wear.5 commentsmaridvnvm

130 - Tacitus Antoninianus - Cyzicus mint unlistedObv:– IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– CONSERVATOR MILITVM, Mars standing right, presenting globe to Tacitus, who stands left
Minted in Cyzicus (E in centre field / KA in exe) Emission 1, Officina 5
References:– Unlisted in Cohen, unlisted in RIC. Venera Hoard 2405 pl. 20 (apparently same rev. die as this specimen), further specimens in Vienna (ill. pl. 32, no. 46) and Paris cited on p. 33.maridvnvm

130 - Tacitus Antoninianus - RIC -Obv:– IMP C M CLA TACITVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– PAX AVG, Pax standing left holding branch and transverse sceptre.
Minted in Siscia (Q in exe)
Reference:– RIC -. Estiot 2204, La Venera 1798. Paris P. 368maridvnvm

130 - Tacitus Antoninianus - RIC 127 corr. varObv:– IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right (seen from rear)
Rev:– CLEMENTIA TEMP, Emperor, standing right, receiving globe from soldier standing left, holding spear
Minted in Cyzicus (//Q) Emission 3 Officina 4. A.D.
Reference:– Cohen -. RIC 127 corr. var Bust type F (Unlisted with this bust type in RIC. RIC attributes to Ticinum but corrected to Cyzicus by Estiot). Not in LaVenera. Estiot Paris Catalog p. 427: two spec. in Vienna.maridvnvm

1409a, Julian II "the Philosopher," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D.Julian II, A.D. 360-363; RIC 167; VF; 2.7g, 20mm; Constantinople mint; Obverse: DN FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, helmeted & cuirassed bust right, holding spear & shield; Reverse: VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath; CONSPB in exergue; Attractive green patina. Ex Nemesis.

De Imperatoribus Romanis,
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors

Julian the Apostate (360-363 A.D.)

Walter E. Roberts, Emory University
Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University

Introduction

The emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus reigned from 360 to 26 June 363, when he was killed fighting against the Persians. Despite his short rule, his emperorship was pivotal in the development of the history of the later Roman empire. This essay is not meant to be a comprehensive look at the various issues central to the reign of Julian and the history of the later empire. Rather, this short work is meant to be a brief history and introduction for the general reader. Julian was the last direct descendent of the Constantinian line to ascend to the purple, and it is one of history's great ironies that he was the last non-Christian emperor. As such, he has been vilified by most Christian sources, beginning with John Chrysostom and Gregory Nazianzus in the later fourth century. This tradition was picked up by the fifth century Eusebian continuators Sozomen, Socrates Scholasticus, and Theodoret and passed on to scholars down through the 20th century. Most contemporary sources, however, paint a much more balanced picture of Julian and his reign. The adoption of Christianity by emperors and society, while still a vital concern, was but one of several issues that concerned Julian.

It is fortunate that extensive writings from Julian himself exist, which help interpret his reign in the light of contemporary evidence. Still extant are some letters, several panegyrics, and a few satires. Other contemporary sources include the soldier Ammianus Marcellinus' history, correspondence between Julian and Libanius of Antioch, several panegyrics, laws from the Theodosian Code, inscriptions, and coinage. These sources show Julian's emphasis on restoration. He saw himself as the restorer of the traditional values of Roman society. Of course much of this was rhetoric, meant to defend Julian against charges that he was a usurper. At the same time this theme of restoration was central to all emperors of the fourth century. Julian thought that he was the one emperor who could regain what was viewed as the lost glory of the Roman empire. To achieve this goal he courted select groups of social elites to get across his message of restoration. This was the way that emperors functioned in the fourth century. By choosing whom to include in the sharing of power, they sought to shape society.

