The tale of
Maxentius is one of the more convoluted accounts of any Roman emperor. It all started when some years before
Diocletian came up with his
Tetrarchy scheme. Together with
Maximian, both were to be
Augusti ruling jointly with each overseeing half of the empire. Each in turn named a
Caesar as right-hand-man and would succeed the emperor when the latter died.
Maximian was the father of
Maxentius and, in other times, would have normally been
Maximian 's successor but the new ruling format had no place for him. When
Diocletian abdicated and forced
Maximian to do likewise
Maxentius lost all hope. He knew that unless he took action he would be sidelined permanently.
Taking advantage of a growing dissatisfaction within Italy, and particularly
Rome, at
Galerius 's decision to revoke their tax-free status,
Maxentius gathered an empathetic army and had himself declared
Caesar. He avoided the title of
Augustus because he wanted to make it clear to Constantius Chlorus and Constantine that he was revolting only against
Galerius. However, when Constantine was named emperor and failed to warm up to
Maxentius he decided to go against both and proclaimed himself emperor at this point.
To make himself seem more legitimate in the eyes of the Roman world he convinced his father to come out of retirement and assume joint rule with him.
Galerius would be unable to defeat these forces and retreated back to the east without a conclusive battle. Attention then turned to Constantine but here their luck would turn. In
poor judgment,
Maximian would go at it alone and distanced himself from
Maxentius only to become cannon fodder under Constantine.
Maxentius then faced a revolt from the African quarters and was able to put it down but at a high cost to his own popularity. Weakened thus he
still had to
face Constantine and was defeated in the battle of Milvian Bridge
north of
Rome.
During the waning years of the
Tetrarchy there were more recognized and semi-recognized emperors and caesars than at any other time in
Rome 's history. And all these guys made coins honoring each other. But because
Maxentius was not quite in the club he missed out on much of this camaraderie and, therefore, had relatively few mints active in his name.
This translates to a comparative scarcity of coins for the period. Although statistically scarcer than his peers,
Maxentius 's coins are not that much more expensive all other things being equal. A nice
Follis, the most common coin
type, will cost about $50-$100 but
poor coins can be had for very cheap while showroom, fully-silvered coins will cost hundreds of dollars.
Busts:
1)
Bare head left
2)
Bare head right
3) Bare headed, draped and
cuirassed bust facing
4)
Head left, wearing
lion skin
5)
Head right, wearing
lion skin
6) Helmeted,
cuirassed bust left
7) Helmeted,
cuirassed bust left, holding spear and
shield 8) Helmeted,
cuirassed bust left, holding spear over shoulder and
shield.
9) Helmeted,
cuirassed bust right, holding spear in each hand
10) Laureate
bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding globe and
scepter with
eagle atop
11) Laureate
bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding
scepter with
eagle atop
12) Laureate
bust right, wearing imperial mantle, holding
scepter with
eagle atop
13) Laureate
head left
14) Laureate
head right
15) Laureate, draped and
cuirassed bust right
16) Laureate, draped
bust right
17)
Radiate head right
Obverses:
1) DN
MAXENTIVS PRINC 2)
IMP C M A VAL
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
3)
IMP C M VAL
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
4)
IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG
5)
IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG
CONS 6)
IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG
CONS II
7)
IMP C MAXENTIVS PF INV AVG
8) IMP
MAXENTIVS DIVO CONSTANTIO
COGN 9) IMP
MAXENTIVS DIVO MAXIMIANO
PATRI 10) IMP
MAXENTIVS DIVO MAXIMIANO SOCERO
11) IMP
MAXENTIVS DIVO ROMVLO N V FILIO
12) IMP
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
13) IMP
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
CONS 14) IMP
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
CONS II
15) IMP
MAXENTIVS PF INV AVG
16)
M AVR MAXENTIVS NOB
CAES 17)
MAXENTIVS PF AVG
18)
MAXENTIVS PF INV AVG
19)
MAXENTIVS PF INVIC AVG
20)
MAXENTIVS PRINC INVICT
Reverses:
1)
ADLOCVTIO AVG N
2)
AETERNA MEMORIA 3)
AETERNAE MEMORIAE 4)
AETERNITAS AVG N 5)
CONSERV VRB SVAE 6) CONSERVAT
VRBIS SVAE
7)
CONSERVATOR AFRICAE SVAE 8)
CONSERVATOR VRB SVAE
9)
CONSERVATOR VRBIS SVAE
10)
CONSERVATORES KART SVAE 11) CONSERVATORES VRB SVAE
12) FEL PROCES
CONS III
AVG N 13)
FEL PROCESS CONS III
AVG N 14)
FELICITAS PVBLICA 15)
FELIX KARTHAGO 16)
FELIX PROCESS CONSVLAT
AVG N 17)
FIDES MILITVM
18)
FIDES MILITVM
AVG N 19)
GENIO POP ROM 20) HERCVLI
COMITI AVG N 21) HERCVLI
COMITI AVGG ET
CAES N
22) HERCVLI
COMITI AVGG ET CAESS NN
23) HERCVLI
COMITI AVGG NN
24)
MARTI COMITI AVG N 25)
MARTI CONSERV
AVGG ET CAESS N
26)
MARTI CONSERVAT
AVG N 27)
MARTI CONSERVATORI AVG N 28)
MARTI PACIFERO
AVG N 29)
MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI 30)
MARTI PROPAG IMP AVG N 31)
MARTI PROPAGATORI
AVG N 32)
MARTI VICTORI AVG N 33)
PAX AETERNA AVG N
34)
PIETAS AVGG ET
CAES N
35) PRINCIPI IMPERII
36)
PRINCIPI IMPERII ROMANI 37) PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS
38)
ROMA AETERNA 39)
ROMAE AETERNAE AVCTRICI
AVG N 40) SAECVLI FELIC
AVG N 41)
SAECVLI FELICITAS AVG N 42) SALVIS
AVGG ET CAESS
FEL KART 43)
TEMPORVM FELICITAS AVG N 44)
VICTOR OMNIVM GENTIVM AVG N 45)
VICTORIA AETERNA AVG N 46)
VICTORIA AVG N 47)
VIRTVS AVG N 48)
VIRTVS MILITVM 49) VOT OPTATA ROMAE FEL
50) No
legend Types:
1)
Africa standing, facing, holding
standard and
elephant tusk;
lion and bull to lower left.
