Roman Britannic AE coinage - AD 294 to 307

I have been absent from Coin Talk for some time - I simply had to devote my time and energy to performing long neglected maintenance on my Calligraphy & Bookbinding and Vintage Woodworking Hand Tools web pages. So now I have a lot of catching up to do here. I also reorganized and re-wrote some of my Ancient coin web pages one of which I am posting here (Title in the Thread header). It is quite lengthy and so I will post it in several parts. Here is Part 1:


DIOCLETIAN'S TETRARCHIC SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE

Diocletian was proclaimed Augustus in AD 284. The following year he appointed Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus, a close military comrade, as his Caesar elevating him to co-Augustus a year later.

In 293 Diocletian finalized the Institution of a Tetrarchy -- government of the Empire by four interacting rulers -- two Augusti assisted by two subordinate Caesars, which each Augustus would personally select. The two Caesars, chosen because of their proven leadership abilities, assisted the Augusti with civil administration and command of the armies. Caius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was chosen by Diocletian to be his Caesar of the East and Flavius Valerius Constantius was chosen by Maximian Herculius be his Caesar of the West. The Empire was divided into four geographical areas of governance: Diocletian and Galerius Maximian maintained their eastern headquarters at Nicomedia and Thessalonica respectively, while Maximian Herculius and Constantius maintained their western headquarters at Milan and Trier respectively. Although most references describe this historical period as "The Tetrarchy", there were technically three separately constituted Tetrarchies.

THE BRITANNIC INVASION COINAGE OF CONSTANTIUS

The first assignment given Constantius by Maximian Herculius was to remove Carausius, the usurper Augustus of secessionist Britain, and restore that former possession to the Empire. Constantius thereupon besieged and captured Boulogne and then wrested coastal Gaul from Carausius. Constantius now set about planning the invasion, occupation and restoration of secessionist Britain to the Empire. One of the first orders of business for Constantius in 294 was to insure that a supply of reformed aes coinage (folles) - now the commonplace legal tender of the Roman Empire - was available for use not only by his occupying force, but also by the British civilian populace. To that end Constantius established a Mint in Gaul (exact location usually listed as unknown, although some French sources list it as Boulogne), manned by Lugdunese mint workers, to produce this invasion coinage - unmarked (i.e. without a mint mark) issued in the names of Diocletian & Maximian Herculius as Augusti and Constantius & Galerius Maximian as Caesars.

The coin obverses in this series feature laureate, bare neck, truncated busts with the wreath long ribbon tie laying on the neck. The reverses depict a representation of the Genius of the Roman People standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for a chlamys over the left shoulder, holding a patera in the right hand and cradling a cornucopia in the left arm. Both the obverse and reverse inscriptional lettering is somewhat large and delicate with the legends reading clockwise around the periphery of the coin. The reverse legend is consistently GENIO POPVLI ROMANI. There is no mint mark in the exergue.

In describing the reformed, unreduced, folles (bronze with a silver wash) on this web page that are cataloged in THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VI, I employ the Imperial name forms used in the headers by Sutherland. The following depiction includes the alternate name forms frequently used by collectors, dealers and authors of historical texts and reference documents:

DIOCLETIAN .......................... (no other names commonly used)
MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS ...... Maximianus, Herculius
CONSTANTIUS ........................ Constantius I, Constantius Chlorus
GALERIUS MAXIMIAN ......... Galerius
SEVERUS .................................. Severus II,
MAXIMINUS ............................ Maximinus II, Maximinus Daia, Daza
CONSTANTINE ........................ Constantine I, Constantinus

Note: Caution should be exercised when attributing folles of Galerius Maximian (Caius Galerius Valerius Maximianus) & Maximian Herculius (Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus) due to the similarity of their titulature. Galerius Maximian was both Caesar and Augustus during this time period whereas Maximian Herculius was always only Augustus. Therefor coins bearing the titulature MAXIMIANVS plus NOBIL CAES, NOB CAES, NOBIL C, etc., can only be those of Galerius Maximian. There is a special problem with Galerius as Augustus coins: The titulature is mostly exactly the same as that of Maximian Herculius and frequently the only way to differentiate between the two is by the portraiture on the coin obverse.

RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, No. 14a, Diocletian, Augustus of the East:


IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG ............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

9.8 gm.

RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, No. 14b, Maximian Herculius, Augustus of the West:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ................................. GENIO POP -- VLI ROMANI

8.9 gm.

RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, No. 17a, Constantius, Caesar of the West:


FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Fully silvered.
Earliest obverse legend form
10.1 gm.

RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, No. 17b, Galerius Maximian, Caesar of the East:


C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C .................... GENIO POPV — LI ROMANI


Earliest obverse legend form
9.7 gm


.......... to be continued.

 

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Part 2 ..........