Early Life

Julian was born at Constantinople in 331. His father was Julius Constantius, half-brother of the emperor Constantine through Constantius Chlorus, and his mother was Basilina, Julius' second wife. Julian had two half-brothers via Julius' first marriage. One of these was Gallus, who played a major role in Julian's life. Julian appeared destined for a bright future via his father's connection to the Constantinian house. After many years of tense relations with his three half-brothers, Constantine seemed to have welcomed them into the fold of the imperial family. From 333 to 335, Constantine conferred a series of honors upon his three half-siblings, including appointing Julius Constantius as one of the consuls for 335. Julian's mother was equally distinguished. Ammianus related that she was from a noble family. This is supported by Libanius, who claimed that she was the daughter of Julius Julianus, a Praetorian Prefect under Licinius, who was such a model of administrative virtue that he was pardoned and honored by Constantine.

Despite the fact that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him, Julian experienced an idyllic early childhood. This ended when Constantius II conducted a purge of many of his relatives shortly after Constantine's death in 337, particularly targeting the families of Constantine's half-brothers. ulian and Gallus were spared, probably due to their young age. Julian was put under the care of Mardonius, a Scythian eunuch who had tutored his mother, in 339, and was raised in the Greek philosophical tradition, and probably lived in Nicomedia. Ammianus also supplied the fact that while in Nicomedia, Julian was cared for by the local bishop Eusebius, of whom the future emperor was a distant relation. Julian was educated by some of the most famous names in grammar and rhetoric in the Greek world at that time, including Nicocles and Hecebolius. In 344 Constantius II sent Julian and Gallus to Macellum in Cappadocia, where they remained for six years. In 351, Gallus was made Caesar by Constantius II and Julian was allowed to return to Nicomedia, where he studied under Aedesius, Eusebius, and Chrysanthius, all famed philosophers, and was exposed to the Neo-Platonism that would become such a prominent part of his life. But Julian was most proud of the time he spent studying under Maximus of Ephesus, a noted Neo-Platonic philospher and theurgist. It was Maximus who completed Julian's full-scale conversion to Neo-Platonism. Later, when he was Caesar, Julian told of how he put letters from this philosopher under his pillows so that he would continue to absorb wisdom while he slept, and while campaigning on the Rhine, he sent his speeches to Maximus for approval before letting others hear them. When Gallus was executed in 354 for treason by Constantius II, Julian was summoned to Italy and essentially kept under house arrest at Comum, near Milan, for seven months before Constantius' wife Eusebia convinced the emperor that Julian posed no threat. This allowed Julian to return to Greece and continue his life as a scholar where he studied under the Neo-Platonist Priscus. Julian's life of scholarly pursuit, however, ended abruptly when he was summoned to the imperial court and made Caesar by Constantius II on 6 November 355.

Julian as Caesar

Constantius II realized an essential truth of the empire that had been evident since the time of the Tetrarchy--the empire was too big to be ruled effectively by one man. Julian was pressed into service as Caesar, or subordinate emperor, because an imperial presence was needed in the west, in particular in the Gallic provinces. Julian, due to the emperor's earlier purges, was the only viable candidate of the imperial family left who could act as Caesar. Constantius enjoined Julian with the task of restoring order along the Rhine frontier. A few days after he was made Caesar, Julian was married to Constantius' sister Helena in order to cement the alliance between the two men. On 1 December 355, Julian journeyed north, and in Augusta Taurinorum he learned that Alamannic raiders had destroyed Colonia Agrippina. He then proceeded to Vienne where he spent the winter. At Vienne, he learned that Augustudunum was also under siege, but was being held by a veteran garrison. He made this his first priority, and arrived there on 24 June 356. When he had assured himself that the city was in no immediate danger, he journeyed to Augusta Treverorum via Autessioduram, and from there to Durocortorum where he rendezvoused with his army. Julian had the army stage a series of punitive strikes around the Dieuse region, and then he moved them towards the Argentoratum/Mongontiacum region when word of barbarian incursions reached him.

