For some reason, I had never picked up a coin of Maximinus until last week, so here it is. Maximinus' story is quite interesting. According to one account, he, a shepherd, one day came across a marching roman army during the reign of Septimius Severus. Somehow, he attracted the attention of Severus who offered to enroll the young man in the army if he could defeat the strongest soldier in a wrestling match. He was victorious and was inducted into the army. He spent twenty years rising through the ranks until he was promoted by Severus Alexander to the command of a legion. This proved to be an unfortunate choice for the young emperor as Maximinus' troops revolted over a plan of Alexander's to pay off barbarians instead of confronting them on the field of battle. During the revolt, both Alexander and his mother Julia Mamea were killed. Maximinus was hailed as emperor by his legion and the Praetorian guard. The Senate was forced to accept him as emperor, even though he was of very low birth. After only three years, he himself was overthrown in revolts led by the Gordians in Africa and the Senate, who appointed Balbinus and Pupienus, two aged senators, as emperors in Rome. While besieging Aquilea, which was controlled by the Senatorial emperors, his troops became disaffected and decided to kill him, which they did in 238. Recent archaeological work beginning in 2008 has shown that Maximinus had campaigned in the far north of Germany beyond the Rhine, winning an important victory over the Germans at the Battle of Harzhorn, either during his reign or in the reign of Severus Alexander. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_at_the_Harzhorn Maximinus was supposedly of great size and strength, with one account stating that he stood 8' 6". Modern medicine has suggested that he suffered from acromegaly. Anyway, here is the coin. Maximinus I Thrax, 235-238 A.D. AR Denarius. 19mm, 3.7 grams Obverse: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right Reverse: FIDES MILITVM Fides standing between two standards Reference: RIC 18A; Sear 8307 Condition: VF+, originally priced at $225, but purchased at a significant discount Feel free to post any Maximinus' coins here
Nice lookin' new coins, sweet little flow lines as well. I only have this rough as MAXIMINUS I, As, (Æ 25) 235-238 AD O: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG Bust laureate , draped and cuirassed, R: VICTO -RI -A AVG / S | C Victoria ( Victory ) walking right, holding a wreath in her right hand and a palm of the left hand, Rome mint, RIC 69, 25 mm 10.6 g
Great write up and coin @ancient coin hunter ! Was yours an FSR103? My MaxThrax SON of Mongo Man! RI Maximus Thrax Junior Caesar - son of Max THrax 236-238 AE Sestertius Rome mint priestly emblems And, of course the 15 foot giant himself: RI Maximinus Thrax 235-238 CE AR Denarius Victory stndg
Yes @Alegandron - it's from FSR 103. I'm afraid this is yet another "Hey, look what I got!" post. But I've tried to add a bit of history gleaned from Herodian and the unreliable Historia Augusta.
Bronze Sestertius Rome mint, A.D. 236-238 Obv: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM Rev: PAX AVGVSTI - Pax, standing left, holding branch and traverse scepter between S and C RIC 81 29mm, 15.9g.
Nice denarius. One of mine: Maximinus I 'Thrax'. A.D. 235-238. AR denarius. Rome, A.D. 235/6. IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximinus I right / PAX AVGVSTI, Pax standing facing, head left, holding branch and scepter. RIC 12
Great examples all. I wonder if the VICTORIA GERM type that @lordmarcovan posted is celebrating the Harzhorn victory, in which the Romans, utilizing superior weaponry including scorpions and other arrow throwing machines, were victorious. Herodian writes that the emperor had paintings of the battle scenes hung around the forum to commemorate his success.
Great and thought provoking post! His drawing attention and beating the strongest soldier seems like modern day wrestling. Would've been quite the spectacle And there are certainly wrestlers that had was is suspected he assisted from.
One has to wonder how much is true and how much is hyperbole with the historical accounts of Maximinus. Clearly, he was hated by the senatorial class.