COINAGE OF THE BRITANNIC USURPER AUGUSTI - CARAUSIUS & ALLECTUS

The coins depicted in this section were minted in Britain at either the London (Londinium) or the "C" (Colchester/Camulodunum/Clausentum) mints which had been established by Carausius.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COINS:

RIC V (2), Carausius, Antoninianus, No. 355:


IMP C CARAVSIVS P AVG .............................................. PAX - A - VGGG | S .....P |

C in reverse exergue - “C” Mint
Draped, radiate, portrait
Coin reverse legend ends in AVGGG - an attempt by Carausius to indicate that he, Diocletian and Maximian Heculius were a fraternity of co-equal Roman Emperors - not accepted by them.
3.8 gm.

RIC V (2), Carausius, Antoninianus, No. 475:


IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG ............................ PAX AVG - S (depiction of Pax) P

London Mint.
Draped, radiate, “long neck” portrait
3.9 gm.

Allectus, the chief minister of Carausius, assassinated him (or orchestrated his assassination) in AD 293. He continued operation of the London and "C" mints and coins were issued in his name and bearing his portrait. In addition to the silver washed copper Antoninianus of Carausius, Allectus issued a bronze coin of reduced size bearing the letter Q in the exergue, which has been interpreted to mean Quinarius (half antoninianus).

RIC V (2), Allectus, Antoninianus, No. 33:


IMP C ALLECTVS P F AVG ............................. PA - X - AVG ..... S (Pax standing left) A
M L in reverse exergue.

London Mint
Cuirassed, radiate, portrait
5.1 gm.

RIC V (2), Allectus, Quinarius, No. 55:


IMP C ALLECTVS PF AVG ..................... VIRTVS AVG (around Galley) - QL in exergue

London Mint
Cuirassed, radiate, portrait
2.8 gm

To be continued ..........

 

Part 3 ..........
.
RESTORATION OF SECESSIONIST BRITAIN TO THE EMPIRE BY CONSTANTIUS

In 296 Constantius launched a powerful naval invasion force against Britain in two divisions: one led by himself, which sailed from Boulogne and the other led by the Praetorian Prefect of Maximian Herculius, Asclepiodotus, which sailed from the mouth of the river Seine. The mission of Constantius was to remove Allectus from power and restore Britain to the Empire. This mission was accomplished and although Constantius was in overall command of the operation, some historical sources assert it was the force under Asclepiodotus that did most of the fighting on land and in fact it was they who defeated and killed Allectus during the decisive battle. Constantius subsequently entered the city of London to proclaim his conquest as restorer of the eternal light of the Roman Empire: Redditor Lucis Aeternae.


THE INITIAL FIRST TETRARCY LONDON MINT COINAGE
Produced at the former Carausius/Allectus London mint re-opened by Constantius

The coin obverses and reverses in this series replicate those of the Constantius Invasion coinage except there is now a LON mint mark in the exergue.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COIN:

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, No.1a, Diocletian, Augustus of the East:


IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG ........................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI
LON in reverse exergue

As depicted in RIC Volume VI, Plate 1.
Subsequent coinage after this series (RIC VI, Londinium, Nos. 1-5) was unmarked (i.e. no LON mint mark) until the issue of reduced size/weight folles after the death of Constantius in 306.
9.8 gm.

To be continued ..........

 

GREAT posts, thanks for the write ups. I always learn a lot and it’s nice to have you back.

 

Thank you @GerardV - it is good to be back.

 

Part 4 ..........

INTERMEDIATE FIRST TETRARCHY LONDON MINT COINAGE (Bastien)

The coin obverses and reverses in this series replicate those of the Constantius Invasion coinage except in some instances the obverse busts are cuirassed (including some with elaborate consular features) and have London mint style small and compact inscriptional lettering.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COINS:

Intermediate series coin (Bastien), not in RIC, Galerius Maximian, Caesar of the East:


C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Laureate with truncated bare neck bust.
Long wreath ribbon tie laying on neck
These intermediate style folles were issued immediately following the LON marked coins.
10.1 gm.

Intermediate series coin (Bastien), not in RIC, Galerius Maximian, Caesar of the East:


MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES ......................................... GENIO POPV!I ROMANI

Laureate bust with consular cuirass
Long wreath ribbon tie laying on neck
10.5 Gm

.......... to be continued

 

Can a moderator move my post to the end of the write ups? I didn’t notice the “to be continued” in his third post...that way it’s a continuos read without my mistimed interjection.

 

As far as I am concerned @GerardV , your posts are certainly not “mistimed interjections” at all. In fact to me they are welcomed pauses !

 

Part 5 ..........

SUCCEEDING FIRST TETRARCHY LONDON MINT COINAGE

The coin obverses in this series follow an almost standard pattern - right facing laureate, cuirassed busts with short wreath ribbon ties secured behind the neck. The reverses depict what is by now the standard representation of the Genius of the Roman People standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for a chlamys over the left shoulder, holding a patera in the right hand and cradling a cornucopia in the left arm. Both the obverse and reverse inscriptional lettering is somewhat thick and compact with the legends reading clockwise around the periphery of the coin. The reverse legend is almost always GENIO POPVLI ROMANI. There is no mint mark in the exergue.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COINS:

RIC VI, Londinium, No.6b, Maximian Herculius, Augustus of the West:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ........................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Laureate, cuirassed, bust.
10.1 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 14a, Constantius, Caesar of the West:


FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV — LI ROMANI

Laureate, cuirassed, bust.
Small head on a tall neck - reminiscent of the Carausian long neck coins.
9.8 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 28a, Diocletian, Augustus of the East:


IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG ................................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Laureate, cuirassed, bust.
11.5 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 33, Galerius Maximian, Caesar of the East:


MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C ....................................... GENIO POPV — LI ROMANI

Laureate, cuirassed, bust
11.2 gm

.......... to be continued

 

I appreciate that, thank you. I don't want them to take away the continuity for everyone else.