From there, Julian moved on to Colonia Agrippina, and negotiated a peace with the local barbarian leaders who had assaulted the city. He then wintered at Senonae. He spent the early part of the campaigning season of 357 fighting off besiegers at Senonae, and then conducting operations around Lugdunum and Tres Tabernae. Later that summer, he encountered his watershed moment as a military general. Ammianus went into great detail about Julian's victory over seven rogue Alamannic chieftains near Argentoratum, and Julian himself bragged about it in his later writing. After this battle, the soldiers acclaimed Julian Augustus, but he rejected this title. After mounting a series of follow-up raids into Alamannic territory, he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia, and on the way defeated some Frankish raiders in the Mosa region. Julian considered this campaign one of the major events of his time as Caesar.

Julian began his 358 military campaigns early, hoping to catch the barbarians by surprise. His first target was the Franks in the northern Rhine region. He then proceeded to restore some forts in the Mosa region, but his soldiers threatened to mutiny because they were on short rations and had not been paid their donative since Julian had become Caesar. After he soothed his soldiers, Julian spent the rest of the summer negotiating a peace with various Alamannic leaders in the mid and lower Rhine areas, and retired to winter quarters at Lutetia. In 359, he prepared once again to carry out a series of punitive expeditions against the Alamanni in the Rhine region who were still hostile to the Roman presence. In preparation, the Caesar repopulated seven previously destroyed cities and set them up as supply bases and staging areas. This was done with the help of the people with whom Julian had negotiated a peace the year before. Julian then had a detachment of lightly armed soldiers cross the Rhine near Mogontiacum and conduct a guerilla strike against several chieftains. As a result of these campaigns, Julian was able to negotiate a peace with all but a handful of the Alamannic leaders, and he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia.

Of course, Julian did more than act as a general during his time as Caesar. According to Ammianus, Julian was an able administrator who took steps to correct the injustices of Constantius' appointees. Ammianus related the story of how Julian prevented Florentius, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, from raising taxes, and also how Julian actually took over as governor for the province of Belgica Secunda. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, supported Ammianus' basic assessment of Julian in this regard when he reported that Julian was an able representative of the emperor to the Gallic provincials. There is also epigraphic evidence to support Julian's popularity amongst the provincial elites. An inscription found near Beneventum in Apulia reads:
"To Flavius Claudius Julianus, most noble and sanctified Caesar, from the caring Tocius Maximus, vir clarissimus, for the care of the res publica from Beneventum".

Tocius Maximus, as a vir clarissimus, was at the highest point in the social spectrum and was a leader in his local community. This inscription shows that Julian was successful in establishing a positive image amongst provincial elites while he was Caesar.

Julian Augustus

In early 360, Constantius, driven by jealousy of Julian's success, stripped Julian of many troops and officers, ostensibly because the emperor needed them for his upcoming campaign against the Persians. One of the legions ordered east, the Petulantes, did not want to leave Gaul because the majority of the soldiers in the unit were from this region. As a result they mutinied and hailed Julian as Augustus at Lutetia. Julian refused this acclamation as he had done at Argentoratum earlier, but the soldiers would have none of his denial. They raised him on a shield and adorned him with a neck chain, which had formerly been the possession of the standard-bearer of the Petulantes and symbolized a royal diadem. Julian appeared reluctantly to acquiesce to their wishes, and promised a generous donative. The exact date of his acclamation is unknown, but most scholars put it in February or March. Julian himself supported Ammianus' picture of a jealous Constantius. In his Letter to the Athenians, a document constructed to answer charges that he was a usurper, Julian stated that from the start he, as Caesar, had been meant as a figurehead to the soldiers and provincials. The real power he claimed lay with the generals and officials already present in Gaul. In fact, according to Julian, the generals were charged with watching him as much as the enemy. His account of the actual acclamation closely followed what Ammianus told us, but he stressed even more his reluctance to take power. Julian claimed that he did so only after praying to Zeus for guidance.

