Favorite emperor and why?

Hello,

Who is your favorite emperor, and why? Either from a numismatic or historical standpoint. I like Postumus from a historical standpoint. In a day and age where everyone was going for an all or nothing approach, he formed his own little corner of the world to rule from. The lack of information on the Gallic Empire makes it all that more intriguing to me. From a style standpoint, I like the Republican-Hadrian era coins the best.

 

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I'd say Elagalabus, he had a pet rock, tried to castrate himself, died on a toilet, and married a gladiator who whipped him. Can't get crazier than that.

 

My favorite "Bad" emperor is Elagabalus.


Elagabalus (218 - 222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O.: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right, from behind.
R.: PM T R P IIII COS III P P, Sol radiate, half-draped, with flying cloak, advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip; in field, star.
Rome mint, AD 220-221
20mm
3.49g
RIC IVb Elagabalus 40 (p. 31)

Reverse Die Clash

My favorite Roman Emperor is Gallienus.

Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: IOVI CONSERVA, Jupiter standing left, head turned right, holding scepter in right and thunderbolt in left.
5.1g
24mm
RIC 143F (Rome) Sear 10237

 

Hmm, it's hard to pick one favorite.

For his artistic and varied coins, both Imperial and Provincial, Nero is a favorite. I also think the contemporary historians purposefully painted him in a bad light. Apparently he didn't want to be emperor; he was an artist/musician/poet at heart.

Of course I like Antoninus Pius, Hadrian, and Trajan. Augustus is at the top too because of his pivotal role in the empire.

I'm with Mat about Elagabalus-- he's one of my favorites to collect. Like Nero, I think history is not kind to him although there probably isn't a very favorable way to spin his reign.

 

A-Pius is my favourite ... he had amazing coins, plus he died of natural causes after a sweet long stint at the ol' helm

 

Gosh this is such a challenging question.

Out of my collection Caracalla is pretty close to the top for style. I have a few of his provincials that I just really love and in his later portraits he looks like a soldier.

On the other hand I have a lot of Constantine's coins. They have interesting portraits and reverses and are pretty affordable in high grades.

 

My favorite Roman emperor is Vespasian because he had men's outside urinals built, which are still in use today. They are called (vespasiano, sing., vespasiani, pl.) Evviva Italia!

 

Pecunia non olet

 

Aurelian for me as far as history goes, followed closely by Nero and Caligula because they're two of the more fun ones to talk about. I mostly collect RR but I plan to pick up a nice Aurelian "Restitvtor Orbis" at some point.

 

I selected my favorite emperor back in 1963 when I bought an unusual denarius of Septimius Severus who strikes me as filling the bill in so many ways. He was historically significant, founded a dynasty, won a civil war establishing the precedent that big dogs win and has many Imperial types from several mints and thousands of Provincial types from hundreds of cities. Each year we still find new variations (mostly Eastern mints). He has many coins in all metals with some different types than we see for other rules as well as a good spread of the regular Roman stuff. My first reason was that his silver denarii were cheap enough to be affordable but not all available by the roll and bagful. There are super rarities that most dealers do not know are rare and others that are so well known that guys like me could never hope to have one. Variety, price, significance (whether you consider him a hero or a villain) and family make his coins appealing.
I'd show a few examples here but you really, really don't want to get us started again, do you?

 

My favorites of that type are the ones that saved effort by using the same OR for both words. Sure you can say that the first word was just abbreviated and the OR belonged with the BIS but when they space them this way you have to wonder.

 

I had no idea about the "shared OR" variety. Just goes to show how much I know about these types. Now I think I'll have to buy at least 2.

 

OK, I can see a new Broadway play about a misunderstood youth driven to evil by a pushy stage mom who kept him from following his heart and choosing the Great White Way over the Golden House. At least doing this should keep the politically correct government types from removing his picture from the money.

 

Favorite Emperor??? I can't remember if only one was ever my favorite....

 

No emperor shows more change in appearance across his coinage. Several ruler longer but none were recorded as accurately from cute kid to snarling monster in 20 years. Caracalla could have a few more special reverse types in Imperials but you sure could make a great collection of his coins.

 

Mine is a tie between Vespasian and Titus, I cannot choose just one. I love the coins struck for both and the history behind them. During their reigns you had the siege and fall of Jerusalem and Masada, the building and opening of the Colosseum, the eruption of Vesuvius, and a fire at Rome.

Here are the first coins I purchased for each one, coincidentally they are also the first ancient coins I ever acquired.



Vespasian
AR Denarius
Rome Mint, 75 AD
RIC 772 (C3), BMC 161, RSC 366
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: PON MAX TR P COS VI; Pax, bare to the waist, seated l., holding branch extended in r. hand, l. hand on lap



Titus
AR Denarius
Rome Mint, 80 AD
RIC 115 (C2), BMC 43, RSC 303
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Elephant, stg. l.

Domitian is of course my third favourite!

 

Different provinces, etc., but still...

Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE27, 14.5g, 12h; Caesarea Cappadocia, year 13 (of the rule of Septimius Severus), AD 204/5.
Obv.: AY KAI M AYP ANTΩNINOC; Laureate head right.
Rev.: MHTPOΠ KAICAPEI; Agalma of Mt. Argaeus, star over summit // ETIΓ (year 13)


Caracalla, AD 198-217
AR denarius, 3.01g, 20mm, 6h; Rome mint, AD 210-213.
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT; laureate head right.
Rev.: MONETA AVG; Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia.
Reference: RIC IVa Caracalla 224, p. 244.


Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE31, 16g, 12h; Serdica.
Obv.: AVT K M AVR SEVH ANTΩNEINOC Laureate head right.
Rev.: OVΛΠIAC CEPΔIKHC; Apollo standing facing, head left, holding patera in right hand and palm-branch in left.

I need a younger and meaner portrait.

 

Nerva: all great men have big noses!

 

You joke, but sooner or later someone will probably produce that exact play

 

My favorite Roman emperor is Majorian, who ruled from 457 to 461 AD, during the final years of the Western Roman Empire. By the start of his reign the Western Empire had been reduced to Italy, some of northern Gaul, and Dalmatia. This warrior emperor with his barbarian troops campaigned against the Visigoths, the Burgundians, and the Suevi, and in a few years had reconquered southern Gaul and most of Hispania. Unlike the other late western emperors, Majorian ruled intelligently and worked hard to try to preserve the Western Roman Empire and put it on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by his Master of Soldiers Ricimer, who feared his growing power.

This is all I have of him. Majorian's coins are very rare and get really pricey.

Majorian, Western Roman Empire
AE nummus
Obv: D N IVL MAIORIANVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Victory advancing right, holding palm branch and trophy
Mint: Milan (Mintmark: MD; struck 457-461 AD)
Ref: RIC X 2642