 

Part 6 ..........

ABDICATION COINAGE OF DIOCLETIAN & MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS

Diocletian chose the occasion of his Vicennalia (1 May AD 305) - the twentieth anniversary of his assumption of power as Augustus and coincidentally the tenth anniversary (Decinnelia) of his institution of the Tetrarchy - to Abdicate and retire and persuaded (or compelled) Maximian Herculius to do the same in concert with him.

The obverses of these commemorative coins depict laureate busts of the Augusti in Imperial mantle holding mappa in right hand and olive branch in left hand. The reverses depict a personification of Providentia, standing left, extending hand to personification of Quies, standing right, holding olive branch and leaning on scepter.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COINS:

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 77a, Diocletian, retired senior Augustus:


DN DIOCLETIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG
PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG

9.5 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 76b, Maximian Herculius, retired senior Augustus:


DN MAXIMIANO BEATISSIMO SEN AVG
PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG
8.7 gm


To be continued .........

 

@jamesicus Excellent my friend. Did you change the background of your website too? It looks better. I finally got a new computer and a lot of websites look different now, so maybe its just me.

 

Thank you @randygeki - no change on the website background.

 

I had a pretty bad computer lol

 

Great writeups @jamesicus I really appreciate the effort you spend on these.

 

Part 7 ....

COINAGE OF THE SECOND TETRARCHY

On 1 May 305, Constantius succeeded Maximian Herculius as Augustus of the West and Galerius Maximian succeeded Diocletian as Augustus of the East in accordance with the rules of succession. Flavius Valerius Severus (Severus), a close friend of Galerius Maximian, was appointed Caesar of the West by Constantius and Galerius Valerius Maximinus Daia (Maximinus Daza) was appointed Caesar of the East by Galerius Maximian.

The coin obverses in this series again follow an almost standard pattern - right facing laureate, cuirassed busts with short wreath ribbon ties secured behind the neck (although draped busts begin to appear) The reverses continue to depict the standard representation of the Genius of the Roman People standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for a chlamys over the left shoulder, holding a patera in the right hand and cradling a cornucopia in the left arm (and Genius with draped loins also begin to appear). Both the obverse and reverse inscriptional lettering is somewhat thick and compact with the legends reading clockwise around the periphery of the coin. The reverse legend is almost always GENIO POPVLI ROMANI. There is no mint mark in the exergue.

SELECTED EXAMPLE COINS:

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 47, Constantius, Augustus of the West:


IMP CONSTANTIVS PIVS FEL AVG ....................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Earliest obverse legend style.
Laureate, cuirassed, bust.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 42, Galerius Maximian, Augustus of the East:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG ......................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Laureate, cuirassed, bust.
Identical obverse inscription (2C) to the primary one of Maximian Herculius.
9.7 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 63a, Severus, Caesar of the West:



Fully silvered but pitted.
Draped, laureate, bust.
As depicted in RIC Volume VI, Plate 1.
11.3 gm.

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 65, Maximinus (Daia), Caesar of the East:


MAXIMINVS NOBILI CAES ......................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

Draped, laureate, bust.
8.8 gm.

One more part to come .........

 

Thank you @Orfew - you are most welcome. And, it is a labor of love!

 

Hi James, check your pm mailbox for a book recommendation.

 

Love the coins and write-ups @jamesicus ! Although I do not focus my collecting in these areas, I really enjoy the History. Your information really makes me appreciate the coins that I DO have. Something that I can pass-on and teach my Grandkids as we look at my collection. Here is a ruddy one...

RI Carausius 287-293 AE22 London mint PAX

 

Thank you for the PM @Orfew - I do own that book
(London Mint of Constantius & Constantine by Cloke, H. J. & Toone, L.).

Several years ago Hugh Cloke, Lee Toone and myself were the main “movers and shakers” and contributors to the following extensive Ancients Forum discussion:

http://www.ancients.info/forums/showthread.php?t=2604

.......... in retrospect it now makes a fascinating read and a great reference resource. I think that discussion played a major role in the decision by Hugh and Lee to write their Book. Their interest was primarily in the coinage produced by Constantius and Constantine at the London Mint during this historical period, while mine was with the coinage produced by all of the mints associated with the Britannic Tetrarchy - as exemplified by this thread. I think the book is an outstanding reference.

I am too old and sick - and over committed - to write any book now. I derive my own satisfaction from writing web pages devoted to my major Ancient coin interests - besides, web pages are easy to maintain and change at my leisure.