Fearing the reaction of Constantius, Julian sent a letter to his fellow emperor justifying the events at Lutetia and trying to arrange a peaceful solution. This letter berated Constantius for forcing the troops in Gaul into an untenable situation. Ammianus stated that Julian's letter blamed Constantius' decision to transfer Gallic legions east as the reason for the soldiers' rebellion. Julian once again asserted that he was an unwilling participant who was only following the desire of the soldiers. In both of these basic accounts Ammianus and Julian are playing upon the theme of restoration. Implicit in their version of Julian's acclamation is the argument that Constantius was unfit to rule. The soldiers were the vehicle of the gods' will. The Letter to the Athenians is full of references to the fact that Julian was assuming the mantle of Augustus at the instigation of the gods. Ammianus summed up this position nicely when he related the story of how, when Julian was agonizing over whether to accept the soldiers' acclamation, he had a dream in which he was visited by the Genius (guardian spirit) of the Roman state. The Genius told Julian that it had often tried to bestow high honors upon Julian but had been rebuffed. Now, the Genius went on to say, was Julian's final chance to take the power that was rightfully his. If the Caesar refused this chance, the Genius would depart forever, and both Julian and the state would rue Julian's rejection. Julian himself wrote a letter to his friend Maximus of Ephesus in November of 361 detailing his thoughts on his proclamation. In this letter, Julian stated that the soldiers proclaimed him Augustus against his will. Julian, however, defended his accession, saying that the gods willed it and that he had treated his enemies with clemency and justice. He went on to say that he led the troops in propitiating the traditional deities, because the gods commanded him to return to the traditional rites, and would reward him if he fulfilled this duty.

During 360 an uneasy peace simmered between the two emperors. Julian spent the 360 campaigning season continuing his efforts to restore order along the Rhine, while Constantius continued operations against the Persians. Julian wintered in Vienne, and celebrated his Quinquennalia. It was at this time that his wife Helena died, and he sent her remains to Rome for a proper burial at his family villa on the Via Nomentana where the body of her sister was entombed. The uneasy peace held through the summer of 361, but Julian concentrated his military operations around harassing the Alamannic chieftain Vadomarius and his allies, who had concluded a peace treaty with Constantius some years earlier. By the end of the summer, Julian decided to put an end to the waiting and gathered his army to march east against Constantius. The empire teetered on the brink of another civil war. Constantius had spent the summer negotiating with the Persians and making preparations for possible military action against his cousin. When he was assured that the Persians would not attack, he summoned his army and sallied forth to meet Julian. As the armies drew inexorably closer to one another, the empire was saved from another bloody civil war when Constantius died unexpectedly of natural causes on 3 November near the town of Mopsucrenae in Cilicia, naming Julian -- the sources say-- as his legitimate successor.

Julian was in Dacia when he learned of his cousin's death. He made his way through Thrace and came to Constantinople on 11 December 361 where Julian honored the emperor with the funeral rites appropriate for a man of his station. Julian immediately set about putting his supporters in positions of power and trimming the imperial bureaucracy, which had become extremely overstaffed during Constantius' reign. Cooks and barbers had increased during the late emperor's reign and Julian expelled them from his court. Ammianus gave a mixed assessment of how the new emperor handled the followers of Constantius. Traditionally, emperors were supposed to show clemency to the supporters of a defeated enemy. Julian, however, gave some men over to death to appease the army. Ammianus used the case of Ursulus, Constantius' comes sacrum largitionum, to illustrate his point. Ursulus had actually tried to acquire money for the Gallic troops when Julian had first been appointed Caesar, but he had also made a disparaging remark about the ineffectiveness of the army after the battle of Amida. The soldiers remembered this, and when Julian became sole Augustus, they demanded Ursulus' head. Julian obliged, much to the disapproval of Ammianus. This seems to be a case of Julian courting the favor of the military leadership, and is indicative of a pattern in which Julian courted the goodwill of various societal elites to legitimize his position as emperor.

