Who's Your Favorite 3rd Century Emperor?

Mine is probably Gordie III. Here's one that is a provincial issue. Obverse, Gordie. Reverse, Bull and Lion.

 

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I have more coins of Probus than anyone else from the 3rd century.

 

Gallienius.


Gallienus ( 253 - 268 A.D.)
Billon Tetradrachm
O: A K Π ΛI OY ΓAΛΛIANOC EY EY C, bearded, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: Nike (Victory) walking right, wreath extended in right, palm frond over shoulder in left, L - S flanking across field.
Alexandria Mint 258 -259 A.D.
21.6mm
9.13g
Savio pl. 271, 10525 (same dies); BMC Alexandria p. 286, 2194; Milne 3995; SNG Cop 768; Kampmann 90.31; Emmett 3736 (R2)

Published on wildwinds.


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

Heavy for type.



Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: DEO MARTI, Mars in temple.
Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint, 258-259 A.D.
21mm
3.45g
RIC 10

Reverse Die Clash


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG : Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
R: PIETATI AVGG : Pietas standing facing, head left, left arm leaning on column, vertical long scepter in right.
Antioch, 253-255 A.D.
3.95g
22mm
RIC V, Part I, 295; Göbl 1563d

Published on Wildwinds

 

Although I don't collect his coins anymore, probably Aurelian. I have always felt like he accomplished a lot in his relatively short reign and he is the emperor who stands out to me the most for the period. A second would probably be Valerian, just because the ending of his rule is such a crazy twist of fate.

 

3rd C... FAVES? Hmmm... After the 2nd C., my interest drops off dramatically. Especially, since I love the Republic and the ascending star of the Roman Epic of Humanity...

AURELIAN:

RI Aurelian 270-275 CE AE Ant receiving Globe from Jupiter

GALLIENUS:

RI Gallienus 253-268 CE Ant Milan mint Laetitia

PROBUS:

RI Probus 276-282 CE Ant 21mm Riding Horse

 

Severus Alexander!! A good emperor whose death marks the beginning of the 3rd century crisis.

222-3 AD: Alexandrian tetradrachm (Dikaiosyne standing left), Emmett 3096.2


223 AD: Sestertius, RIC 402


230 AD: AE as, RIC 619a (scarce):


231-2 AD: Denarius, RIC 252


Sestertius, RIC 645


AE as, RIC 647 (rare)

 

How about Shapur I since he REALLY messed things up for Rome destroying and capturing Valerian? What a mess that caused...

SHAPUR I

Sassanian Shapur I 240-272 CE AE Tetradrachm 10.78g 27mm Ctesiphon mint phase 1a mural crown korymbos - fire altar type 2 SNS IIa1-1a

VALERIAN:

RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AR Ant Felicitas stndg Caduceus and Cornucopia

 

LOL, I was waiting for you... I would had NEVER thought you would have picked HIM!!!


RI Severus Alexander 222-235 CE AR Denarius laureate Victory stndg

 

Septimius Severus -- he died near my home in AD 211, thus providing me with another reason to visit the beautiful city of York (plus, of course, that is also where Constantius died in AD 306).

Victory over Britannia


RIC Vol. IV, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, Denarius, No. 335 (AD 210-211)
Obverse: Septimius Severus, Laureate head facing right
Inscription clockwise from bottom: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse: Victory seated left writing on shield
Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT

 

York is perhaps my favorite city in Britain. If I move back, it will be York!


RI Septimus Severus 193-211 AR Denarius Genius Sacrificing

 

I've recently discovered Mike Duncan's fine HISTORY OF ROME podcasts from ca. 2010. Occasionally I'll take issue with something he says or, more commonly, a pronunciation. But in the main, he does a good job of packaging a lot of complex material into 24-minute segments. The fact that these units are traditionally organized by emperor (as opposed to, say, a social history) makes them great companion pieces to Roman coin collecting.

In episode 117, he makes an interesting comparison between Aurelian and Sandy Koufax, the great Dodger pitcher. Basically, for a few years there in the 270s, Aurelian was unhittable. Aurelian did much to bring the Empire out of chaos as the "restorer of the world" (Restitutor Orbis). But just as Koufax didn't pitch long enough to put up massive win numbers, Aurelian was perfidiously dispatched after only about a 5-year reign. But what a reign it was.

So here's to Aurelian, the Sandy Koufax of the third century.

 

I think most third century emperors are very interesting and collectible. It is hard to pick a favorite. Some emperors issued very many types and varieties, others issued a limited number of types. I thought I could come pretty close to a complete type set of denarii of Maximinus Thrax, the Giant (235-238) because there are not that many types.
Here is one, perhaps the most desirable for rarity and interest:

Early style.
VOTIS / DECENNA /LIBVS
BMC 17
BMC, page 90, comments that this reverse type is found with both the early and big chin portraits.
Sear 8319, not illustrated there.

For much more about the three styles of his coins, see my site:

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Maximinus/Maximinus.html

 

There are some really nice coins on this thread. While not much of a Roman collector, I do find the busts on the coins of Probus really attractive. I would also love to get some coins of Aurelian, given his historical significance.

Probus Billon Antoninianus, 277 A.D.
Rome mint, 2nd emission, 6th officina
3.860g, 21.5mm, 180o
Obverse: VIRTVS PROBI AVG (the valor of Emperor Probus), radiate, helmeted, and cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over right shoulder, oval shield decorated with charging horseman on left arm;
Reverse: ADVENTVS PROBI AVG (the arrival of Emperor Probus), Probus on horseback left, raising right hand in salute, long scepter in left hand, horses' right foreleg raised over bound captive seated left, R S in exergue
RIC V, part 2, 166 (S)


Probus Billon Antoninianus, 279 A.D.
Rome mint, emission 4, 279 A.D.
3.303g, 23.1mm, 225o, 6th officina,
Obverse: IMP PROBVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right;
Reverse: ADVENTVS AVG (arrival of the Emperor), Probus on horseback left, raising right hand in salute, long scepter in left hand, bound captive seated left in front of horse below raised right foreleg, R crescent S in exergue.
RIC V, part 2, 157

 

I also like Maximinus Thrax , from humble birth, started as a shepard,became a favorite of Severus Alexander, when he defeated the strongest men in the army during a contest. Severus promoted him as his supreme commander of the Roman army. Proclaimed emperor by the Rhine legions after Severus was murdered.

Fell in disfavour with the Senate , who declared him "" Public Enemy"" Gordian I succeeded him (for a month)
Maximinus a briljant 8,5 feet tall soldier,but a cruel emperor, he was murdered by his own soldiers of the Praetorian guard.

 

Yeah didn't he stuff poor old Valerian?

 

I think one tradition has him stuffed; another less sensational tradition has him merely skinned or flayed, with the skin on display in the Persian court. But I don't know the primary texts for these traditions.

 

I suppose I'd also go with Aurelian as a favorite if pressed

 

I like Severus Alexander and Gordian III. Here's a couple of Libertas reverse types on their sestertii:

 

But my favorite coins are probably a variety of Severus Alexander and Elagabalus:

 

Just checked and there were 30 Emperors in the 3rd century! I'll pick Septimius Severus too. He ruled for 17 years and produced many varieties of coins.


Septimius Severus Ae Denarius