2) City gate with (3) turrets
3)
Carthago standing, facing, holding fruits in each hand
4)
Castor and
Pollux standing, facing, each holding
scepter and leading a horse by bridle in between them.
5)
Castor and
Pollux standing, facing, each holding
scepter and leading a horse by bridle in between them; wolf suckling
Romulus and
Remus below.
6)
Felicitas standing left, leaning on
column and with crossed legs, holding
caduceus.
7)
Fides seated, facing, holding
standard in each hand.
8)
Fides standing, facing, holding
standard in each hand.
9)
Genius standing left, sacrificing over
altar and holding
cornucopia.
10)
Hercules standing left, wrestling
lion.
11)
Hercules standing, facing, resting hand on club and holding bow with
lion skin.
12)
Mars advancing left, holding branch and spear with
shield.
13)
Mars advancing right, holding branch and
trophy.
14)
Mars advancing right, holding spear and
shield.
15)
Mars advancing right, holding spear and
shield; captive to right.
16)
Mars advancing right, holding spear and
trophy with
shield 17)
Mars dragging captive right, holding spear with
shield.
18)
Mars standing right, holding spear and resting hand on
shield.
19)
Mars standing right, raising hand and holding spear, facing woman to right; wolf suckling
Romulus and
Remus in between them.
20)
Mars standing right, spearing enemy; seated captive to left.
21)
Maxentius riding
elephant quadriga left, raising hand and holding
scepter;
Victory hovering above.
22)
Maxentius riding horse right over two captives, holding spear and
shield.
23)
Maxentius riding horse right, raising hand and holding spear, led by bridle by
Mars, holding
trophy.
24)
Maxentius riding oncoming chariot with six horses, raising hand
25)
Maxentius riding oncoming
quadriga, raising hand.
26)
Maxentius seated left on right, receiving globe from
Victory on left.
27)
Maxentius standing left on platform, accompanied by lictors, facing several soldiers below.
28)
Maxentius standing left on right, holding
scepter and receiving globe from
Roma seated to left, holding
scepter 29)
Maxentius standing left on right, holding
scepter, facing
Mars to left, holding
Victory and resting hand on
shield.
30)
Maxentius standing left, holding globe and
scepter 31)
Maxentius standing right on left, holding
scepter and receiving globe from
Roma seated to right, holding
scepter 32)
Maxentius standing right on left, receiving
Victory on globe from
Mars to right, holding
trophy; captive in between them.
33)
Maxentius standing right, holding
shield reading VOT / X on
cippus; seated captive to left.
34)
Maxentius standing right, holding
shield reading VOT / XX / FEL on
cippus; seated captive to left.
35)
Maxentius standing right, holding
shield reading VOT / XX on
cippus; seated captive to left.
36)
Maxentius standing, facing, holding globe and spear; seated captive to left.
37)
Maxentius standing, facing, holding globe and wand.
38)
Pietas standing, facing, raising hand and holding baby; child to left.
39)
Roma seated left on chair, holding
Victory on globe and
scepter.
40)
Roma seated left on
shield, holding
Victory on globe and
scepter.
41) Temple with (4) columns,
Maxentius standing right on left within, stepping on captive, holding
scepter and receiving globe from
Roma seated on right, holding
scepter.
42) Temple with (4) columns,
Roma seated within, holding globe and
scepter.
43) Temple with (4) columns,
Roma seated within, holding globe and
scepter; being crowned by
Victory, holding
palm.
44) Temple with (6) columns,
Carthago within, holding fruits in each hand.
45) Temple with (6) columns,
Roma seated within, holding globe and
scepter.