Another case in point is the officials who made up the imperial bureaucracy. Many of them were subjected to trial and punishment. To achieve this goal, during the last weeks of December 361 Julian assembled a military tribunal at Chalcedon, empanelling six judges to try the cases. The president of the tribunal was Salutius, just promoted to the rank of Praetorian Prefect; the five other members were Mamertinus, the orator, and four general officers: Jovinus, Agilo, Nevitta, and Arbetio. Relative to the proceedings of the tribunal, Ammianus noted that the judges, " . . . oversaw the cases more vehemently than was right or fair, with the exception of a few . . .." Ammianus' account of Julian's attempt at reform of the imperial bureaucracy is supported by legal evidence from the Theodosian Code. A series of laws sent to Mamertinus, Julian's appointee as Praetorian Prefect in Italy, Illyricum, and Africa, illustrate this point nicely. On 6 June 362, Mamertinus received a law that prohibited provincial governors from bypassing the Vicars when giving their reports to the Prefect. Traditionally, Vicars were given civil authority over a group of provinces, and were in theory meant to serve as a middle step between governors and Prefects. This law suggests that the Vicars were being left out, at least in Illyricum. Julian issued another edict to Mamertinus on 22 February 362 to stop abuse of the public post by governors. According to this law, only Mamertinus could issue post warrants, but the Vicars were given twelve blank warrants to be used as they saw fit, and each governor was given two. Continuing the trend of bureaucratic reform, Julian also imposed penalties on governors who purposefully delayed appeals in court cases they had heard. The emperor also established a new official to weigh solidi used in official government transactions to combat coin clipping.

For Julian, reigning in the abuses of imperial bureaucrats was one step in restoring the prestige of the office of emperor. Because he could not affect all elements of society personally, Julian, like other Neo-Flavian emperors, decided to concentrate on select groups of societal elites as intercessors between himself and the general populace. One of these groups was the imperial bureaucracy. Julian made it very clear that imperial officials were intercessors in a very real sense in a letter to Alypius, Vicar of Britain. In this letter, sent from Gaul sometime before 361, the emperor praises Alypius for his use of "mildness and moderation with courage and force" in his rule of the provincials. Such virtues were characteristic of the emperors, and it was good that Alypius is representing Julian in this way. Julian courted the army because it put him in power. Another group he sought to include in his rule was the traditional Senatorial aristocracy. One of his first appointments as consul was Claudius Mamertinus, a Gallic Senator and rhetorician. Mamertinus' speech in praise of Julian delivered at Constantinople in January of 362 is preserved. In this speech, Claudius presented his consular selection as inaugurating a new golden age and Julian as the restorer of the empire founded by Augustus. The image Mamertinus gave of his own consulate inaugurating a new golden age is not merely formulaic. The comparison of Julian to Augustus has very real, if implicit, relevance to Claudius' situation. Claudius emphasized the imperial period as the true age of renewal. Augustus ushered in a new era with his formation of a partnership between the emperor and the Senate based upon a series of honors and offices bestowed upon the Senate in return for their role as intercessor between emperor and populace. It was this system that Julian was restoring, and the consulate was one concrete example of this bond. To be chosen as a consul by the emperor, who himself had been divinely mandated, was a divine honor. In addition to being named consul, Mamertinus went on to hold several offices under Julian, including the Prefecture of Italy, Illyricum, and Africa. Similarly, inscriptional evidence illustrates a link between municipal elites and Julian during his time as Caesar, something which continued after he became emperor. One concrete example comes from the municipal senate of Aceruntia in Apulia, which established a monument on which Julian is styled as "Repairer of the World."

Julian seems to have given up actual Christian belief before his acclamation as emperor and was a practitioner of more traditional Greco-Roman religious beliefs, in particular, a follower of certain late antique Platonist philosophers who were especially adept at theurgy as was noted earlier. In fact Julian himself spoke of his conversion to Neo-Platonism in a letter to the Alexandrians written in 363. He stated that he had abandoned Christianity when he was twenty years old and been an adherent of the traditional Greco-Roman deities for the twelve years prior to writing this letter.

(For the complete text of this article see: http://www.roman-emperors.org/julian.htm)

Julian’s Persian Campaign

The exact goals Julian had for his ill-fated Persian campaign were never clear. The Sassanid Persians, and before them the Parthians, had been a traditional enemy from the time of the Late Republic, and indeed Constantius had been conducting a war against them before Julian's accession forced the former to forge an uneasy peace. Julian, however, had no concrete reason to reopen hostilities in the east. Socrates Scholasticus attributed Julian's motives to imitation of Alexander the Great, but perhaps the real reason lay in his need to gather the support of the army. Despite his acclamation by the Gallic legions, relations between Julian and the top military officers was uneasy at best. A war against the Persians would have brought prestige and power both to Julian and the army.

Julian set out on his fateful campaign on 5 March 363. Using his trademark strategy of striking quickly and where least expected, he moved his army through Heirapolis and from there speedily across the Euphrates and into the province of Mesopotamia, where he stopped at the town of Batnae. His plan was to eventually return through Armenia and winter in Tarsus. Once in Mesopotamia, Julian was faced with the decision of whether to travel south through the province of Babylonia or cross the Tigris into Assyria, and he eventually decided to move south through Babylonia and turn west into Assyria at a later date. By 27 March, he had the bulk of his army across the Euphrates, and had also arranged a flotilla to guard his supply line along the mighty river. He then left his generals Procopius and Sebastianus to help Arsacius, the king of Armenia and a Roman client, to guard the northern Tigris line. It was also during this time that he received the surrender of many prominent local leaders who had nominally supported the Persians. These men supplied Julian with money and troops for further military action against their former masters. Julian decided to turn south into Babylonia and proceeded along the Euphrates, coming to the fortress of Cercusium at the junction of the Abora and Euphrates Rivers around the first of April, and from there he took his army west to a region called Zaitha near the abandoned town of Dura where they visited the tomb of the emperor Gordian which was in the area. On April 7 he set out from there into the heart of Babylonia and towards Assyria.

Ammianus then stated that Julian and his army crossed into Assyria, which on the face of things appears very confusing. Julian still seems to be operating within the province of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The confusion is alleviated when one realizes that,for Ammianus, the region of Assyria encompassed the provinces of Babylonia and Assyria. On their march, Julian's forces took the fortress of Anatha, received the surrender and support of several more local princes, and ravaged the countryside of Assyria between the rivers. As the army continued south, they came across the fortresses Thilutha and Achaiachala, but these places were too well defended and Julian decided to leave them alone. Further south were the cities Diacira and Ozogardana, which the Roman forces sacked and burned. Soon, Julian came to Pirisabora and a brief siege ensued, but the city fell and was also looted and destroyed. It was also at this time that the Roman army met its first systematic resistance from the Persians. As the Romans penetrated further south and west, the local inhabitants began to flood their route. Nevertheless, the Roman forces pressed on and came to Maiozamalcha, a sizable city not far from Ctesiphon. After a short siege, this city too fell to Julian. Inexorably, Julian's forces zeroed in on Ctesiphon, but as they drew closer, the Persian resistance grew fiercer, with guerilla raids whittling at Julian's men and supplies. A sizable force of the army was lost and the emperor himself was almost killed taking a fort a few miles from the target city.
Finally, the army approached Ctesiphon following a canal that linked the Tigris and Euphrates. It soon became apparent after a few preliminary skirmishes that a protracted siege would be necessary to take this important city. Many of his generals, however, thought that pursuing this course of action would be foolish. Julian reluctantly agreed, but became enraged by this failure and ordered his fleet to be burned as he decided to march through the province of Assyria. Julian had planned for his army to live off the land, but the Persians employed a scorched-earth policy. When it became apparent that his army would perish (because his supplies were beginning to dwindle) from starvation and the heat if he continued his campaign, and also in the face of superior numbers of the enemy, Julian ordered a retreat on 16 June. As the Roman army retreated, they were constantly harassed by guerilla strikes. It was during one of these raids that Julian got caught up in the fighting and took a spear to his abdomen. Mortally wounded he was carried to his tent, where, after conferring with some of his officers, he died. The date was 26 June 363.