46)
Victory advancing left, holding
wreath and
palm.
47)
Victory advancing left, holding
wreath and
palm; seated captive to left.
48)
Victory advancing right, holding
wreath and
palm.
49)
Victory standing left on globe, holding
wreath and
palm; seated captive to left.
50)
Victory standing right, holding
shield on
cippus 51)
Victory standing right, stepping on
cippus, holding
shield reading VOT / IS / X
52)
Victory standing right, stepping on
cippus, holding
shield reading VOT / V
53)
Victory standing right, stepping on
cippus, holding
shield reading VOT / X; seated captive to left.
54)
Victory standing right, stepping on
cippus, holding
shield reading VOT / XX / FEL; seated captive to left.
55)
Victory standing, facing, holding
wreath and
palm; captives by feet.
56) Wolf standing left, suckling
Romulus and
Remus 57) Wolf standing right, suckling
Romulus and
Remus 58)
Wreath, VOT / QQ / MVL / X / FEL within
59)
Wreath, VOT / QQ / MVL / X within
60)
Wreath, VOT / QQ / MVL / XX within
61)
Wreath, VOT / X / FEL within.
Mints:
1)
Aquileia 2) Karthago
3)
Lugdunum 4)
Ostia 5)
Roma 6)
Ticinum 7)
Treveri
AU Medallion Reference(s) 1) B01, O03, R09, T40, M5 Exe: `R Four
Aurei weight 2) B01, O03, R36, T16, M5 Exe: `R Four
Aurei weight RIC 172 (VI,
Roma)
3) B02, O03, R25, T14, M2 Exe: `K Four
Aurei weight 4) B02, O03, R39, T28, M5 Exe: `R Eight
Aurei weight RIC 173 (VI,
Roma)
5) B04, O12, R08, T31, M5 Exe: `*R Two
Aurei weight RIC 166 (VI,
Roma)
AU Binio 6) B17, O12, R16, T30, M5 Exe: `*R RIC 169 (VI,
Roma)
7) B17, O12, R20, T11, M5 Exe: `R RIC 171 (VI,
Roma)
AU Aureus 8) B14, O17, R20, T11, M5 Exe: `R RIC 181 (VI,
Roma)
9) B14, O20, R25, T14, M5 Exe: E/`R RIC 140 (VI,
Roma)
AR Argenteus 10) B03, O17, R43, T57, M5 Exe: `R RIC 191 (VI,
Roma)
11) B14, O17, R09, T45, M5 Exe: `R RIC 187 (VI,
Roma)
AE Follis 12) B05, O17, R50, T61, M5 Exe: R` RIC 241 (VI,
Roma)
13) B08, O04, R04, T05, M4 Exe: MOST` RIC 37 (VI,
Ostia)
14) B08, O04, R18, T08, M4 Exe: MOST` RIC 47 (VI,
Ostia)
15) B08, O17, R45, T53, M5 Exe: R` RIC 227 (VI,
Roma)
16) B10, O05, R05, T45, M6 Exe: `T RIC 103 (VI,
Ticinum)
17) B11, O05, R05, T45, M1 Exe: AQ` RIC 124 (VI,
Aquileia)
18) B12, O06, R05, T45, M1 Exe: AQ` RIC 125 (VI,
Aquileia)
19) B12, O06, R05, T45, M5 Exe: RQ` RIC 127 (VI,
Roma)
20) B14, O04, R04, T05, M4 Exe: MOST` RIC 35 (VI,
Ostia)
21) B14, O04, R05, T41, M1 Exe: AQ` RIC 113 (VI,
Aquileia)
22) B14, O04, R05, T45, M1 Exe: AQ` RIC 121a (VI,
Aquileia)
23) B14, O04, R05, T45, M5 Exe: RB` RIC 210 (VI,
Roma)
24) B14, O04, R05, T45, M5 Exe: RE` RIC 258 (VI,
Roma)
25) B14, O04, R10, T44, M2 Exe: `K RIC 60 (VI,
Carthago)
26) B14, O04, R11, T45, M5 Exe: R*` RIC 198a (VI,
Roma)
27) B14, O04, R12, T21, M5 Exe: RB` RIC 215 (VI,
Roma)
28) B14, O04, R18, T08, M4 Exe: MOST` RIC 45 (VI,
Ostia)
29) B14, O04, R45, T46, M4 Exe: MOST` RIC 54 (VI,
Ostia)
30) B14, O04, R46, T47, M5 Exe: RB` RIC 273 (VI,
Roma)
31) B14, O17, R05, T45, M6 Exe: `T RIC 100 (VI,
Ticinum)
32) B14, O17, R45, T53, M5 Exe: R` RIC 227 (VI,
Roma)
33) B14, O17, R50, T60, M5 Exe: R` RIC 238 (VI,
Roma)
34) B15, O04, R05, T41, M1 Exe: AQ` RIC 114 (VI,
Aquileia)
35) B15, O17, R05, T45, M5 Exe: R`