Conclusion

Thus an ignominious end for a man came about who had hoped to restore the glory of the Roman empire during his reign as emperor. Due to his intense hatred of Christianity, the opinion of posterity has not been kind to Julian. The contemporary opinion, however, was overall positive. The evidence shows that Julian was a complex ruler with a definite agenda to use traditional social institutions in order to revive what he saw as a collapsing empire. In the final assessment, he was not so different from any of the other emperors of the fourth century. He was a man grasping desperately to hang on to a Greco-Roman conception of leadership that was undergoing a subtle yet profound change.
Copyright (C) 2002, Walter E. Roberts and Michael DiMaio, Jr. Used by permission.

In reality, Julian worked to promote culture and philosophy in any manifestation. He tried to reduce taxes and the public debts of municipalities; he augmented administrative decentralisation; he promoted a campaign of austerity to reduce public expenditure (setting himself as the example). He reformed the postal service and eliminated the powerful secret police.
by Federico Morando; JULIAN II, The Apostate, See the Julian II Page on NumisWiki

Flavius Claudius Iulianus was born in 331 or maybe 332 A.D. in Constantinople. He ruled the Western Empire as Caesar from 355 to 360 and was hailed Augustus by his legions in Lutetia (Paris) in 360. Julian was a gifted administrator and military strategist. Famed as the last pagan emperor, his reinstatement of the pagan religion earned him the moniker "the Apostate." As evidenced by his brilliant writing, some of which has survived to the present day, the title "the Philosopher" may have been more appropriate. He died from wounds suffered during the Persian campaign of 363 A.D. Joseph Sermarini, FORVM.

Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.

2 commentsCleisthenes

141 - Diocletian - Follis - RIC VI Trier 677a (corr. Cyzicus)Obv:– D N DIOCLETIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust right in imperial mantle, olive branch in right hand, mappa in left
Rev:– PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia standing right, extending right hand to Quies standing left, branch upward in right hand, vertical sceptre in left
Minted in Cyzicus (not Trier) ( S | F / KS //PTR)
Reference:– RIC VI Trier 677a (R) (see notes)
Notes:- This is perhaps one of the most unusual issues in the entire follis series. It is nearly always attributed to Trier (Treveri), but a comparison of portrait styles and an examination of follis hoards reveals that this issue was not struck in Trier but in Cyzicus. Two officinae struck this issue, and the KS in the field between the two figures is actually the mintmark, not the PTR. A look at the coins of Cyzicus (RIC 22-23) shows that the same two officinae struck this issue without the PTR also. The Senior Augustus issues of Diocletian and Maximianus were struck at every mint currently in operation. Apparently, the first coins of this type were prepared at Trier and examples were sent to the various mints for the individual mints to copy. At Cyzicus, the die engravers copied everything, including the Trier mintmark and put their own mintmark in the field. Eventually someone soon realized the mistake and new dies were prepared with the mintmark in its proper location.

Nicely silvered with little / no visible wear.maridvnvm

141 - Maximianus Herculius - RIC VI Trier 171a Follis
Obv:– IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate head right; H beneath
Rev:– GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in Trier (B - G // TR). c. A.D. 296-297
Reference(s) – RIC VI Trier 171a (Rated S citing Paris)

9.15 gms. 26.71 mm. 0 degrees1 commentsmaridvnvm

1410a, Jovian, 27 June 363 - 17 February 364 A.D.Bronze AE 3, RIC 179, aVF, Constantinople, 3.126g, 21.6mm, 180o. Obverse: D N IOVIANVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust left; Reverse: VOT V MVLT X within wreath, CONSPG in exergue; scarce.

Flavius Jovianuswas born in 331 at Singidunum, modern Belgrade. His distinguished father, Varronianus, had been a tribune of the legion Ioviani and a comes domesticorum, perhaps under Constantius II, who had retired to private life shortly before Jovian's elevation to the purple. Jovian married a daughter of Lucillianus, perhaps named Charito, and by her produced at least two children.

Jovian himself was a protector domesticus under Constantius II and Julian and, under Julian, primicerius domesticorum. Various Christian sources maintain that Jovian's Christianity led to his deposition by Julian, though most modern scholars dismiss this as ex post facto Christian apologetic. Jovian, recalled to the ranks if he had ever been dismissed, marched with Julian against Sapor in 363, and on 27 June, the day after that emperor's death, was acclaimed Augustus.

Ammianus and Zosimus, among others, detail the difficult straits of the Roman army during its withdrawal from Persian territory, Ammianus from the perspective of a proud soldier confident even in defeat of the superiority of Roman arms, Zosimus, in a much shorter and confused version, concentrating on the predicament of Jovian's troops and on the dire effects to the empire of the peace terms agreed to with Sapor. These terms entailed the cessation to Persia of Roman territory beyond the Tigris -- the cities of Singara and Nisibis, however, to be surrendered on the condition of the safe passage of their inhabitants -- and the guarantee of the neutrality of Rome's ally Arsaces, King of Armenia, in the event of future hostilities between Roman and Persia. Ammianus asserts that in agreeing to these terms Jovian misjudged his tactical strength and wasted an opportunity presented by negotiations with Sapor to move his forces closer to supplies at Corduena, and that Jovian acted on the advise of flatterers to preserve the fighting strength of his forces in the event of an attempt by Julian's relative Procopius to seize the throne. Others present the treaty terms as unavoidable given the Roman predicament.

Jovian appears to have treaded cautiously with regard to religious matters during the early months of his reign. Eunapius says that Jovian continued to honor Maximus and Priscus, the Neoplatonist advisors of Julian, and, upon reaching Tarsus, Jovian performed funeral rites for Julian. Nonetheless, various Christians, most notably Athanasius, took the initiative in an effort to gain Jovian's favor and support. An adherent of the Nicaean creed, Jovian did eventually recall various bishops of homoousian disposition and restore to their followers churches lost under earlier emperors. But in spite of such measures, unity among various Christian sects seems to have been the foremost concern of Jovian, whose ipsissima verba Socrates Scholasticus purports to give: "I abhor contentiousness, but love and honor those hurrying towards unanimity" (Hist. Eccl. 3.25).

Jovian died at the age of thirty-two on 17 February 364 at Dadastana on the boundary of Bithynia and Galatia. The cause of his death was most probably natural and is variously attributed to overeating, the consumption of poisonous mushrooms, or suffocation from fumes of charcoal or of the fresh paint on the room in which he was sleeping. Ammianus' comparison of the circumstances of Jovian's death to those of Scipio Aemilianus suggest the possibility of foul play, as does John of Antioch's reference to a poisoned rather than a poisonous mushroom, while John Chrysostom -- in a highly suspect literary context of consolatio-- asserts outright that the emperor was murdered. Eutropius records that he was enrolled among the gods, inter Divos relatus est. Zonaras says he was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles and that his wife, Charito, was eventually laid to rest beside him.

Ancient authors agree that Jovian was of modest intellect but imposing physique and disposed to excessive eating and drinking.

By Thomas Banchich, Canisius College
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.

Edited By J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.

Cleisthenes

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